Being Like Jesus

Jesus came right into the messiness of life where we live. It didn’t make it easy for Him, but that’s the way He chose to reach us. Similarly, when believers sign on to go tell an unreached people group the story of Jesus – His miraculous birth, sinless life, atoning death, mighty resurrection and coming again – they also go right into the messiness of life where the people live. 

Ethnos360 Aviation tries to make it easier – at least to get the team in there, keep them supplied, and be ready for emergencies. Take the Maliyali outreach, for example. It’s an hour and 15 minutes in the Kodiak airplane to get people and cargo to the nearest airstrip. From there, the helicopter flies several 15-minute shuttles of smaller loads into the village. It would take multiple people hiking several days to equal just one of the shuttle loads of the helicopter. Really, without aviation service, sustaining a team among the Maliyali would not be feasible.  

But when the helicopter drops the team members off in that remote location, the “easiness” ends. From that moment, missionaries are immersed in another, very different world. By the power of the Holy Spirit, they enter deeply into learning and understanding the culture, language and thinking of the people, to the point of being able to communicate effectively with them. Most of us would shy away from such a deep “entering in” to another life. But God promises to work in the church planting team, just as He does with all believers, “to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13 KJV).   

Team member Rachel Mueller recently opened a little window into the life she lives among the Maliyali: 

“Last night I hiked down to spend the night at my friend Lusimet’s house! It’s always quite the adventure spending the night with my Maliyali friends. To be honest, I have to preach to myself before I go, because it is always a very long and uncomfortable night. I’m not getting any younger, and the floors are hard on my hips! Not to mention the cockroaches and rats (hence the headband. I always make it a point to wear a headband like this to keep bugs out of my ears!) 

“So even though I don’t get much sleep at all, I feel it is so worth it. It shows my friends that I love them and want to spend time with them, and it allows me to be a part of their life at night, which I don’t normally do. Talking in the Maliyali language for literally hours, cooking sweet potatoes on the fire for dinner and breakfast, and just experiencing life with them is so sweet." 

The Maliyali people have seen the three missionary families of the church planting team painstakingly learn their language and culture, create a written alphabet for their language, and lead a literacy program so that they could know how to read and write.  Now the team is involved in determining the accuracy of wording and meaning for Bible lessons. When they have written enough lessons and have translated the corresponding Scripture passages, the team will begin teaching foundational Bible lessons from Creation to Christ. 

Can you see the enormity and complexity of the job of taking Christ to a people group?  When you give to Missionary Flight Sponsorship, you are a part of sustaining people like Rachel in an isolated setting during the multiple years it takes to clearly teach the Bible’s message of salvation and establish a thriving church. Without affordable flights, teams would find it impossible to stay in a people group, living out the life of Jesus before them. Pray for the Maliyali people, that all the preparation and relationship building would create an eagerness within them to hear the truth their new friends (the team) have come to share with them. Thank you!