PNG: Children's Home Parent

We served as Children's Home Parents at Ukarumpa for 3 years and loved it!  If you enjoy teens and desire to see the work of Bible translation continue in PNG, this role is for you!

This role and the Children’s Homes are critical for the on-going work of Bible translation in PNG.  We always say, “Happy kids, happy parents.”  If parents know their teens are well-cared for and happy in the Children’s Home, they can better concentrate on their role as a Bible translator or in another vital language role.  When there isn’t anyone available to fulfill this role, often a couple who are doing Bible translation is asked to fill the role for a school term or two. We need you!

The homes allow 7^th -12^th  graders to attend school at Ukarumpa while their parents are in the village. Some students stay for the whole school year while others stay in the homes for various lengths of times. There are 2 to 6 week breaks between each school term and the teens live with their parents during the breaks.

There is a great team there to welcome you and give you the orientation and training that you need to be successful house parents.  English will be used most often but the trade language, Tok Pisin, is easy to learn and you'll enjoy using it to build relationships with the local people.

 What are the homes like?

-You live together as a family. There is a girl's and boy's hall and there are beds for around 7 girls and 7 boys and they might not be filled all year round. Our home had anywhere from 2-14 teens living with us but most often we had 8-10 teens living with us.

-Parents do have a room with their own bathroom.

-Yes, you do have electricity with most of the conveniences of your home country. No dishwasher but lots of hands to wash the dishes! There is house help so clothes and basic care of the house are taken care of and they also can help with some of the cooking.

What does the role involve?

-Organize the day-to-day activities involved in operating and maintaining the home, ensuring smooth operation and a happy, homelike atmosphere.

-Plan and perform maintenance activities such as cleaning, painting and repairs using the assistance of staff available.

-Understand and empathize with children of various ages and nationalities facing the adjustments of cross-cultural situations and living away from parents.

-Provide supportive activities and mature Christian counsel, seeking to care for each child's physical, social, mental and spiritual needs.

-Assist in evening study programs, providing an adequately disciplined climate in which scholastic help is available to complete assignments.

Daily life in a home:

During the week, our teens were often out of the house by 8am and many didn’t return until dinner, although everyone comes home for an hour at lunch time. After dinner clean-up, there was some time for Ping-Pong, games, or just a good chat before study/quiet time from 7-9 pm. Then the house came alive again and we all enjoyed a snack before it was off to bed for all.

The weekends were filled with Sat. morning chores, hanging out, school activities, etc. Often the teens went to the Teen Center for Hamburger Night on Fri. nights with the Ukarumpa community and on Sat. nights, the Teen Center is open only for teens.

Minimum Skills:

-Ability to develop and maintain a happy, caring, and trusting home-like atmosphere.

-Homemaking skills are needed and cooking is an essential part of the job.

-Household management skills and comfortable working with a budget.
-Mature Christians who have demonstrated good parenting skills/positive youth work experiences.
-Home maintenance experience desirable.

-Comfortable working together as a couple for extended time.

Serve for a year or as many as you can give.  If you would like more information on this vital role, please contact Wendy.

Scripture Use in Papua New Guinea

“Scripture Use power will change my people, my community, and PNG as a whole.”

~Papua New Guinean SU worker

 
Why Scripture Use?

What impact does a Bible translation have if it cannot be read or heard? Scripture Use is the work of producing and distributing appropriate Scripture and Scripture related products in a range of formats so that people have access to the Word of God and can understand, learn from, and apply the Word to their lives.  A Scripture Use worker comes alongside individuals and communities to help them encounter God through Scripture in such meaningful ways that they are progressively transformed.

What does a Scripture Use worker do?

1.     Provide resources: The SU office at Ukarumpa  has lots of resources for translators, pastors and communities to use to encourage Scripture use.

2.      Provide consultation: As needs arise, a Scripture Use worker is available to offer help to communities or individuals to assess the current situation and plan strategically for what Scripture Use ideas would best fit the community needs.

3.     Provide Workshops and Seminars: See below for some available workshops.

4.     Provide areas of expertise:  There are many different ways to be involved in SU and a worker often picks one or two areas to become an expert in so they can help others.

5.     Provide up-to-date SU ideas from around the globe

 There are many different avenues to use to help people get more involved in reading the Bible and applying it to their lives. Some examples are:

Children’s Ministry, Music, Drama, Storytelling, Illustrations, Literacy, Visual Arts, Vernacular Media and Bible helps.

 Some Workshops:

 Tok Ples (language) in Ministry (TPiM) course is for Bible schools, seminaries and other Christian training institutions to help Christian leaders better understand the role of tok ples (their own language) in Christian ministry. The course is designed to encourage and equip participants as they learn how to use their tok ples in various areas of ministry.  One participant said

 “Tok Pisin (trade language) is a ‘namel’ language and isn’t good for explaining Biblical things, so I thought I was going to have to learn English in order to explain the Bible. Now because of this week, I realized my own language is good for explaining the Bible. I’m so happy to know that I can use my own language.”

Trauma Healing Workshop applies Scripture to bring healing to those in need.

Scripture Application & Leadership Training (SALT) These workshops are held to encourage the study of God's Word in their own heart languages.

More on SALT:

Scripture Engagement in PNG

Quotes from Scripture Use workshops

Who might be interested in serving in Scripture Use?

-Those who like to apply Scripture to life and want to do so cross-culturally.
-Those who like to be with people and empower others.
-Any age, gender, or nationality.
-Minimum 2 year commitment plus 4 mos. language and culture training time.

Culture Meets Scripture

More information on Scripture Use: http://www.scripture-engagement.org/

Interested in learning more? Contact Wendy

Bible Translation-Use Investigator

If you’d enjoy meeting  people and experiencing the PNG culture while talking about God's Word AND would appreciate a physically challenging role, a Bible Translation-Use Investigator might be a perfect fit for you.


As in any language, a Bible translation often has to be revised due to language change. The Highlands Region has a plan to investigate all the published New Testaments in their region to determine if revisions are needed or if there are other barriers to reading the New Testaments.
 
Who are they looking for?

- Men who are adventurous. Possible encounters with rope bridge crossings and snakes and other critters are highly likely.

-Men willing to travel on rugged terrain, on foot or vehicle.

-Men who are willing to possibly cook over an open fire, eating lots of delicious root vegetables.

-Men willing to sit in the back of open-back pick-up trucks, possibly in the rain.

-Men willing to travel with at least two others, one of whom will be a Christian national.

-Men who want to see God’s Word treasured and used in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

The Role

After you are trained, you will head out to Highland villages for a period of a week or two. You will observe and investigate the need for Scripture reprints, or revision of these New Testaments, in multiple villages using a clipboard, digital audio recorder and camera. After you return to Ukarumpa, the SIL base (and have a hot shower), you will write a 3-5 page report of your findings and recommendations and do several oral debriefs. Then with the help of other staff you will examine maps, plan your next trip, get your gear ready and do it all over again

How long is the commitment?

We prefer someone coming for 1 to 2 years but would take someone that could come for 6 months. There is 6 weeks of culture orientation and language study in PNG on arrival at the Pacific Orientation Course.

Interested in learning more? Contact Wendy 

Bible Translation Team Facilitator

If you’re interested in helping Papua New Guinean Bible translators by mentoring them as they translate or revise God’s Word into their own language, this role is for you!

Description

There are languages in the PNG Highlands that need a revision of their New Testaments or they would like a translation of the Old Testament.  Bible translation training for Papua New Guineans is available at the new Training Centre in Ukarumpa but they need someone to come along-side them to help them with the project.  Your Bible knowledge and English skills will help them translate accurately.  You can be a resource person that connects them to the correct training courses, mentors them in their classes and class assignments and facilitates their Bible translation efforts.

Who are we looking for?

-People that have a passion for God’s Word.
-People with servant, patient hearts.
-People with good interpersonal skills.
-People who enjoy working with people.
-People with the ability to listen, organize, seek advice and to work with a team.
-People that are innovative and willing to investigate what it takes to help others accomplish tasks.
-People that are comfortable being a facilitator rather than the leader.
-Knowledge or experience in teaching adults is helpful.

Commitment

This is a one-year to a lifetime commitment.  The Highlands Regional Director is asking God for 15 of these singles or couples to assist the nationals in Highlands languages who are doing NT revisions and OT translation.

If you’d like more information about this role, contact  Wendy.

SIL PNG Clinic

Ukarumpa Clinic

Do you have a desire to be involved in Bible translation by using your medical training and expertise?  If so, the SIL PNG Clinic could be the place for you!

The Clinic provides healthcare services (including dentistry) for missionaries, Papua New Guinea-based staff and employees of SIL, as well as a large local population around our Centre at Ukarumpa.  The Clinic has been in operation since the late 1950s.  We are located at Ukarumpa, Eastern Highlands Province.  Ours is a “bush” location roughly 30 miles east of Goroka.  The Clinic is an outpatient facility, providing daily healthcare services during the week, and after-hours urgent care and emergency service at all other times.  We also have a single short-term hospital-style bed for stays of less than 24 hours.  Missionaries requiring longer hospital stays or more advanced care are routinely medevaced to Australia.  This happens on average 12 to 14 times yearly.  They are accompanied by a doctor and/or nurse.

The Clinic is equipped with diagnostic equipment such as an X-ray machine, laboratory, ultrasound and EKG.

Who are we looking for?

--People who are flexible and adaptable

--People who have a servant’s heart and are team players

--People who will enjoy working in a multi-national medical facility consisting of missionaries from around the world as well as Papua New Guineans.

Interested in learning more?  Email Wendy.

PNG: Sepik Partnership & Engagement Strategy

Wewak

There are still 103 language communities in the Sepik Region of Papua New Guinea alone that still do not have any Scriptures in their mother tongue. How do we reach these language groups with limited personnel? Take a look at this exciting new venture!

The Sepik Partnership & Engagement Strategy (SPES) has been created to engage these last 103 languages through partnering with the local church denominations; documenting these languages orally and inviting representatives from each of these groups to come to workshops where they will be taught oral Bible storytelling. As the communities continue to support the work, more work will be done, including basic literacy and Bible translation. Some groups may go on to full New Testaments and even whole Bibles, but the initial intent is to engage with these communities and together build capacity to progress in the Bible Translation Movement. The heart of the team is to see these language communities transformed by the power of God’s Word, oral or written, in the forms that speak best to them.

Learn more at SPES in PNG

Workshop in Wewak

Who are they looking for?

People:
- who have the ability to work well with others
-are flexible, adaptable, teachable
-willing to serve in multiple areas, as a vital part of being a team is working together and sharing responsibilities
-willing to serve for a minimum of 2 years
Skills needed:

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Leadership

Communication

Wewak Regional Center

Those working on the SPES team live and work at the Wewak Regional Center in the Sepik lowlands with other families involved in the work. There are occasional visits to Ukarumpa in the Eastern Highlands.

Wewak Flats

SPES on Facebook

If you are interested in learning more about the roles and how you can be involved, email Wendy

PNG Finance Office

Do you know that you can use your skills in Business, Accounting and Finance to help the task of Bible translation move forward in Papua New Guinea?  If you're one of these people, we need you!

Finance Office

Krista, an accountant in the Finance Office, has served for 6 years.  She says, "I love the challenge and I love to serve the Lord with all my mind."  Learn more about Krista and the Finance Office by watching this video.

Finance Office

Ukarumpa, our linguistic center in Papua New Guinea, has many departments that couldn't function without your expertise in the Finance Office.  The Finance team helps track the resources that are used for Bible translation, maintaining accountability to donors and governments.

Who are we looking for?

People
-who are flexible and adaptable.
-who are willing to serve in a mulit-cultural community.
-who have good organizational skills.

For more information, email Wendy.