NTM

Our ministry will be working with people from the Saniyo language group in Papua New Guinea, learning their language and culture so that people can be reached with the Gospel.

The Saniyo language group is comprised of approximately 1,500 people in the Sepik region of Papua New Guinea. New Tribes Mission opened a work in one of the villages of these remote people in 1994. Three families initially opened the work. The Saniyo language was learned, literacy was taught, the Bible was taught chronologically to the people, and a fledgling church was planted. All of these things came about because of God’s grace and power.

Church planting, however, does not end when people first place their faith in Jesus the Redeemer. The work is done when the church has reached maturity: the people are secure in their identity in Christ, they have the entire Word of God in their language, and they send out their own missionaries to the surrounding villages and peoples that do not know the name of Jesus Christ. Leaving any work without allowing God to bring it to maturity will guarantee the church to vanish within coming generations.

Much is left to be done in the way of discipleship and translation. Families had to leave for one reason or another through the years. Miriam had to leave because she and her co-worker were left alone in the tribe, and it was deemed unsafe for them to remain there. The Lord has placed the desire on our hearts to go back to this work and remain there to the finish.

The Gospel of Mark has been translated into the Saniyo language, as well as a few other portions of other books of the Bible. In the area, there is also a tendency towards a “works” salvation. The Saniyo work is far from complete.

Tim recently completed the training in December 2008. We have begun partnership development and plan to be in Papua New Guinea by January 2010.