Julie and I have been attending one of the many small group Bible studies held each week at Ukarumpa. The makeup of this particular group is very interesting.
One couple is Swiss and the husband is a translator for a group in the western portion of PNG that live on an island on a interior lake. We understand that the language is so complicated, with a couple hundred thousand expressions, that it might beat the current Guiness world record for the biggest dictionary.
Another translator is German and his wife is Austrian and live in Austria when not on the field. A single German woman works in the Finance department. That means that the heart language of five of us is Deutsche (German).
There is a Canadian couple, about to head home next Tuesday to British Columbia for 11 months of furlough. They are working in the training center where their focus is not only to teach nationals literacy skills, particularly adult literacy, but have vision for expanding the focus to include greater Scripture use throughout their villages.
One couple comes from northern Missouri and are not associated with Wycliffe. He is an Assemblies of God pastor who settled his family (including two older teens) while he travels across PNG preaching and building up local churches. This family spent the 11 previous years living in Vanuatu (South Pacific). (They know my roommate from Wheaton College who has been an AoG missionary in Africa for years... small world.)
And then there are the Limmers, one who works with computers and the other who works in media.
What struck me tonight as we shared a pot-providence meal together, saying farewell to our Canadian friends, and praying for each other, is that we're not like most businesses. Most businesses are comprised of individuals, often with different responsibilities, whose aim is to convince others to "buy" our product and bring in money for the "business".
Contrary to this image, this small representation of people were not focused on "me" and not focused on "us". Each of us has committed ourselves and our individual, widely different abilities and gifts. Our focus in upward firstly, and outward secondly. We're here to give something free (the gift of salvation, already paid for by Jesus the Christ) to anyone who will listen and obey God.
Julie and I are able to hear about the lives of people that are so different from our American-based lives. That really hit me. None of these people really think they're special or significant.
It is such a blessing to get to meet people like those in our Bible study, those we work with, and all those we see as we walk around the SIL center here. These people have spent several years (in some cases) and careers (in other cases) working in the remotest corners of the world. Why do these people give it all up and live where your pants get all splattered with mud just walking to work? Where you have to carry an umbrella because it will rain sometime today or carry one because you need to block the sun? Where you have to make your own everything (bread, yogurt, jam, salad dressing, sour cream) and figure out 101 ways to cook a limited selection of meats (chicken, hamburger, hot dogs) with a limited selection of fixin's but with an infinite variety of fruits and vegetables? Where you are glad animals (geckos) live in your home to keep other animals (cockroaches) out? Where you take expensive pills that may or may not prevent malaria? Where you buy ice cream that someone else made? Where you buy a fresh chicken from a villager that may not have been plucked? Where you can only buy huge bags of garlic and need to find others to split the bag with (unless you really are a garlic-holic)?
Julie and I are so thankful that we are here to hear and observe. I'm thankful that this is not just a quick one or two week missions trip but that we're here long enough to live alongside these friends and learn how to pray more specifically and effectively for them after we've returned home.
By the way, while you may find single women in full time missions (bless them!), why are there so few single men out here? Maybe single men can't hack it alone. Maybe we like our comforts way too much.
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