Our Roles in Ukarumpa

What Does a Security Manager Do in the Mission Field?

In some ways, being a Security Manager here in PNG is similar to my previous experiences working in the corporate and consulting worlds. I manage relationships with contract security personnel, law enforcement and other missions organizations. I  also manage budgets, develop policy & procedures, monitor news, deal with emergencies and provide organizational and personal advice on a wide array of issues. In other ways, serving in PNG is quite different.   In the U.S. relationships were considered valuable but, in practice, they were often of secondary immediate importance to time, information and resources.  Here, there are fewer resources to apply to the various tasks at hand, time is not as highly regarded as relationships are, and information is discovered by “storying” with one another. Beyond differences between U.S. and PNG culture, Ukarumpa is different still, as many of the fellow missionaries I interact with are from Europe, Asia, or South America. As a result, it is not only important to understand and build relationships with our Papua New Guinean neighbors and coworkers, but also with our fellow missionaries from many cultures and world views.  As I go about adapting to these new cultures, I take great comfort in the fact that, as Christians, we hold the truly important things in common. 

How Does a Science Teacher Help With Bible Translation?

Flexibility is a useful characteristic for any teacher, but it is certainly even more so in the mission field!  Upon arriving in Ukarumpa, I uttered the dangerous phrase “What can I do to help?”  and the next thing I knew, I was teaching an Advanced Chemistry class.  While this is not my primary area of expertise and definitely a stretch for me, it illustrated exactly why I am here.  By taking over this class, a Bible translator (filling in for another missionary on furlough) was able to go back to work with his team.  So I was blessed not only to, in a small way,  help further Bible translation, but I also had the privilege of working with some extraordinary students. Many were seniors, now graduating and moving on to higher education opportunities in their home countries; please pray for them.  I am now preparing to teach full-time Biology, Anatomy & Physiology and middle school science classes starting in late July, and am excited to meet more students from many countries.  Pray that God would be glorified in my classroom and in these students’ lives.

Bible Dedication on Long Island, Papua New Guinea

We had many friends who were able to be there at this Bible dedication last week; we hope to have an opportunity to attend one in the future. This is such a great reminder to us of why we are here, and a great testimony to what God is doing in PNG! 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7dtwbK-0RE

Long Distance Chapel...

A little over a week ago, we had the pleasure of speaking at the PCA chapel via skype early this morning our time. It was great to see and hear everyone and share what God is doing in PNG and in our own lives. 

Settling In...

We are finally settling in to Ukarumpa, after a short trip to Port Moresby, the capital of PNG, to get documents notarized for the sale of our home in New Hampshire. Thank you to all those who were praying and helping us with this process! We moved into temporary housing for 10 days, until we could occupy our new rental home from the missionary family going back to the U.S. on furlough. Now, we are learning to function and find our way around Ukarumpa. This 100 acre translation center was established in the 1950’s under SIL, the Summer Institute of Linguistics, to study the hundreds of native languages in the Pacific, begin literacy programs, and translate the Bible. Accessible by some roads but primarily by air, translators come and go to the language groups they are partnering with, as support workers here maintain schools for their children, a health clinic, store, aviation & housing facilities and security for the center. We are excited that by serving in our support roles as security operations manager and high school science teacher, translators will be able to spend more years in the field, bringing God’s Word to Papua New Guineans eagerly awaiting it!. 

Meeting Bible translation teams gives us Perspective...

As we have met and spoken with more Papua New Guineans, we have begun appreciating how integral their “tok ples”, or native language, is to their tribal culture and identity. This is why having the Bible in their “heart language” speaks to them more deeply and profoundly than trying to study it in English, or Tok Pisin, the trade language. Our friends from the Pacific Orientation Course, the Vargas family, will soon begin a translation project in Alotau, and we are seeing first hand their preparation. Moving their family out to a village and beginning the daunting task of learning a new language and starting a translation project is a great step of faith, and we are blessed to be a part of their prayer team. We were also tremendously encouraged last Sunday night, as a translation team spoke at the evening service about the 40 years they have spent in PNG, translating the New Testament into two unrelated languages in two different regions of PNG. Seeing their video of the Bible being dedicated and distributed in these villages to men and women eager to read the Word of God in their heart languages was inspiring, as was the complete humility with which this couple gave all the glory to God for enabling them to be used for His work and purposes. Perspective- this is ultimately why we are here!. 

Our New Mailing Address...

Scott & Kathy Watson
P.O. Box 1 (172)
Ukarumpa, EHP 444
Papua New Guinea

Oh the Wonderful Cross...

We sang with our Christian brothers and sisters at sunrise; many nationalities worshipping the one true God and thanking Him for Jesus, who is Risen, that we may have Peace, Purpose, and His Promise of Eternal Life (John 20: 19-30).  

“And the angels sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your blood You purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”  Revelation 5:9 

“Na ol ensel i singim wanpela nupela song olsem: “Yu inap tru long kisim buk na rausim olgeta gris kandel i pasim buk. Long wanem, ol i bin kilim Yu i dai, na long blut bilong Yu, Yu bin baim bek ol manmeri, bilong givim ol long God. Yes, Yu baim bek ol manmeri bilong olgeta lain man, na bilong olgeta tok ples, na bilong olgeta kain skin, na bilong olgeta kantri.” Kamapim Tok Hait 5:9