Introducing the new name of New Tribes Mission!
New Tribes Canada is now Ethnos Canada and New Tribes USA is now Ethnos360.
“In Matthew 28:19 our Lord commanded us to go and make disciples of all the nations. The word translated ‘nations’ in that verse is the Greek word ‘Ethnos’. This new name represents those people groups around the world to whom our Lord was referring and which we know are dear to the heart of God. These are the ones NTM has always been committed to reach. Those of every tribe, tongue, people and nation. Ethnos360 and Ethnos Canada hope to deepen that commitment.
360 degrees encompasses the entire globe. In Mark 16:15 Jesus said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” By God’s Grace, we are determined to continue reaching into every corner of this earth until the last unreached people group is reached no matter where they are.” (Larry Brown, Chairman)
Change is always hard. However, I am very happy to see that our organization is wisely attempting to adapt to the changing of the times, just as the original founders had to do. One important part of having a new name is that it isn’t immediately recognized as a mission organization. We work in quite a few restricted access countries all around the world and need to be a bit less conspicuous as a mission agency. Plus, we now work in many places that are exactly “tribal” and we need to adapt our name to fit our work. Getting a new name has been a good reminder to all of us that we are serving Christ and not a mission agency. This new name is insignificant to the tremendous name of our Lord and Saviour. I’m so happy to be a part of an organization whose sole purpose is to reach the world for Jesus Christ.
Medical Update
As you know, last year I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and have been home in Canada for about 8 months now! I am currently on medication that will help to slow down the effects of MS and should prevent further flare ups. So far, I’ve been handling the medication okay, without a lot of side effects. I recently had my third month checkup which came back clear, so that’s a huge blessing. I have 3 more months to go. If all is well, I should be able to return to Papua New Guinea in September. During that time, I will be working very hard to finish the Mengen New Testament. It sounds like I’ll need to have to have a follow-up MRI next summer, so my time in PNG will be limited. I appreciate your prayers so very much.
Mengen Update
Thanks so much for your prayers for the Mengen church. The Lord is at work in the lives of so many people. Please continue to pray for our Bible teachers and Mengen missionaries who carry heavy loads. Pray too for Bible teacher Alex. His wife Mande (Monday) is not a believer and that is a big discouragement for him. Please pray that the Lord would speak to Mande and also her unsaved family members. She comes from a very large family who has opposed the Gospel for years.
This week, my co-worker Lourens sent this story about a man for our latest outreach village. I thought I’d share it with you, so you can rejoice with us!! Please pray for our missionary family Edward and Franseska who minister with the new church in S village.
Here is Koppas’ story:
I grew up in a small village far away from here. I never knew my mom and my dad and as soon as I had an opportunity, I moved away into one of the bigger towns. Before long, I got involved with the wrong crowd and started to use drugs and alcohol.
I often got into trouble with the police and so I had to flee from town to town in order to stay out of jail. Eventually I ended up here in New Britain. But I soon got into trouble again and ended up in jail. I escaped out of jail but nearly got killed when the police shot at me. So, I fled far away to hide from the police and ended up here in S village where I’m living now.
As I was hiding away, I heard about you guys coming here to start a school. The school would teach us to read and also teach us about the Creator and His talk. I thought it would be good for me to learn to read because I am an adult and I cannot read. But I told Edward that there’s no way I can learn because I’m just a rascal without any knowledge. He said that he himself was a rascal and he himself is also not very clever and so if he could learn to read then I myself can as well. And so it happened that I started to learn and eventually I learned to read very well.
Then they started to teach us God’s talk and at first it was really hard for me to listen because I realized who God was. I realized that he was perfect and all powerful and all-knowing and existed everywhere. He knew me inside and out, and I cannot hide from like I’m hiding from the police. But then I learned that he is also loving and God is so much different than all the other spirits that we honor and worship. Then I learned about the stupid decision that Adam and Eve made by turning away from this wonderful God. And they actually brought all of us into trouble as well because we are all children from Adam and Eve and we have the same stomach (nature).
At this stage I became very troubled and my stomach was very heavy (concerned). I realized that this perfect God who knows me and sees me, He is also the final judge who will judge me and I will definitely go to the fire that has no ending. Thankfully I heard about the One who would take us back (Redeemer) who would be sent one day as a helper. And so I got to know that Jesus was God himself who died in my place for my sins. It was just like that perfect innocent Lamb in the Old Testament that was killed and burned in the place of the sinner. That specific day when I heard about Jesus being the Lamb of God killed in my place to pay for my sins I just could not listen to that anymore. I ran out of the building and found a place where I could hide…
Edward’s side of the story:
As I was teaching, I emphasized the fact that it was our sin that put Christ on the cross. And that due to this wonderful grace and mercy, He died innocently in our place in order to help us.
As I was teaching this, many people were crying and I saw Koppa jump up and run out of the building. Afterwards we went to find him and we found him in a ditch crying. When I asked him what was wrong, he said that he just could not listen to the story anymore. He was just feeling so ashamed and so embarrassed. It was so hard for him to hear that God actually loves him and showed mercy and grace to him and made a plan to help a guy like him. It was hard for him to believe that God so loves us that he died for us. He felt that he just does not deserve that.
And so me and some of my other friends explained to him that that’s exactly why the gospel is such great news, it is because we do not deserve any of it and that God has done this for us because He loves us. We pulled Koppa out of the ditch and Koppa decided to place his weight on Christ (trust). And so today Koppa is growing and becoming a literacy teacher and he will also be trained to be a teacher in our church.
Praise the Lord for His incredible mercy to each of us sinners. God is at work in the hearts of many people around the world. To Him be the glory!
Thanks for your faithful prayers and financial support. I appreciate each one of you.
Becky Preheim