Caring for singles serving in PNG
by Max Sahl
CEO Wycliffe Australia
Wycliffe Australia has a long history of supporting Bible translation and language development projects in Papua New Guinea. The land has a special place in my heart, too. My wife, Helen, and I spent over 20 years in PNG as teachers at the international school in Ukarumpa. I also oversaw the training program at the Pacific Institute for Languages, Arts and Translation (PILAT), which was set up to train Papua New Guineans for Bible translation, literacy and other language development work.
During our time in PNG, and since returning to Australia, it has been a blessing to meet people from all different walks of life who have followed God’s call to support Bible translation projects. The work is often tiring, taking place over many years, with translation advisors spending time among the community and working in locations that are often remote.
The stories in this edition of Wycliffe Today feature single people who have dedicated the best parts of their lives to serving God faithfully among language communities in PNG. How do they continue, despite being away from their friends and families? The one thing that seems evident is that being part of a supportive community is a vital part of sustaining them over time. As Paul encourages the church in Ephesus:
You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. – Ephesians 2:19b–20 (NLT)
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