Being a part of the Care Team at Pioneer Bible Translators is humbling. Just saying that is an understatement! When Jesus gave the Great Commission – “Go into all the world…making disciples of every nation (ethna)”(Mark 16:15-16; Matthew 28:19) the task must have seemed like mission impossible! Seriously, every ethnic group? Every language? Certainly, “How can they go unless they are sent?”(Rom 10:15) And even if someone senses the call to head off, fully prepared to go to an unreached, underserved people-group saying, “Here am I, send me!”(Isa. 6:8) realizing that, where they are headed is “restricted” or dangerous or inaccessible, what then? Who will come alongside and care so there can be more missionaries – sooner, stronger and who will stay longer? Global workers being sent, who are fully prepared, fully screened, fully funded ready for the long haul of translation projects are a rare breed.
Jesus’ mandate that His workers “Take nothing for the journey…”(Luke 9:3) tells us that an extensive care team is going to be needed, especially if they go out “as lambs among wolves”(10:3) How can that be safe? How can workers stay fresh for the far journey? The need for care is immense!
The picture in Revelation 5 is stunning: “people from every tribe and language and people and nation” around the throne of God. That that is our mission! That is why we do what we do! Our longing is for all people of the earth to be ransomed by the blood of Jesus.
Pondering what it means to provide care for the workers brings up the issue of the workers’ families?! Who will care for the unsung heroes of the mission; those who open their hands and hearts and send their own kids and grandchildren to far off places in service of the King? That is what we see as our part of the mission. This is a call to constant encouragement, constantly re-tooling for whatever task is needed, ready for whatever challenge, ready with listening ears and words of wisdom. Not to mention, constantly being in need of prayer for wisdom from above!
It’s God’s mission, not ours! To accomplish the task of this mission… “transformed lives through God’s Word in every language, providing Bibles for the Bibleless, seeing networks of churches using Scripture to grow, mature and multiply in every language group on earth”, we must care. Not just for the workers who go but for their families as well! This is no easy task. This is a journey filled with potholes, setbacks, grief, disease and despair. Care is imperative!
Grandparents and parents of global workers know that split-personality feeling: so proud of our kids on the field that we are about to burst, yet grieving not being able to be present for those first steps, that school program or that graduation, birthday, wedding,… Parents and grandparents will know the feeling of empty hands, longing to hold and hug those grandchildren in person. Parents and grandparents will know what it’s like to listen intently to entire conversations that surround their offspring, not understanding a single word since their kids are speaking a new and different language because those kids have been willing to go and learn and build the bridge to understanding with a new culture. Parents must stand by their kids as they struggle to cross every language barrier with “church, Scripture and transformation!” Those parents of global workers will need care and prayer to hang in there for the long haul. We see that as our ministry and our part of the vision of PBT. May the God of mission help us as we collaborate to that end!
