Why We Go:
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
-Romans 10:14-15 Before Abby and I were married, we both felt God was leading us to the field of Indonesia as a place of ministry. As we became a family, we prayed about where God would have us serve. We began to see God leading us in the direction of Papua New Guinea, which neighbors next door. As Abby and I went through the last of our missions training in Missouri, we had the opportunity to be taught by missionaries that spent years in the field of PNG and also with missionaries still working on the field. We were so amazed at the need for God’s Word and were informed that there have been unreached tribes asking for missionaries for over thirty years. That was a big wake up call for us. Abby and I have a heart for those that do not have any access to the gospel. We feel that God makes it clear that He desires all the chance to know Him. Jesus says it himself in Matthew 28:18-20, that we are all to be disciple makers wherever we are. Abby and I believe that God is moving us to be church planters with remote people groups and has revealed the great needs of this country. We desire to be obedient and faithful to what he has said. | Where We're Going: South Pacific (Papua New Giunea)
Papua New Guinea is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, in a region defined since the early 19th century as Melanesia. The capital is Port Moresby. Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries on Earth, with over 860 indigenous languages and at least as many traditional societies, out of a population of just under seven million. It is also one of the most rural, as only 18% of its people live in urban areas. Papua New Guinea has more languages than any other country, having 860 indigenous languages which represent twelve percent of the world's total. The Indigenous languages are classified into two large groups: Austronesian languages and non-Austronesian (or Papuan languages). There are three official languages for Papua New Guinea, English, Tok Pisin, and Motu. The primary lingua franca of the country is Tok Pisin (commonly known in English as New Guinea Pidgin or Melanesian Pidgin), in which much of the debate in Parliament is conducted. English is an official language and is the language of government and the education system, but it is not widely spoken. The country is one of the worlds least explored, culturally and geographically, and many undiscovered species of plants and animals are thought to exist in the interior of Papua New Guinea. The country is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, at the point of collision of several tectonic plates. There are a number of active volcanoes, and eruptions are frequent. Earthquakes are relatively common, sometimes accompanied by tsunamis. New Guinea is a tropical climate of hot and humid weather in most areas with an annual rain fall of 79-197 inches. |
