New Tribes Missions
I just returned from visiting New Tribes Missions’ World Headquarters in Sanford, Florida with four other guys from my missions class. It is such a fantastic place that I want to write about the place first and then what the mission agency is all about. Then later this week — Friday or Saturday — I want to take Joy up there to see it and maybe even get some people to tell her all about New Tribes.
New Tribes Mission is a mission agency that focuses on reaching the world one peoplegroup at a time. Instead of seeing mission work geographically, the people at New Tribes recognize that each people group will have great differences from the other peoplegroups living nearby each other or even within the same village, town, or city.
I guess the best way to share more about their goals, purpose, etc is to send you to their website.
One of the most fantastic things about my visit to their world headquarters was their facility and location. During my drive through Sanford I was reminded of my childhood by the town. It is an “old Florida” town much like where I grew up (before the more recent development there.) At the end of my drive I needed to take a right onto First Street and head into the small and cozy downtown area of Sanford. After driving through the downtown area I drove along an expansive lake, which is actually a part of the St. Johns River. Then I pulled up to the complex which reminded me of a military base (MacDill Air Force Base in particular;) a tropical resort; and waterfront areas of San Fransisco all at the same time. There was a reason for all of this.
The NTM World Headquarters was purchased back in the early seventies, but before they acquired the property it had been owned by the New York Giants as a spring training facility, and the Sanford Naval Academy for boys. However, the grounds were originally developed as a lavish resort that was without peer in the Central Florida area at the time of construction. I was happy to find all that out from Danny, because it affirmed my initial feelings about the place.
The main building of the complex was the old hotel. It was a grand hotel in the early, turn of the century style — like buildings I’ve seen in San Fransisco. It was really open and airy, and well… just awe inspiring.
OK, now more about what this organization does. It primarily serves as a support organization in my mind. First it supports people who want to be missionaries by providing training for them and equipping them with many of the things they need to know and be able to do before they go out into the world to witness to unreached people. It also brings these types of people together so that they can go as a small group. A group of 4-5 can be better than just one or two people going because they can support each other, keep each other company, etc.
Then NTM supports you when you are ready to go to whereever it is that you want to go. It helps with dealing with foreign governments, travel, and getting you settled. Then when it comes time for you to figure out the language of the peoplegroup they give you more aid.
I am probably only scratching the surface here, so I will make this more general. Basically, NTM supports people who want to spend 20 or more years doing missionary work abroad with peoples who have never heard the Christian message, or have not in over 100years and currently do not have a translation of the Bible.
Posted by David under Experiences |
That’s pretty cool. You thinking about getting involved with this group?
Comment by Jessica — October 12, 2005 @ 3:05 pm
I thought about it for a little while, but as I find out more and more about missionaries from the past the less inclined I am to go and do this.
One of the biggest reasons for this is that I am reading a survey of the history of missions and I keep noticing time and again that the guys who serve as missionaries often lose their wives at some point during their stay in the foreign country. Sometimes they will end up being married two and three times because their wives will die in the mission field. I don’t really want to lose Joy so I am very hesitant about doing this.
So, now I am thinking about possibly donating money to them on a regular basis. Before I even begin that though, I would want Joy to look into the organization more. I’ve pretty much decided that I will want to dedicate most of my time and funds to just 2-3 different charitable organizations. Joy and I budget how much money we want to tithe and how much we want to give away to charities outside our church. I think that we will find a few and just stick to giving our time and money to those. Maybe this one will be one of them. Who knows?
Comment by David — October 15, 2005 @ 2:16 pm
Wow, they all lose their wives? That’s crazy. Guess it’s one of the occupational hazards of being a missionary.
Well,it’s cool you found this place.
Comment by Jessica — October 15, 2005 @ 2:27 pm
Hey that’s an interesting veiw point i just found this site because i’m doing research for what people think of ntm, I grew up as a missionaries kid with new tribes, you know it is dangerous being a missionary but in reality accidents and tragedies will happen anywhere even in the states i would encourage you to think again about being a missionary unless you can come up with some that is more noble than taking the gosple to those who have absolutly no chance of hearing unless YOU tell them
sincerly
Comment by Don — October 18, 2005 @ 12:43 pm