Jason and Nisae Williamson minister among the Iski people of Papua New Guinea (PNG). “When the Lord led us to Iski, He used the church elders of the Inapang church to challenge us with the need for missionaries to reach their neighbours. Nearly 10 years ago, we, along with the Inapang missionaries (who have been working to this end for 20 years now!), envisioned a kind of “purposeful partnership” between us and the Inapang elders that would eventually lead to a connectedness among [the] churches. This connectedness is crucial to church growth because of how isolated each of [the] churches are, not only because of language barriers but because of remoteness and lack of communication avenues. They need interdependence for so many reasons, but especially for encouragement and advice through common church struggles.
“Today, not only is it just the Inapang and Iski churches, but also churches in Tanguat and Kaje which form a cluster in the Ramu Valley here in PNG. This last weekend was the third annual Ramu Valley Bible Conference hosted by the Kaje church. Around 200 Iski people hiked 11 hours to attend, others hiked 4 hours and 6 hours to the conference. The Kaje church hosted and fed everyone for those several days. It was a huge effort and a beautiful reminder of what the Lord has been doing in these little pockets of remote swampy areas over the last few decades! We estimate roughly 800 people were gathered for the weekend to listen to relevant church topics like clan divisions and sorcery that serve to divide the church and harm our unity. These were all being taught by Bible teachers from each church represented.
“There were groups from each church leading times of singing both in their own languages and in their common language of Tok Pisin. There were joys and struggles shared from each church and times of prayer for them. There was something about gathering with hundreds of other like-minded believers that served to remind them they aren’t alone and that the hardships in their lives are shared by others. There was also something about being challenged by other churches’ teachers (and not the missionaries) that hit home and had a different effect on their lives. This is our goal as missionaries: to disciple them into places of interdependence on other PNG believers and not on us. Needless to say, this conference was a huge time of encouragement for everyone! What a blessing for us as a family to attend this year as well! Thank you for your prayers for these churches, for their leaders and for the unique challenges they face as they serve the Lord in Papua New Guinea.”