Lives Laid Down

To say that I enjoyed the conversations I had with various missionaries in Goroka would be an understatement. Those chats and discussions were both refreshing and stirring for me.

These are people who have been dedicating so much of their lives to reaching people within cultures that are so removed from their own that it is almost like these folk are living on another planet. In actual fact, they are living in another world … culturally.

One day I had a chat with Jonathan Kopf in the New Tribes Mission (NTM) base there in Goroka. We talked for a whole afternoon together. It was nothing short of inspiring. While I stayed at the NTM base, I also managed to read his story about his family's time amongst the Hewa people of PNG.

It wasn't the only time I heard of joy being suddenly turned into life-threatening violence. Jonathan and his family, including two young children, had their fair share of gut-wrenching sorrow as well as nerve-wracking moments during times of all-out war (in some instances), as well as horrible violence right on their doorstep.

The very fact that they stayed long enough to see people believing in the amazing Message of Jesus was evident of their persistent and deep faith. Where some on their team had abandoned the work for this and that reason, it was a real testimony of his family’s love and commitment to the Hewa people that they stayed as long as they did and continue to serve that tribe even today.

And then there was another family that experienced war on their doorstep and shocking acts of hatred and destruction around them. They continue to minister into that difficult tribal setting as well, but now mostly from a distance, out of concern for their young children, who went through so much and lost some of their dearest friends when they were killed.

For both families (and others to whom I spoke), many people, even in their leadership and amongst committed supporters back home, felt at times that it was unwise to continue in the tribe. But also being trusted by those whom they love back home, they felt that the Lord's call on their lives was irrevocable and leaving the suffering, the pain, the discomfort, the craziness was just not an option.

These are modern-day heroes who have counted the cost and not lifted their hand from the plough. Because of their daily dying to self and their determined grit and trust in God’s plan and power, there will be many tribal people congregating in heaven who would not otherwise be there.