Update from the Weber's Papua New Guinea Trip / October 5, 2013 by gapfillorgblog

Note from GapFill.org’s Founder: The Webers have returned from their visit to see the Bimin people in Papua New Guinea and are full of stories of God's Blessings. Thank you GapFill donors for your support in helping to make this trip possible. May you be blessed as God's Word is heard throughout PNG on solar powered Audio Bibles.

Update From the Webers

We are back from our trip to Papua New Guinea! And full of wonderful memories! Each of us (Christiane, Thomas and our son David, 16) has a different story to tell, but the consensus is that it was a great time of having time for friends! We boiled liters and liters of water to make tea and coffee, ate crackers by the kilo and swapped stories with our friends and "family" out in our village in the remote Bimin area (in the Star Mountains of Papua New Guinea) as well as with colleagues and friends at the base, Ukarumpa. Just to be able to sit down and share about each others' lives, of experiences over the last three and a half years in which we had not seen and barley heard from each other, was totally worth the trip. Hugs, shaking hands, looking at each other and marveling at the fact that we really had come this far, back to our home of 20 years, were part of the experience. And we are so thankful to our Lord God for his love and protection – both in PNG and in Switzerland.For David, this was a trip of catching up with school friends and village family, an opportunity to do things he was not allowed to do three years ago because he simply was too young then: using adventurous public transport, staying out till curfew... to name a few. Attending the High School graduation of good friends of his was also a treat.For Christiane and Thomas, seeing our "grandchildren" and children among the Bimin, hearing about their accomplishments at school, rejoicing with them in their successes and crying together about losses was priceless. And on the other side, spending time with some of our "parents" knowing that we may not see them again on this earth, simply because life expectancy in PNG is not as high as in Europe, was really special and bitter-sweet.

Audio Bibles Distributed

A highlight of this trip was the distribution of 230 solar powered MP3 Audio Bibles with 20 books of the BimWeng New Testament on them. We were able to supply a number to the school, they are being used in their library system. To prepare students from the even more remote parts of the language group to carry another quantity of the Audio Bibles home into their villages and instruct key people with the usage, we spent an afternoon at the (only) local school and taught teachers and students how to use these simple MP3 players and had a lot of fun together.More of the Audio Bibles were distributed to all 20 villages, mainly to people who have never and will most likely never learn how to read and write because of their age and other contributing factors.

The Old Testament Translation Continues

Spending time with the men who are continuing to translate God's Word into BimWeng (only a small part of the OT has been translated so far), we heard about their daily struggles, but also their plans to keep on with the translation. We were able to encourage them and spend time with all our co-workers and their families as well. They even made a special meal for us, prepared traditionally in a ground-oven.Back in Switzerland, we are now able to keep in much better contact and get news from the Bimin area regularly, thanks to cell phones. We can also send and receive texts. Bimin itself does not have direct reception, but there are "sweet spots" with reflections of the geographically next tower. Another new development going along with the cell phones is the possibility to load the audio files of the NT as well as the Jesus Film, which was dubbed into BimWeng in 2005, onto micro SD-cards so people can listen to the text and watch the movie!

Thank You!

We are grateful for God's protection during this memorable trip and to all of you for contributing financially and with your prayers to make it happen! Thank you!

Update from the West Family / August 11, 2013 by gapfillorgblog

Note from GapFill.org’s Founder: I just received Kay and John West's newsletter and thought I would share it. If you are facing hardship or seemingly insurmountable obstacles in your own life, I hope you will do as the West's are doing - pray, let go, and let God!For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways . . . Isaiah 55:9Before leaving for the mission field, we got some wise advice about what not to put into newsletters, such as emotional pleas for financial help alongside photos of emaciated and starving children. It has been our desire to glorify God in every message we send, and we generally prefer to send newsletters that are uplifting and encouraging. Our Lord has blessed us beyond measure, and has used these jars of clay in ways for His Kingdom far beyond anything we could have hoped for or imagined. Therefore sending missives full of joyous reports has been effortless and sincere.Yet God has impressed on my heart this time to share some of the heartbreaks we’ve been dealing with. If there were no sorrow, there would be no need for God’s compassion; if there were no grief, there would be no need for God’s consolation. It is in the darkest times that He shines the brightest. We are learning to “let go and let God” and pray that as you read these heartrending situations you will also know and trust in His great love and the hope that is found in Him alone.One of the biggest challenges we face here is seeing relentless poverty and disease, and simply not being able to “fix” it all. As white Americans, we are persistently sought for solutions. There is a prevalent belief among Swazis that all Americans have infinite resources and infinite wisdom. It is easy to fall prey to believing we must solve every problem and meet every need in our own strength, and it is distressing not to be able to do so when the suffering is so great. We must resist the trap of “playing God.”As missionaries representing Jesus Christ, we want to do our best to show His mercy and provision. And often we do have the God-given resources and are able to help. Those times are wonderful, and we are careful to always reflect the glory and honor back to Him.Yet there are many other times when “all” we can do is share a few verses and pray with the one asking for miracles. In our flesh, this is painful, but we know that it is in these times that we can share the powerful truth that ONLY the Lord is able, that ONLY Jesus is the way. We must teach reliance on Him alone.For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 1 Corinthians 1:25

Situation #1

During our hospital ministry time a couple of weeks ago, our team encountered a young woman who is in one of the ladies’ Bible study groups Kay leads. Nelsiwe grew up on the streets as a child when her parents were killed in a car wreck and her father’s other wife (remember that polygamy is practiced here) kicked her siblings and her out of their home. She found refuge as a young adult with a kind woman of God in one of the mud hut communities here. However, once she acquired AIDS and tuberculosis, her benefactor was no longer able to care for her with her own meager resources. Nelsiwe begged her stepmother to take her in, to no avail. After sleeping in a neighbor’s outdoor toilet for several nights, she made her way to the hospital seeking medical help. She is very sick with TB and wound up spending the night in a nearby field while waiting for medical care. When we heard her story, we immediately prayed seeking God’s guidance, and then began contacting every resource we knew. No one was able to take her in. With hearts breaking, we bought her a decent hot meal and a warm blanket since it’s winter here, prayed with her and hugged her, and had to walk away, and let go and let God. We continue to check in on her and pray for her and dream of a better way....so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand..., and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13

Situation # 2

A few months ago a three-year-old boy, Siyabonga, went missing. Both his mother and great-grandmother attend one of our women’s Bible study groups. Though a missing persons report has been filed with the police, no trace of the child has been found. It is believed that the boy was either sold into child slavery and taken to another country, or ritually murdered for “muti”—a potion concocted by witch doctors here and believed to produce power for recipients. We will never give up hope and continue to pray for answers, but we are also called to grieve with this family and to help them let go and let God.Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Situation #3

Recently we were teaching a message from God’s Word with some fellow missionaries in one of the villages. All went well until we began sharing communion with the believers there. Suddenly, a drunk man began shouting nonsense words and causing quite a disturbance. While we continued passing out the elements, determined not to let anything disrupt this holy time, another man happened by. Apparently this second man had just gotten off from working in the fields nearby, noticed the commotion, and decided to help us to pacify the first man. A shoving match rapidly ensued, ending quite abruptly when our “benefactor” picked up a large rock and hit the drunk man in the head with it, causing blood to spurt all over. This in turn caused everyone to scatter because of the fear of AIDS transmission. Apparently the drunk fellow was ok because he continued his ranting and raving. All this happened in a matter of minutes, and all we could do is let go and let God because it was all out of our control. We continued to minister to the stragglers, but left rather shaken up. This story is not over. In an amazing turn of events, we met the girlfriend of the inebriated gentleman a couple of days later when we were ministering at the hospital and led her to the Lord! Stay tuned!...”My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness...” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Situation #4

Ncamsile is Kay’s interpreter, ministry assistant, and close friend here. This single mother of six lives in a mud hut village amongst the poorest of the poor. Since she’s started serving the Lord full time, she has been abundantly blessed in many ways through God’s grace poured out through many of you, yet life is still brutally hard for her in many ways. Ncamsile never complains and is always full of joy. We were horrified to find out recently that she and her young children had been without enough food to eat all week as she had recently had to pay school fees for her older children and had to make the brutal choice as to how best to use the little money she had. Thankfully we were able to intervene and she and her kids now have enough to eat again. However, we know we cannot magically transport her to a better life; we are unable to meet all her needs. No matter how much we love her, in fact because we love her so much, it is imperative that we let go and let God.So shall My word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

Situations #5, 6, 7,...

Being far away from family members in crisis and unable to come alongside them—let go and let God.
Knowing there are children in desperate need but there is a power-hungry bureaucrat in the way, all we can do is wait for the permit for the children’s home and—let go and let God.
Feeling we can't face one more day of the incessant need all around us—let go and let God.
Sitting in an African hospital for emergency surgery for my hubby—let go and let God.
Facing the reality that we can't heal every sickness, can't feed every mouth, can't force a man to stop beating his wife and can't encourage her to leave because she has no place to go and no way to support herself or her children, can’t stop every death—let go and let God.
Attending the funeral of yet another child—let go and let God.

The story is told in Luke 5 of fishermen not catching any fish all night. Jesus told them to cast their nets and suddenly their nets were so full of fish the nets began to break and they had to get help to collect all the fish. This teaches us that we can do nothing on our own strength. All we can do is what we are called to do to the best of our God-given abilities, and trust Him for the outcome. In that, we rejoice, and hope that you do as well.

Those who sow in tears shall reap with joy. Psalm 126:5

If this post has left you with an ache in your heart; or if you are facing hardship or seemingly insurmountable obstacles in your own life, we hope you will do as we do—pray, and let go and let God! He is faithful, loving, and good. He is wise, all-powerful, and merciful. He is our ever-present help in our time of need, and He will never leave us or forsake us. Amen! Leaning on His everlasting arms!

John and Kay West are missionaries in Swaziland (A country slightly smaller than the state of New Jersey, ruled by the world’s last absolute monarch. An African kingdom of approximately one million people…who are dying at an astonishing rate) . Visit the “ Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see how you can help the West Family.

What Happens When You Say "Yes" to God! / August 7, 2013 by gapfillorgblog

I just started an Online Bible Study called "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God" through Proverbs 31 Ministries. This is our first week and so far it has been great. One of the things we are doing today is called a" Blog Hop" where we read each other's blogs. We had a set of questions to pick from and since my answer pertained to GapFill.org I thought I would post it on the blog and make GapFill.org part of the Blog Hop. The question, #yestoGod,is to share a time that you said "yes" to what God wanted you to do. So here goes...

Bible Dedication

As some of you know, Kathy Vanaria, who spent 25 years in Papua New Guinea (PNG) translating the Bible into Mesem, was returning to PNG in January of this year for the Bible dedication. Many people from her church organization were going and she also was hoping that I was also planning on going. She has been telling me about the dedication for the last few years and I had been putting aside the money each month and had saved $4,000 for the trip. I kept telling her I wasn't sure if I was going but saved nevertheless. Honestly, I really was super scared to go. You see I am a "Marriott" type girl who hates camping, and well...going to the jungle was just beyond a reasonable request. Even if Kathy and I go waaaay back (old college roommates).So the time came for me to book the ticket. I had waited as long as I could and it was a month before the trip so I knew I needed to do something. I contacted the travel agent that Kathy had given me and days later she sent me the flight info. Well, I was stopping in counties I didn't even know were on a map for a price tag of over $5,000. So that settled it, I wasn't going. I had save $4,000 and I knew just what I was going to do with the money. One of the GapFill projects we had going at the time were hearing aids for Phil Rojak. He needed them before he returned to his missionary work in Papua New Guinea. GapFill had only raised enough money for about 1/2 of a digital hearing aid, which of course would be of no value. So, I knew exactly what I was going to. I was going to give the $4,000 to Phil so he could return to PNG with 2 digital hearing aids. Perfect! I had been thinking about this over the last few weeks and me not being able to get a flight that I could afford was perfect confirmation. Also, since I really didn't want to go anyway, this was a "win" for everybody. But something inside just knew it wasn't a "win" for everyone. It was not what God wanted. I can't explain why, but I had this inside, gut-wrenching feeling that this was wrong. I knew my girlfriend Kathy would be disappointed but hey...I was giving her friend Phil his hearing aids so she couldn't be that mad. But no matter how much I tried to convince myself this was all good, it just didn't feel like it was "all good". No matter how hard I tried to make this wonderful plan work, it just didn't. I just knew God wanted me to go to Papua New Guinea not matter how much I pretended not to hear Him. I remember thinking, "God, what am I going to tell Phil when he has to return with no digital hearing aids". I remember believing God was saying to me, "Not your concern, you have to trust me here".

Trying to Book a Flight

So I tried for about 2 hours online trying to get flights to work on my own...nothing...I remember I kept thinking. I don't get in God, nothing is working and I just kept getting more and more frustrated. So...what do I do when I want to relax and calm down...you guessed it...I eat ice cream! So I went downstairs and got a big cup of chocolate ice cream, mixed in some chocolate chips and put some cool whip on top. Now I could clear my head...So, after that sugar rush I had some more energy...so I said to God..."Okay, I will try this one more time then I am going to bed". It was getting late and I had to get up at 5am for work the next day. When I went upstairs I pulled out the itinerary of another couple that was going to the dedication from the Boston area. I thought, "Let me look and see how they are getting there". Well after about 1/2 hour I had managed to find flights that would put me in LA in time to catch the same flight they were going on to Brisbane, Australia then to Port Moresby in PNG then to Lae in PNG which was where I needed to get to. I remember having two browser windows open as I had one half of the trip in one window and then the PNG flights in another window (you could not book straight through to Lae, believe me I tried). I calculated the total cost and it was less than $4,000. So there it was staring me in the face...and I sat there for maybe 15 seconds. I knew I only had a certain amount of time to hold the flights. And well...something inside me said, "Just Do IT"... and I did...I just did it. I hit that "purchase button" on both windows and charged my credit card. I remember thinking, "God this is soooo crazy... I have no idea what I am doing. This is soooo out of my comfort zone". And then I thought, wait until I tell my husband Bill in the morning, it was now well after midnight. He is going to think I have totally lost it.

The Morning After

The next morning, as I was kissing my husband good-bye before I went off to work, I told him, "Oh...by the way...I booked my flights to Papua New Guinea last night". He just gave me his "unbelievable" look like he does when I come up with ideas that I think are great and he thinks are well... let's just say...not so great. When I had got downstairs I had a voice mail on my cell phone. It was from Brady Forseth, the executive director of Starkey Hearing Foundation. He said he was traveling for 6 weeks throughout West Africa, India and the Philippines and had heard about Phil Rojak's hearing aid need and he wanted to let me know that he believed he could help Phil. He mentioned that he wouldn't be back into the United States for a couple of weeks, but left his contact info. I remember sitting in my kitchen with tears in my eyes, almost feeling scared of the immense power of God. Here was a man that I did not know, calling me from overseas, the morning after I had booked my tickets, to tell me he could help Phil with his hearing aids. I was stunned!

It Gets Even Better!

But the ending gets even better, Phil was given not just one set of digital hearing aids that would enable him to hear better than he had ever heard before. But due to his remote location and challenging climate in Papua New Guinea, Bill Austin, the CEO of Starkey Hearing Foundation, provided a second set of hearing aids for back-up. This way Phil had an extra pair in case he needed to send the first pair in for repairs or calibration. They even supplied a self-address pre-paid envelope for him to mail them back in. Two sets of digital hearing aids, given for free. Something I couldn't even fathom.”God is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! (Ephesians 3:20-21)This is the God we are saying "YES" to. To Him Be the Glory!

Joyce is the founder and executive director of GapFill.org with a masters in nonprofit management. Visit our “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see if God is calling you to “fill in the gap” for a missionary in need.

"Nkhulunkhulu muhle, sonkhe sikhatisi!" God is good, all the time! / May 19, 2013 by gapfillorgblog

Note from GapFill.org’s Founder: Kay and John West had a "scare" in Swaziland the beginning of May, emergency surgery needed for John in a third world country. GapFill has added a project to help with the medical bills and future surgeries needed. They do have insurance but will still have "out of pocket" expenses. Still working on getting the exact amount, but wanted to include Kay's recap below in our blog. As Kay mentions, "Nkhulunkhulu muhle, sonkhe sikhatisi!" "God is good, all the time!"Briefly, John woke me up early Tues. morning saying he felt he needed to go to the hospital. The hospital is approx. 2 and 1/2 hours away and across the international border in South Africa. We quickly packed overnight bags just in case. John was in pain but miraculously was able to drive. This was truly a blessing as I'd never driven in SA and the 2-lane highways are tricky. We got to the ER around 10:30 am and ended up waiting 6 hours. During that time they did do some tests, including a CT scan once they saw the results of the primary tests. Once the doctor saw the CT scan, suddenly there was a lot of movement and they rushed John to the operating room (called the theater here). Thankfully our friends Char and Sandra showed up at that time to give lots of support. They waited with me until John was out of surgery. Crazy, but no one ever came to tell us he was out, or to let us know how it went, but these two pros (Char and Sandra--more on that in a minute) knew how to get the info. Though John seemed to be okay, it was about 8:30 pm when he was finally wheeled into his ward (ward with 3 other men, beds sectioned off by curtains), and I refused to leave so the sweet staff found me an empty hospital bed in another ward to "sleep" in.Wed. and Thurs. were spent just letting them clean John's wound and waiting for the infection to be gone. I stayed at the hospital all day, and slept at the home of our friends Mitch and Char. John was still on IV drip for pain and antibiotics all this time. Fri. we were on an emergency waiting list for John's next surgery, for the wound to be stitched up. They finally took him back around 3:45 pm and returned him to his ward around 5:35. Sat. he was released around 12:30 pm and we quickly took care of necessary business and came back to Swaziland before the border closed at 6 pm! Yep, John drove again!John will need to go back next Mon., May 20, to get the staples removed, and then in 6 weeks he'll need another surgery for a hernia that suddenly showed up post op this time. At least this time we can plan better!Blessings:

One car is still in the shop and the other is not in great working order. God got us there and back!
You prayed all last year for our fellow Swazi missionary friends Mitch and Char. Mitch is the one who had a botched emergency appendectomy here in Swaziland and multiple life-threatening complications for months after that. He endured over 5 months in the very same hospital (where he was transferred after the initial bad surgery) where John stayed this time. Because of his hard-earned experience, he and his precious wife Char had invaluable insight and wisdom and practical advice to help us through the week, and they know the hospital and staff backwards and forwards!
Mitch and Char as well as our mutual friend Sandra also "just happened" to move to Nelspruit (city where the hospital is located) just last month. As part of their ministry, they actually purchased and live in a beautiful retreat facility, and so were more than equipped to allow me to stay with them in their gorgeous place!
John takes VERY good care of me. But this week I was forced to learn lots of new skills, like driving in Nelspruit (pretty scary night one night getting lost), how to use a smart phone for emails and FB, and how to use our GPS, and how to purchase cell phone airtime.
Our "adopted" Swazi "son" "just happened" to be travelling through Nelspruit and was able to be there with me when they wheeled John away for the 2nd time.
A friend "just happened" to have it on her heart to give us a little extra money this month the same day John was admitted to the hospital--this will go a long ways in taking care of some of the costs incurred.
The morning we were to leave the hospital there was a pretty intense storm raging outside--this part of the world gets wild thunder, lightening, and rain storms with a lot of flooding, etc. Some of you got the message and prayed, and miraculously we had beautiful weather all the way home. Then the storm resumed!
Biggest blessings of all, of course, are that John is well on his way to recovery, and all of you and your faithful prayers and love and support!

"Nkhulunkhulu muhle, sonkhe sikhatisi!" "God is good, all the time!"

John and Kay West are missionaries in Swaziland (A country slightly smaller than the state of New Jersey, ruled by the world’s last absolute monarch. An African kingdom of approximately one million people…who are dying at an astonishing rate) . Visit the “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see how you can help with some of the medical bills the West Family will incur.

Mesem New Testament Dedication / February 18, 2013 by gapfillorgblog

I recently returned from Papua New Guinea (PNG) where I was privileged to witness the celebration of the Mesem New Testament Dedication, a 25 year work by Neil and Kathy Vanaria. To say the celebration was overwhelming is an understatement. The love and giving that I and the others received from the Mesem people was truly amazing. Here were some of the highlights.While on route to PNG, I saw a Facebook post from Kathy Vanaria, they were at the docks collecting the scriptures. There was a picture of a group of Mesem men, women and children who were waiting for them dressed in traditional attire and ready to sing and dance. Kathy relayed the story,"At first the workers told them they could not get the scriptures even though they had all the paperwork and had paid the fees. Neil found a Christian friend who worked in the custom area and she quickly sorted the problem out. The forklift appeared shortly after and when the scriptures were lowered to the ground the Mesem got out of the truck and danced and sang as they approached the pallet of scriptures. After a prayer of thanksgiving they loaded the truck and we drove out to Hobu, which is an hour or so outside Lae. We were met there again by yet another group of celebrants who sang and danced as the Bibles were carried to the storage area. We had never expected such a welcome, but it was a precursor for what came next".

Arrival in Papua New Guinea

I along with a number of overseas guests, arrived to share in the celebration. We needed five shuttles with the helicopter to get everyone to the village of Samanzing where the first dedication celebration was to begin. However, there was a mechanical failure and we ended up having to go one day later. Unable to communicate the situation to Neil and Tony who were already in the village, we wondered how it would be received on the other end. Neil knew there was an issue as they day grew later and we had not arrived and told our Mesem friends who had prepared an elaborate welcome. They said, "We came here to praise God, so that's OK".

Arrival in Samanzing

And what an elaborate welcome it was when we finally arrived. You could see the flags waving in the distance as the chopper got closer. Once the chopper touched down and we exited, Neil introduced each of us to the Mesem welcoming group that was at the landing. They then proceeded to carry everything we were holding (water bottles included) and escorted us up to the Vanaria's house. At each of the crest on the hills between the house there stood another village of people, dressed traditionally who broke into song when we appeared. They were singing welcome songs to us and praises to Jesus. Our guide explained to us that each of these villages use to hate each other and be at war, but now they are all one in Christ. As we got closer, a choir sang and led us up to the house. The path had been lined with bamboo decoration and strewn with flowers. Every guest was greeted this way as they made their way to the Vanaria's home. Next to the Vanaria's home, the people had set up a table with their best foods. They had killed ten pigs and used the meat to serve us all with their most cherished dishes.Shortly after the last of the invited guests arrived, the entire village became completely silent. We heard the rhythmic sound of the garamut and heard the low cry of a conch shell. A Mesem parade of Mesem men, led by a choir of Mesem women, walked slowly and reverently up the hill. On their shoulders the men carried cartons of the New Testament. Each man had his best clothes on and wore white gloves out of respect for the Word of God, I couldn't help but kneel. This was one of the most moving scenes I witnessed. They treated the scriptures as fine gold. They did not hurry but carefully placed the scriptures in the translation office, while the choir of women continued to sing God's praises.We were then led down the center of the village as we followed another group of those singing God's praises. There the people had built a sheltered grandstand and each of us was given a wreath of flowers and led to a seat on the stand. We had two attendants who served water in bamboo cups, and offered fresh fruit and cucumbers to refresh us. The next two hours were filled with speeches and encouragements to follow the Lord, a drama, praise, dancing and collection. When Tony, Neil and Kathy's son stood to speak, everyone could feel the excitement. He brought the house down when he said, "When I get married I will bring my bride here, because she will not understand me until she understands you." The people were thrilled and responded with tremendous affection. Then the music began yet again and the scriptures, now wrapped in purple cloth was brought into the dedication area. Bishop Giegere Wenge thanked the Vanaria's for their ministry and then cut the ribbon and took the first copy of the scriptures. For the next hour we distributed copies of the New Testament. Representatives from the village collected copies to bring back to their homes so those who were unable to attend will also get a copy. It was an incredibly moving experience.That night, after a wonderful meal, we met again in the church for praise and worship. Pastor Joe Sapienza of the Vanaria's home church in Massachusetts, Celebration International, brought a word of encouragement to drink daily of the scriptures just as we would of any other life sustaining food. After a glorious service, the people presented gifts to each of us. Tony got a special surprise. He was presented with a hawk to bring back to America to help him to remember his home village. (He let it loose the next day when he got to the Ramu Valley). A glorious day was had by all who attended.

The Mesem BridgeThe next morning I hiked with Neil and Tony to the steel bridge that was built about 10 years ago by supporters of Kathy and Neil to connect the Mesem village to Lae and other areas of Papua New Guinea. This was a strategic bridge that was needed for the Mesem to sell their garden vegetables at the market. Previously, the Mesem would build a wooden bridge each year, however, after a child broke through the bridge and was killed, the Vanaria's asked their supporters to help build a permanent steel bridge. As we were hiking toward the bridge, we met Mesem along the way going from village to village. Tony told me that this bridge was a monumental connection between the Vanaria's supporters and the Mesem people. He said the Mesem were in awe that people who never met them cared about them enough to build this bridge. The Mesem started to see the oneness that Christians have throughout the world.Neil and Tony, along with a photographer from Assembly of God World Missions, continued on to hike out to Lae. While they were on the trail they could hear singing off in the distance. Using the photographers telephoto lens, they spotted a group of Mesem men and women, heading back to their village, carrying cartons of the New Testament and singing as they went.I hiked quickly back to the village as the helicopter was coming to take us back to Lae (versus hiking 12 hours with Neil and Tony). Unfortunately, we all learned firsthand what PNG time means (maybe today or maybe tomorrow). After waiting all day at the helicopter landing spot, the clouds moved into the valleys and we knew no helicopter was coming that day. We then proceed back to the house to experience the adventure of taking a shower with a bucket of water. It was quite an ingenious set-up and worked quite well.

Next Dedication at Hobu

The next day a few of the Mesem hiked up to a signal area where we were able to get a message to Neil that the helicopter never came. Neil, now in Lae, was able to get to the helicopter company and "remind them" that we needed to be picked up as another celebration was happening in Hobu. We all went down to the helicopter landing spot yet again. This time the helicopter came, however, we now needed to go directly to Hobu as the celebration had begun and they were waiting for us. We arrived in Hobu to yet another group of Mesem who had been waiting 5 hours for our arrival. Once we arrived the singing, dancing, speeches and Bible distribution happened once again until it began to get dark. Once more they fed us all before we departed in a van and open air truck (Tony got a pig this time as a gift which accompanied those riding in the open air truck) back to our hotel. My adventure was coming to a close, my flight was leaving the next morning. I knew it would take me a while to process all that had happened.This was a 25 year journey taken by Neil and Kathy Vanaria. In the next few weeks Neil will complete the book, “How the Jews Lived" and check to be sure the New Testaments have been distributed properly to all the Mesem villages in Papua New Guinea. The Vanaria's will then transition to Europe where they will be taking up a ministry in Italy.

Joyce is the Founder and Executive Director of GapFill.org with a masters in nonprofit management. Visit our “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see if God is calling you to “fill in the gap” for a missionary in need.

New Digital Hearing Aids for Phil Rojak, Missionary in Papua New Guinea! / January 13, 2013 by gapfillorgblog

Note from GapFill.org’s Founder: Hearing aids for Phil Rojak was one of our first missionary needs at GapFill.org. This was one of the reasons that we realized we needed to start reaching out to others to help in meeting some of these needs as they were getting beyond what my husband Bill and I could meet. We posted Phil's need back in 2011 and waited to see what God would do. Phil received some donations but not enough to meet his need. Then Rev. Paul Wahl from Shakopee, Minnesota emailed GapFill.org with this note, " I saw on your website that a missionary was in need of hearing aids. Starkey, the company that makes the most advanced hearing aids in the world, is located in our community -- Eden Prairie, MN. The company operates a massive charitable foundation from which it uses donations to provide hearing aids to those in need." So I contacted Starkey to see if they could fill the need, also mentioning that Phil was scheduled to return to Papua New Guinea in January 2013. (Nothing like asking for a huge favor and then saying... oh...by the way...can you hurry up too.)

Then one evening Brady Forseth, the executive director of Starkey Hearing Foundation, left me a voice mail. He was traveling for 6 weeks throughout West Africa, India and the Philippines and was interested in helping Phil with his need and asked that I get in contact with him. So the connection began. Since Phil was scheduled to be in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in January 2013, they were in contact with Phil and felt that analog hearing aids would be the best fit for Phil since those type could be re-calibrated in PNG. This is where Phil's story picks up...

This past week has been amazing. Prior to Christmas I was called by Bill Austin at the Starkey Hearing Foundation asking me if I could come up to Minnesota to be fitted for hearing aids. After making arrangements to arrive late afternoon on the 27th of December I made the 10 hour drive from Springfield, Missouri fully expecting to receive a set of analog hearing aids. Due to in-climate weather I arrived an hour later than hoped but Mr. Austin encouraged me to come straight into the office anyhow. I arrived at 6 PM and was met by a small group of individuals that had obviously stayed on past regular hours just to service my need. As Mr. Austin prepared the impressions for my new hearing aids I happen to glance up to the nearby office cubicles and noticed Mr. Austin's name and the title of CEO. I was humbled by the fact that the CEO himself was personally looking after my needs of better hearing.

But that did not end the amazement. When I went in to the audiologist's office to try on the hearing aids I noticed that the aids were not analog but instead the coveted digital aids that would enable me to hear better than I had ever heard in my life. Than due to my remote location and challenging climate in Papua New Guinea, Mr. Austin provided a second set of hearing aids for back-up just in case I need to send the first pair in for repairs or calibration. It was with great joy that I shook Mr. Austin's hand and said thank you for his generosity – a generosity that will help me to better do my work in Papua New Guinea.

I am very happy for GapFill and Joyce and Bill Turner for getting the ball rolling by making preliminary inquires with the Starkey Hearing Foundation regarding the possibility of servicing my needs. I am also thankful for the several donations provided by individuals I didn't even know who provided funding for the hearing aids, funding that was donor approved to be forwarded to the Starkey Hearing Foundation to assist in their goal of providing 100,000 hearing aids per year worldwide to the hearing challenged. Additionally, I am now in consultation with Starkey Hearing Foundation to be present with their team when they visit Papua New Guinea in March of this year. So God may have even greater plans that come out of this entire experience.

To God Be The Glory! Thank you Starkey Hearing Foundation!!

Phil and Kim Rojak have been in Papua New Guinea since January 2010 focusing on evangelism and discipleship. They are also assisting the Assemblies of God of Papua New Guinea to develop a comprehensive program dealing with those affected by HIV/AIDS and prevention strategies for the same.

Meet the West Family - Missionaries in Swaziland / December 23, 2012 by gapfillorgblog

Note from GapFill.org’s Founder: Inspired By Obedience. When I think about being "inspired by obedience", I think of Kay and John West. I first met Kay West at our college Moms In Touch (now called Moms in Prayer) prayer group. She was praying for her college son Zack and I was praying for my college daughter Ashley. Kay, I and a group of fabulous moms met weekly for six years to pray for our college children. During that time the Lord called Kay and her husband John to serve in Swaziland. They had gone on several "short-term" mission trips but at some point God wanted more. So for one year I watched Kay and her family prepare to leave. They prayed, solicited prayer from their church and friends, and had numerous garage sales to sell their belongings, which included a beautiful home in Phoenix, Arizona. They packed everything they had remaining into two crates that were then shipped to Swaziland, and their adventure began. I remember one time when John and Kay were in our home and I asked John why he felt he needed to sell his home. He said, "It was just stuff that was gong to rust anyway", referring to the verse in Matthew, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6: 19-21)...I think that said it all!

Meet John and Kay West

Their Mission

James 1:27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…

First and foremost, as followers of Christ, we are compelled to respond to the desperate need of the orphans and widows. Our primary task will be that of overseeing the building and administration of a children's home. Each household will be comprised of eight children and one woman with no living offspring of her own, who will raise the children as her own through adulthood. Over time, this children's home will become self-sustaining through farming and livestock management. The children will be an integral part of this enterprise, learning valuable lessons while helping raise enough food for their own use, as well as to sell for income to meet the other needs of their household. A Christian education will be a paramount part of their upbringing.

Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples...

While running the children's home will be a huge responsibility, we believe that one-on-one discipleship is biblically mandated and the only long-term solution to Swaziland’s multiple problems. This will be a second facet of our ministry there. John will begin discipling men, sharing biblical truths about a man’s God-ordained responsibilities in society and in a family. Kay will reach out to women, incorporating her expertise in grief counseling and mentoring women in biblical womanhood. Jeremy, our son, will minister to the youth, sharing Gospel truth to the next generation in which there is real hope for change.

Their Vision

We have a big God and He has given us a big vision. Our dream for the future is to help build a church and a hospice on the property where the children's home will be located. In addition, John’s background in marketing will be put to use helping widows to start small businesses. Most of all, we are passionate about sharing Christ with a rapidly dying population. Many Swazis we’ve known have already died—it is personal to us. Our hearts break with anguish over those who don’t know the comfort of facing an eternity with Jesus. John and Kay West are missionaries in Swaziland ( A country slightly smaller than the state of New Jersey, ruled by the world’s last absolute monarch. An African kingdom of approximately one million people…who are dying at an astonishing rate) .

Visit the “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see how you can help the West Family as they serve the Swazi people.

Meet the Webers: Missionaries to the Bimin People in Papua New Guinea / October 28, 2012 by gapfillorgblog

Note from GapFill.org’s Founder: I first heard about the Webers from my good friend Kathy Vanaria. Years ago Kathy emailed me from Papua New Guinea (PNG) and asked my husband and I if we would help a fellow translator get a computer. He wanted to order a computer online and have it shipped to our home. It was impossible then and still is now to a certain extent to order something online, have it shipped to Papua New Guinea, and have it arrive safely! My husband and I had been shipping items to the Vanarias for years and knew the best way to get items safely delivered so of course we agreed. Once the computer arrived, I loaded all the software ordered and verified that everything was working correctly before sending it off to PNG. For those who have set up computers before, you know that it first asks for a name that you would like to call the computer. When I asked the translator what name he would like to call it he said, "Well, I think you should call it Christiane after my wife, since she is the one who will be using it the most". You see, we were sending the computer to the Webers for the translation of the Bimin New Testament. Only God could orchestrate my husband and I having a part in the Bimin New Testament long before GapFill was even a thought. Don't you just love when Jesus reveals how He has been involved with something in your life before you even knew it existed? What a strategic planner He is!

Meet Christiane and Thomas Weber

Thomas and I were missionaries in Papua New Guinea (PNG) for 20 years working with the Bimin people of Sandaun Province. We finished the Bimin New Testament and sections of some Old Testament in 2008 and stayed on 2 more years to do Scripture use and start the Bimin on more Old Testament translations. We were also able to do audio-recordings of all the New Testament books in the Bimin language. We had a house fire at the very end of our stay in PNG in which Thomas was burned badly and had to be medivaced to Australia. It is a miracle that he healed so well from approximately 40% burns on his body. We would like to make a visit to PNG in June 2013, for about 4 weeks, to go and see the Bimin people, encourage them, see how they are doing and getting on. Communication is very difficult, there is no cell phone reception in this very remote place in the bush. We would like to hopefully bring them the polished and finished (I am still editing the audio recordings, it is very tedious and slow work...) audio recordings of their New Testament and make sure the technical set-up we left with the Bimin translators is working. Our last communication with them in the Spring noted that they were having issues with the audio set-up. They have 2 netbook type computers with power coming from 12 V batteries charged by solar panels. We are currently serving in Switzerland, but we lack the funds to make such a trip. We would like to take our youngest son David with us as he was the one Thomas tried to rescue out of the burning house. David made it out and, through a miracle, only had a bad burn under his foot and it healed very fast. Taking him with us and having him see the place again will give him and us some closure. We were able to go back to PNG for just 3 weeks before leaving to return to Switzerland in June 2010. Therefore, we are turning to the donors of GapFill for help with the expenses to get back to the Bimin people. We plan to take a video camera along to record what we find when we go to see the Bimin people and reunite with them. It will help our four children and former supporters see how the story continues and encourage this wonderful people group who my family and I shared our lives with. Thomas and Christiane now reside in Switzerland where Thomas pastors a small Assembly of God church.

Visit the “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see how you can help the Webers return to the Bimin people with audio recordings in hand.

Meet Grace Fabian: Missionary to the Nabak People in Papua New Guinea / October 20, 2012 by gapfillorgblog

Note from GapFill.org’s Founder: I first heard about Grace Fabian from my good friend Kathy Vanaria. She told me of this amazing woman who had lost her husband while translating the New Testament into a Pacific island language. Grace tells her incredible story in a book, Outrageous Grace. After reading this book, I felt as if I knew Grace personally, even though I have never met her. Her story is real, personal, and encouraging to all of us as we try and see God's big picture in the events of our lives. She could easily be excused if she were to carry to her grave the conviction that her loss was meaningless. I was inspired to hear how our Almighty God brings life out of death in her life.

Grace's Story

“Couldn't I also in a gesture of adoration and faith, offer my husband’s blood as a precious ointment to my Savior?” I asked after reading in God’s word about a woman who, in an act of worship, poured out expensive perfume over Jesus’ head. I am originally from a farming community in upstate New York, the daughter of a pastor. I served first in Mexico and then thirty-five years in the island nation of Papua New Guinea. Along with my husband, Edmund, I lived in an isolated Nabak-speaking village in Papua New Guinea, learned the language, devised an alphabet, produced literacy materials and translated the Scripture for the 25,000 people speaking this language. All four of our children were born in that country. On April 29, 1993, Edmund was murdered while sitting at his desk translating the love chapter, I Corinthians 13, into the Nabak language. I, his wife, was the first witness on the scene. I soon learned that the murderer was a Nabak man, one of the members of the tribe we had grown to love, and for whom we endeavored to translate the scriptures. My four children and I wrestled with grief and disorientation. We struggled while we sought spiritual answers, and tried to mesh two different worlds—the culture of the Nabak-speaking people in the island nation of Papua New Guinea, and of my Christian heritage from the United States. We faced the challenge of forgiving the murderer, rocks thrown onto our roof and through the windows, eviction notices, and twenty months later a court case in this foreign country. Despite this, God’s kindness was poured out on our family, and I, along with committed Nabak men and women completed the translation. In 1998, the Nabak New Testament was dedicated to the glory of God. I would like to return to the Nabak people in Papua New Guniea to see not only how they are doing in the Lord with the translated scriptures, but also to bring newly printed Nabak hymn books to them for His praise and worship. GapFill is helping me raise the funds to revisit and encourage this wonderful people group who my family and I shared our lives with. Grace Fabian now resides in Pennsylvania where she speaks, teaches and writes, hoping that others will be inspired to join in the work of reaching Biblesless people groups around the world.

Visit the “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see how you can help Grace return to the Nabak people with hymn books in hand.

Meet the Vanarias: Missionaries in Papua New Guinea / September 1, 2012 by gapfillorgblog

Note from GapFill.org's Founder: Kathy and I first met freshman year of college as roommates at UMASS Amherst and through the years my husband Bill and I have had the privilege of being a part of Kathy, Neil and Tony’s ministry with the Mesem. There are so many stories both Kathy and I could tell about the past 35+ years we've known each other, many of which I hope make it on this blog. In this first blog though, I wanted Kathy to start at the beginning and explain in her own words why she choose to become a missionary. A decision that has forever impacted her life, her family's life, and the lives of the thousands of people with whom she has shared Christ's love.

How Did a Nice Girl Like You End Up in the Rain Forest?

I've been asked that question dozens of times. In fact, I've asked myself that question a few times! Fortunately, I have a very good answer. Growing up in America almost every home had one or more copies of the Bible. There was a Bible in my parent's home which I read, but didn't totally understand. "Jesus died for you", people would say. Or, "Ask Jesus into your heart". I didn't understand the meaning of that phrase. I joke about it, but it's the truth that I spent almost a year trying to find an evangelical Christian who would evangelize me! After coming to understand the significance of Our Savior's death and resurrection, I understood why it was really "good news". I also quickly concluded that if it was that hard to find a Christian who could explain Christianity to me in a country where a Bible was in every home, and TV and radio shows told of Christ, what chance did people have who lived in places where they had no radio, or TV, nor a Bible in their language, nor Christians galore crowding their churches? Thus was born my desire to be a missionary. I asked God to let me be a missionary and hoped He would say yes. He did. He sent me a husband who had an experience much like my own and also wanted others to have access to the wonderful news that Jesus came to reconcile us to Our Father. I confess, the rain forest was not the first place that came to my mind, but my husband felt very strongly that if someone wasn't willing to go to the really hard places, how would those with the greatest need ever hear? He was right. In 1987 we left our secular employment and headed to prepare for overseas service. One year later, August 20, 1988, Neil and I left the USA for Papua New Guinea. Last week we held in our hands a proof copy of the Mesem New Testament. It was tangible evidence of 25 years of God's faithfulness to us and our family. During the last two decades our friends at GapFill sponsored schools, computers, translation helps, medical supplies and Bible materials for years while we worked first among the Kobon people and for the last 20 years among the Mesem. In January GapFill's founders will join us in Papua New Guinea to celebrate what God has done.Neil and Kathy Vanaria are Assembly of God World Missionaries. They have been missionaries in Papua New Guinea since 1988 and translators with the Mesem people of Morobe Province since 1993.

Visit their “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see the current needs for Neil and Kathy Vanaria.

What is GapFill.org? / August 12, 2012 by gapfillorgblog

What is GapFill.org and what is its mission?

GapFill and its donors share a common desire to help support Christian missionaries. Most Christians have a general desire to help those less fortunate than themselves. However, most Christians are not able to drop everything to go build orphanages in Swaziland or organize the construction of a much needed bridge for a village in Papa New Guinea. There are the few Christians though who have decided to make the decision to do just that and GapFill and its donors believe that it's our responsibility to help those who have made this commitment succeed. Many Christians want to help, but are hesitate to commit to a specific dollar amount each month or are not comfortable giving blindly to a cause without knowing where their money is going. That's where GapFill comes in (think of it like a Craigslist for missionaries). GapFill.org is an online tool that allows missionaries to post specific items that they need. Donors can then come to GapFill.org and choose to buy (or donate towards) a particular item for a specific missionary. There's no question where your money is going and there's no long-term commitment that has to be made.

What kinds of items are posted to GapFill?

Items range from personal in nature, for example, hearing aids, to specific projects such as, helping to build a children’s orphanage in Africa and everything in between. Since items are always changing it is best to visit our “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see current needed items.

So how does this partnership with donors work? Well…GapFill’s promises are simple...

We will pray daily for GapFill.org, its missionaries, donors and for where God is leading it.
We will be transparent…currently over 90% of all donations go directly to the missionary need (the rest go to PayPal fees, website domain fees, postage etc.). Since all staff to date have been volunteers, this is currently doable. We would like to continue to have 90% of donations go directly to the missionary need but also want to begin to put aside monies for potential growth and possible paid staff. (Check with other nonprofits, this is extremely conservative, most nonprofits take 15-25% for operational expenses.) This will help us get beyond just spending weekends to get the word out about GapFill.org but more importantly to meet the needs of the missionaries.

What we need donors to do…

Join us in praying for GapFill.org and the missionary needs posted. As a prayer warrior and intercessor myself, I know how effective the power of prayer, especially communal prayer, is.
Tell us about Christian missionaries you may know who are in need of a specific item that could help them move their ministry along. It could be a personal device that they need and/or something to help a project they are doing move along.
If you are a member of Facebook, “like” our nonprofit Facebook page gapfill.org. Facebook is a free social media tool that can help spread the word about GapFill.org. This will also ensure you stay up to date on the latest GapFill needs.
Join GapFill.org on causes.com. Again, another free social media tool that allows you to tell others about the missionary needs on GapFill. You can also donate directly through causes.com for a missionary needed item.
Follow our blog at blog.gapfill.org. Blogs are meant to be much more personal and it will give you a feel of the passion that we have to help missionaries. We will also begin having a “Missionary Monday” where the missionaries themselves will be the bloggers and you can get a feel for what they are like and why they do what they do.
Once GapFill.org begins to get more activity, we will start tweeting about needed items so you can follow the missionary needs on twitter.com.
Present some of GapFill’s needed items to your Church as a project to support for a “Missionary Fair” or one-time gift during Thanksgiving or Christmastime.
Contact us if your church is interested in having us come and speak about GapFill. We are currently located in Phoenix, AZ, however, we do have missionaries in other areas that could possibly speak. Send us an email and share your thoughts.

The items on GapFill.org are just one small way to "fill in the gap" to further God's work. We would love for you to be a part of us. Remember...."God is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! (Ephesians 3:20-21)Joyce is the Founder and Executive Director of GapFill.org with a masters in nonprofit management. Visit our “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see if God is calling you to “fill in the gap” for a missionary in need.

The Birthing of GapFill.org / June 23, 2012 by gapfillorgblog

But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ (Exodus 3:11)

I’m not sure when it hit me that I was to start GapFill.org. I know my husband and I were talking one night and he mentioned that he always wanted to work for a nonprofit (we currently own a UPS Store that he runs and often reminds me is NOT A NONPROFIT as I ask him one more time to ship something to Papua New Guinea at no charge ...). But the conversation that night got me thinking and I was soon signed up to start a master’s program in nonprofit studies at Arizona State University.

My two girls were both living away at different colleges and I thought I can take one class a semester and just plug along at it while I continue to work full-time. But what I wasn’t expecting were the great students I met in my classes (notice I didn’t say kids even though most were in fact my kid’s age). Each of them were giving back to this world in some way. Now, I expected that to be true when you were with a group of Christians but these were people from all walks of life, some from religious backgrounds and some not. But one thing they all had in common was that they all were passionate about some type of cause. Most of the students currently worked in nonprofits. Several worked in different shelters and human service areas. Some were building homes for the poor and still others were helping to change laws. So where did I fit in? What was I passionate about?

I began to reflect back over my life to see if I could find a trend in my volunteer work and my financial giving. Then it dawned on me. My husband and I have been involved in Christian mission work since we first got married (almost 29 years ago). It started with my old college roommate Kathy Vanaria who is a missionary involved in Bible translation in Papua New Guinea. Then my husband and I joined the mission committee in our church and began being involved in different work to help missionaries. Next there was a need for a bridge to be built in Papua New Guinea, then a tin roof needed replacing, after that school supplies to furnish all the schools to teach people how to read the new language that was just developed, then a new battery for a laptop and on and on and on….how could I say no to missionaries who had already given up so much.

#SayWhat? and #YestoGod

So there was my passion but now what? So I began asking God what the next step was. Then one morning while I was getting in my morning run I had a SayWhat? moment with God. I believe God gave me the idea and the name for GapFill. I didn't tell anyone for about 2 weeks. I was thinking I must have heard God wrong. Then I emailed my friend Kathy and ran the idea by her at the same time I told my husband. Both agreed there was a need to help missionaries in this way. So, I started reading about Moses’s call in the book of Exodus thinking I will see what Moses did when he didn't feel ready for his call. After all…who was I? I’m just learning about nonprofits now….I don’t know anything about starting a nonprofit ….I work full time, how will I ever find the time…but there it was….Moses went even when he didn't feel prepared. So I had no choice but to tell God “yes”…..and with that, the process of “filling in the gap” for missionaries in need started.

Joyce is the Founder and Executive Director of GapFill.org with a masters in nonprofit management. Visit our “Current Needs” tab on the GapFill.org website to see if God is calling you to “fill in the gap” for a missionary in need.