Polynesian Outlier Cluster of PNG

The Mortlock and Tasman atolls are home to the two groups of Polynesian Outliers who speak the Takuu and Nukumanu languages. Polynesian Outliers who inhabit these atolls are isolated in every way by time, distance, communications and resources. Forgotten and forsaken, these Polynesians are a marginalized minority in a developing country of Melanesian minorities. In the 1980s, young adults who had been sent away to school returned with the good news of Jesus Christ. At first they were persecuted and could only meet quietly in homes; but now three protestant church groups have been established. Though many people over 50 on Mortlock still hold to animistic beliefs, twenty percent of the islanders now claim to be Christian. On Tasman, most everyone attends church.

  • Nine remaining NT books that still need revision, but the computer needed for the work was recently sent for repairs. Pray that the team will receive this computer back quickly so they can focus on the translation work.

  • Pray for one team member whose eyes are growing worse and for another whose father-in-law died, requiring a three-month mourning period.

  • One team member’s computer was totally seized up by viruses and he was unable to work. It took the local repair center manager a month to get it cleaned out and functional again, delaying his getting the corrections made in the JESUS film script.

  • Another computer seems to be afflicted with the same trouble. Pray for strength for the translators to press on despite difficult circumstances.

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