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Rays return from
mission trip in New Guinea
By NANCY GREEN
Harvey and Rose Ray have a new appreciation for modern
civilization and their home in West following a two-year mission
trip to Papua New Guinea.
The couple served in support positions with New Tribes Mission
and lived in a center known as Lapilo, the New Tribes
headquarters. They had traditional type housing, but the village
people around them lived in bamboo huts with dirt floors, no
electricity, and no running water.
The Rays were familiar with New Tribes from associations during
the years the training center was located near Durant and have
friends associated with the ministry.
During the two years in "The Land of the Unexpected," Ray taught
children of missionaries in a Christian academy and Rose worked
in a medical clinic administering laboratory tests on
missionaries who became ill.
The Rays said their decision to go to New Guinea came after he
had retired from years of working for the YMCA in several states
and she as a lab technician at the Lexington Hospital. He has
also taught at East Holmes Academy in West. "The Lord led us to
go," said Ray.
Prior to their departure, the couple spent 10 days in pre-field
orientation in Sanford, Fla. The Rays said the tribal people in
the small villages have no knowledge of modern technology.
They said the nationals have the ability to exist from the
natural resources of the jungles and live in fear of ancestral
spirits, sorcery and other pagan beliefs. Each carries a bush
knife for protection as well as for planting gardens and
clearing the land.
"Many villages have heard of the 'God talk' and ask for
missionaries to come and live among them so they might be able
to hear also," Mrs. Ray said.
There are over 850 different languages and it is the job of the
New Tribes bush missionaries to learn the language, write it
down, teach the tribal people to read, and then translate the
Bible into their local language.
"Many tribal people are learning for the first time that Jesus
is God's Son and that He gave His life so that they might be
able to live in heaven one day," said Mrs. Ray.
The missionaries face Catholicism, sorcery, witchcraft and other
pagan beliefs as they minister to the nationals. "They have very
strange beliefs and are big on ancestral spirits.
Although the Rays did not learn a language, they said they
learned a few words in pigeon.
Pineapples, coconuts, bananas, tomatoes and other fresh fruits
and vegetables grow in abundance, which they said, they enjoyed.
However, meat was another story. They said they missed milk
among other American food, and such condiments as mayonnaise and
catsup. "I learned to make my own sour cream, vanilla wafers,"
said Mrs. Ray. Milk was sold in containers with a shelf life of
18 months. Eggs were good for three months. Items, including
medicine, with expiration dates up to two years, were still
used, they said.
In addition to teaching English and history Ray coached boys and
girls softball. The children of the missionaries live in a
dormitory and are not able to see their parents during the
nine-week term. "They are all very athletic and have a desire to
learn. There are no discipline problems and faith plays a big
part in their lives," said Ray.
The couple left on the two-day, 10,000 mile flight to new Guinea
from San Francisco. On their return home, they took a route,
which completed their trip around the world. During the two-week
return trip they made stops and went on tours in Singapore,
Germany, London, Greece and many other locations.
Happy to be relaxing at home, describes their current status,
they said.
God is doing amazing things around the world through ordinary
people. He is expanding the reach of the Gospel to every tribe,
every tongue, every nation; and we are grateful that we were
able to have a small part in that great work in Papua New
Guinea, they said.
Story published in Star Herald Kosciusko, Mississippi. USA
on August 29, 2007
 
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