Invited to play a part in a Bigger Story

Have you ever wondered if your life could impact this world? Leave a mark, build a legacy or contribute to amazing and heroic stories like Amy Carmichael's or David Livingstone?

I heard stories about courageous men and women, who endured many challenges and accomplished impossible things for their values, for God's kingdom, for principles and causes that changed people's lives. I never imagined I would be part of a sweet story of love, hope and faith in the rural communities of Madang, Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea has over 800 languages. Madang province is home to approximately 165-173 languages. This province is about 20% of the world's total linguistic diversity. They are also oral learners. The goal was to find 33 languages that didn't have ongoing Bible Translation Projects to start the Oral Translation of the Bible. After so much technology improvements, there are families who have never heard God speak their language. No Bible, therefore, don't know of the God we speak about!

After the pandemic in 2020-2021, PNG started to open up again and we started to send teams to Madang. We had new missionary staff, and the mission was new to the province. We hadn't done clinics since 2019 with a full team, and even then, we had only done a few and were still trying to figure out mobile clinics at the community level.

"So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere." Luke 9:6

We knew health care is a huge need anywhere in PNG. It is welcomed into the communities. Medical missions is an excellent way to connect, serve in a practical and tangible way and establish friendship. In 2022, the teams required training and learning to serve through mobile clinics in villages. Luis and I had many years of experience doing mobile dental clinics in rural highlands and jungle in Peru. (Getting to Madang was a huge challenge - another blog story). We knew it was important to reach the communities, to enter upon invitation, with respect and honoring community authorities. Oh, how important it was to go!

Our family flew to Madang. Maclau was 9 years old. We took time to encourage the staff, show them how to plan and organize a clinic in the village, encourage the DTS outreach team on the ground and give them vision on how they could join the

medical team and the importance of bringing the message of hope and God's redemptive love. Then, an opportunity came up. To go further out of town, to Bunabun village. The challenge? We would need to stay the night. In PNG you travel by road during the day, not at night. So far, the medical teams had been coming and going during the day, to close by islands and villages. Madang is not an easy province. There are violence, crime and civil unrest often. The first night in Madang, we had shots fired outside the missionary house. This is not an easy place. The task before us was unknown and had risks.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

We talked with the missionary base leader, the DTS outreach leaders and the medical team leader. It was decided; we were going. We had been praying for an open door to go! This was the time to go! Bunabun was a village who spoke the Brem language. The team on the ground had been trying to connect for several months. Brem was one of the languages that had no portion of the Bible. They invited the medical team. We made preparations, got food, got a bus and off we went. The ones at the missionary base were praying and on standby. This was a team effort. We had doctors, nurses, dentists and a DTS outreach team with young courageous missionaries in training. None of us could have foreseen what God was doing with our simple but courageous acts of service.

On August 11, 2022 we arrived at Bunabun. We learned a little about the community. They were not joyful but a community that had endured attacks from surrounding villages. The community health worker told us he invited us to bring back joy and hope to his village. (Medical Missions is so much more than medicine!) Isn't that who God is? He answers the cries of His people. He sees and He is constantly on the move to be known, to restore broken hearts with His love and to bring hope and peace. They reached out, seeking God in their hardship, wanting to know Him! "He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:26-28.

The medical team saw patients for 2 days. The doctor referred a baby to the hospital with acute pneumonia. The DTS team preached the gospel, prayed with people, heard their stories, shared laughter and dances. Luis helped them place SD cards in phones and they could see/hear the Jesus Film in Tok Pisin (general language in PNG). When one man heard Jesus in a language he was familiar, he had the biggest smile! We set up mosquito nets, went to 'was was', spent time with people, and we spent the night and served them the next day!

Getting back to base was another miracle, because the bus canceled our pickup (another blog story). The trip had been so fruitful. The teams learned how to function in teams and how to run clinics and engage with the communities, health authorities and community authorities. They went to many villages after that, staying for a few nights at a time, serving with clinics, bringing the gospel, and partnering with the Oral Bible Translation teams. It was time to go to other villages too!

The medical teams, DTS teams (missionaries in training) and oral Bible translation teams visited Bunabun later that year and once more in 2025. Despite violence and hardship, the community sent translators for training in Madang town and to start the Oral Translation of the book of Luke in November of 2025. They want their community to hear God's word in the language of their hearts. It is a costly effort, on all fronts. It is a spiritual stand against the darkness, to move forward God's word for it to be light to their feet!

As I write this story, Brem language translators are in Madang town working on the Oral Translation of the book of Ruth. (May 2026) They are learning the story and hearing about Ruth saying, "Your God will be my God" Soon, the story of redemption and restoration of Ruth will be heard in the Brem language. Can you picture a world where you have heard about God in a different language and it sounds so removed from your reality, far away from your daily life? How it impacts and pierces the hearts when God's word is in a language you understand in all levels of your being? He is a God that is personal and close to the people in Bunabun! We have had Bibles in all shapes and forms at our disposal our whole lives. They will hear God's word for the first time and Jesus's words through the book of Luke as well!

This week the Lord highlighted His story and how we have played a small part in bringing His word to the people in Bunabun. God is on the move. Nothing can stop His plan to reach every people's group, island and community. He invites us to be a part of that story. With simple yet bold acts of obedience, our lives can have eternal impact. Is it scary? Yes. Did I ask myself where did I come after I heard shots, outside the house, on our first night in town? Of course! Did we know what would happen 3 years later? No, we didn't. We are not in charge of results or outcomes. The Lord is. His promises are true. He is with us. He loves us and He loves the people in Bunabun and wants to bring His peace to them.

If you are part of short-term mission trips, this is an example of the important role you play. Hope this encourages to bring God's image with honor and the utmost care, because the work is not finished when you leave. God's work continues.

3-4 years later, the goal is becoming a reality. And it is being done by the community, for their community. It's their part to play in this story.

We may not know the language or the culture where we are serving, but all of us still have a role to play in the beautiful plan of God to reach every tribe and every tongue.

To the incredible team that went to Bunabun for the first time: I hope you rejoice by reading the impact of your yes to come! We had so much fun serving with each of you in that trip in 2022. Thank you for your willing hearts and for serving in this team. We were so blessed to go with each of you!

Our family is in awe that God called us, dentists from Peru, to join His story of bringing His word in the Brem language. It is true “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

We placed what the Lord gave us to the extension of His kingdom. The reward is to see God's story unfold. People hearing God's word for generations to come is worth it. May every nation and every tongue know God, is worth it. Our lives are His. "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and give you hope" Jeremiah 29:11

The Lord continues to write His story. One miracle at a time. One yes at a time. Steady and unwavering, His love has no boundaries or end. He is on the move. He invites you to join Him, to reach this world in pain.

May you step into the story and play the part you were created for, with grit and courage, fueled by His love, and sustained by His promises.