Transitioning back to life in the tribe
Linda Krieg thought she was done living with the Siawi tribe in Papua New Guinea.
Quickly adjusting to the comforts of a modern home, she wasn't expecting God to change her ministry.
"In less than five days, all my plans and expectations for the next two years [were] out the window and a new plan [was] in motion," Linda wrote. "There is no doubting the Lord's hand in all of it. He has made that abundantly clear."
In the back of her mind, Linda couldn't figure out if she should stay in her present location to work on linguistic consulting or if she should return to the Siawis to work on translation.
"It didn't work before. I just couldn't keep up with it and I had [no] real hope that it would work now," Linda wrote. "Yet the Siawi New Testament needs to be finished and I am the only one now who can do it."
Linda decided to rely on God and asked a friend to pray for her. Over a course of events, things started falling into place, confirming Linda's prayers.
Linda found that friends were praying for her before she even shared with them her concerns. Two of NTM's leaders in the area, Dave and Keith, had already been discussing Linda's ministry.
"I hadn't told anyone, but God wasn't working only in my heart," Linda wrote. "The reason Dave and Keith had come together was that they wanted to ask me to consider something: taking two years off from consulting and moving back into [the village] and finishing the Siawi New Testament."
While Linda realized she was receiving confirmation, questions and doubts were still rising, but those too were being answered and affirmed.
Within three days Linda was able to find a consultant who wanted to move back to Papua New Guinea to work with her. She was able to obtain the necessary items she thought she'd never be able to get in time, such as a set of hand-held two-way radios. She even secured a home in the tribe when she notified Tom and Danielle Brendle, who were in the process of leaving.
"When they heard the news that I would be moving in, they immediately canceled all plans to sell their stuff and offered to leave their house set up so that I could move in to a functioning setup," Linda wrote. "That is very important when all the solar power setup is involved. What a blessing."
Even with everything falling into place, Linda is still aware of the challenges this decision will bring.
"The idea of moving back into a bush location at the age of 64 did not appeal to my flesh in the least," Linda wrote. "I know about the rats, mosquitoes, flies, biting sand flies, cockroaches, few fresh vegetables, no Internet and poor e-mail capabilities … but I am so thankful for the opportunity to finish the Siawi New Testament and to see how it is affecting lives there.
"I am thankful to be able to be there as a help to Jason and Shannon [Swanson] so that they'll not be alone in the tribe. I'm thankful for their fellowship and friendship. I'm thankful to be renewing friendships with the Siawi people, where my heart has been for so long."
Please pray that God will use Linda's skills and faithfulness to make an impact on the Siawis.
Quickly adjusting to the comforts of a modern home, she wasn't expecting God to change her ministry.
"In less than five days, all my plans and expectations for the next two years [were] out the window and a new plan [was] in motion," Linda wrote. "There is no doubting the Lord's hand in all of it. He has made that abundantly clear."
In the back of her mind, Linda couldn't figure out if she should stay in her present location to work on linguistic consulting or if she should return to the Siawis to work on translation.
"It didn't work before. I just couldn't keep up with it and I had [no] real hope that it would work now," Linda wrote. "Yet the Siawi New Testament needs to be finished and I am the only one now who can do it."
Linda decided to rely on God and asked a friend to pray for her. Over a course of events, things started falling into place, confirming Linda's prayers.
Linda found that friends were praying for her before she even shared with them her concerns. Two of NTM's leaders in the area, Dave and Keith, had already been discussing Linda's ministry.
"I hadn't told anyone, but God wasn't working only in my heart," Linda wrote. "The reason Dave and Keith had come together was that they wanted to ask me to consider something: taking two years off from consulting and moving back into [the village] and finishing the Siawi New Testament."
While Linda realized she was receiving confirmation, questions and doubts were still rising, but those too were being answered and affirmed.
Within three days Linda was able to find a consultant who wanted to move back to Papua New Guinea to work with her. She was able to obtain the necessary items she thought she'd never be able to get in time, such as a set of hand-held two-way radios. She even secured a home in the tribe when she notified Tom and Danielle Brendle, who were in the process of leaving.
"When they heard the news that I would be moving in, they immediately canceled all plans to sell their stuff and offered to leave their house set up so that I could move in to a functioning setup," Linda wrote. "That is very important when all the solar power setup is involved. What a blessing."
Even with everything falling into place, Linda is still aware of the challenges this decision will bring.
"The idea of moving back into a bush location at the age of 64 did not appeal to my flesh in the least," Linda wrote. "I know about the rats, mosquitoes, flies, biting sand flies, cockroaches, few fresh vegetables, no Internet and poor e-mail capabilities … but I am so thankful for the opportunity to finish the Siawi New Testament and to see how it is affecting lives there.
"I am thankful to be able to be there as a help to Jason and Shannon [Swanson] so that they'll not be alone in the tribe. I'm thankful for their fellowship and friendship. I'm thankful to be renewing friendships with the Siawi people, where my heart has been for so long."
Please pray that God will use Linda's skills and faithfulness to make an impact on the Siawis.