When people tell missionaries Keri Pacheco and Becky Preheim, who work with the Mengen people of Papua New Guinea that "I could never do what you guys do," they know from personal experience that is not the case.
Granted, living in a tribal situation, learning an unheard-of language, and making a clear, understandable translation of the Bible into that language, does take specialized training and capabilities that not everyone has -- just as not everyone has the abilities to be a scientist, a surgeon or an engineer.
But having served both inside and outside a tribal location, Keri and Becky know of the myriad of jobs that many of us can do and that are vitally necessary to keep other missionaries in their tribal ministries and able to focus on their specialized jobs.
"Without a mechanic, none of our vehicles would run and we wouldn't have any power," Keri and Becky wrote. Their diesel generator breaks down about every five days.
"With an average rainfall of something like 20 feet a year, our plumbing system needs constant TLC," they wrote. Plumbers also are desperately needed when building missionary houses from scratch. "I have no idea how to hook up an 'S' trap. Do you?"
As the ladies well know, it is impossible to get supplies into the jungle unless someone else buys and sends them to you by plane. "Thank the Lord for the guys who buy our chips and chocolate and send them in to us!"
And speaking of airplanes, "To get to our village, a person will either drive over terrible roads for eight hours and then hike for another eight hours straight up a mountain or he can hop on a Cessa 206 airplane or a helicopter and 30 minutes later, land on the airstrip right in our village."
The missionaries also pointed out that while someone might not mind doing all that driving and hiking "when you've got 1,500 pounds of food and fuel to take in," you wouldn't be able to even if you wanted to.
"Ever been without e-mail for a couple of weeks?" asked Keri and Becky. "Makes life difficult and discouraging, especially for missionaries who are already in an isolated situation. People with any kind of technical savvy are sure a blessing to everyone."
They also made a very strong case for the grounds maintenance guy. "When the grass gets tall, the snakes come in! Not to mention a thousand other creepy crawlies. Malaria is a major medical issue here in Papua New Guinea. If the grass is not cut or if there are puddles of standing water, malaria mosquitoes thrive. Not good."
Without these and many other necessary jobs being done, "we as missionaries would be unable to remain in our countries of service," Keri and Becky concluded.
Pray that we would all do our part in making sure our missionaries stay gone. And someday, as tribal people rejoice with us in heaven, they will be very thankful that we did.
You can join a church-planting team in a tribe, like Keri Pacheko and Becky Preheim -- or you can fill a vital logistical role on a missionary support team -- as a career missionary. Find out how >>
Or use your skills and experience in a logistical role for one to four years as an associate missionary. Learn more >>
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