As I write this, it’s been a little over a year since my son Isaiah first began experiencing unusual medical symptoms resulting from an auto-immune/neurological disorder. His condition is acutely on my mind and heart today as my wife and I are feeling the need to pull...
I hate bugs. No, I’m not the kind of person who goes into hysterics every time I see a spider. I can usually keep my cool. But still — the sight of one gives me an unpleasant shudder and a wish to be somewhere far away. Somewhere where spiders never existed. “If the...
Back in 2021, I was hiking up a mountain with a group of English students and friends. It was a steep and seemingly endless climb of hand-placed stone steps leading ever upwards. The sun hung low in the sky as my friends made plans to race to the top before sunset,...
I was sitting on a woven mat in a bamboo-walled house with other people who were talking in a language I did not know. I had no idea what they were talking about, so not surprisingly, I felt a bit lonely. Another time I was conversing with people in a language we all...
Many of our overseas workers live in places with limited access to goods and services that much of the world’s population take for granted. During a recent visit, the mother of one of our teammates saw stark differences between her home country and the rural location...
When we landed in West Africa for the first time, I naturally took everything in through my own cultural lens, though I mistakenly believed myself to be open-minded and impartial. It is a noble goal to be unbiased in our assessments of life, but since the only way we...
What is holiness? Is it purity? Being set apart? Or is it being chosen, dedicated, or sanctified? Holiness is all of these, and how these aspects interconnect can be illustrated with a story about a peanut butter jar. In Papua New Guinea we used lots of matches....
It was 1993. I was in junior high at the time, sporting fluffy bangs, big glasses, and braces, and my main worry was navigating the crowded halls of Kirby Junior High so as to ensure a seat in class next to someone I knew. Activities at school and church consumed most...
Checks and Balances The air conditioner gently hummed behind me, making a valiant effort to cool the room and remove some of the 95% humidity of Madang, Papua New Guinea. I sat at one corner of a conference table, staring into my laptop screen, comparing what I was...
Baby Jesus, when Mary birthed you in Bethlehem, I don’t suppose you noticed that your wardrobe was lacking. You probably had two changes of clothes, just like little Senna next door. His mother got pregnant out of wedlock too, you know. So you were Tchotcho, your...
It was Christmas Eve. I wasn’t in much of a holiday mood, though. The selection of potential gifts for our children had seemed pretty sparse in the local shops. Our artificial Christmas tree looked so pathetic cowering in its corner, and the abundant ornaments hanging...
Our God is merciful. Every day He lovingly provides for the needs of His children. With the unusual situations they face, missionaries are in a position to be keenly aware of these daily mercies. Martha Wade is a Bible translator in Papua New Guinea. The village where...