“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” -Matthew 9:37-38 KJV
Over the years, we have seen fewer missionaries coming to the field from traditional sending countries. Financially speaking, fewer personnel means that less funds are available to run Bible translation programs. Fewer missionaries also means that those who are here end up doing more work. It is not uncommon for someone to hold one major role and one or two secondary roles. Add to this unexpected departures for medical or other reasons, and continuity becomes a significant challenge. One may come to the field to perform a certain role and find themselves the head of another department because they were the most qualified person available at the time. In other words, faith, flexibility and grace are a necessity to continue the work of ministry. Since this personnel shortage is a world-wide trend in missions, we are not alone. Here in Papua New Guinea, we are addressing this issue by going into deeper partnerships with local Christian organizations, as well as with other missions that lack the level of infrastructure we have in place. As the head of Human Resources, Scott has been part of a team working out agreements with other missions who want to co-locate a portion of their staff here in Ukarumpa. In addition, we are continuing to actively recruit Papua New Guinean citizens to assume more leadership roles. We know that God is the Lord of the Harvest and that He will provide the workers. We also know that every Christian is called to the Great Commission, whether serving in their home country or overseas. So, if you have ever wondered if you are “called” to missions, the answer is yes. If you believe that God calling you to leave your home country and serve overseas, we’d like to hear from you and pray for you as you seek confirmation of your call.
