NEW TRIBES MISSION  |  planting tribal churches

INVITE A MISSIONARY

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Murray and Heather Burnett

Christchurch

Both Murray and Heather came from farming families in the south of New Zealand and came to know the Lord as children.

In 1972 Murray went to Capernwray Bible College in Auckland where he met and later married Kay. From there they moved on to missionary training and later to service with NTM in Papua New Guinea. There they helped with airstrip construction in the Highlands, the Sepik and the Islands regions. They returned home to New Zealand because of Kay's health in 1984 and subsequently became representatives for NTM. After a short period of illness, Kay went to be with her Lord in April 2001. Murray and Kay had two daughters, Donna and Bronwyn.

Overseas missions have always played an important part in Heather's life. After studying medicine, she worked as a missionary doctor in South Thailand from 1980 to 1986. Heather returned to New Zealand to care for her elderly parents and subsequently did general practitioner work until her marriage to Murray in 2002.

Currently, Murray and Heather represent NTM throughout New Zealand and are also responsible for the running of the New Zealand office. Their desire is to encourage people in New Zealand to become involved in reaching tribal people with the Gospel.

Pat and Kathleen Aherne

Mango Hill

Pat and Kath are originally from Bendigo, Victoria. After they were married they moved to Melbourne where Pat was a member of the Victoria Police and Kath was a registered nurse. Kath came to know the Lord in 1959 and Pat was saved at a Billy Graham crusade in 1969. As they grew in their relationship with the Lord, He challenged them to full time mission service. In 1973 they entered training with New Tribes Mission. During their training it became apparent that their gifts were suited to teaching and training missionary candidates. They spent eight years on the teaching faculty of New Tribes Mission in Australia and two years in the U.S.A.

In 1984 the Lord opened the door for Pat and Kath to pursue pioneer church planting in the West New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea. They entered an isolated area with Mark and Donna Archer to work with the Asengseng tribe. They built an airstrip (with the help of other missionaries and short term work parties). They did extensive medical work, made an alphabet and taught literacy in the tribal language. Every member of the team learnt the language and culture. After two and a half years they taught the Bible chronologically in the Asengseng language and, when the gospel was presented, there was a good response. The Ahernes and the Archers started their translation of the Scriptures and began training Bible teachers, literacy teachers and medical workers. The Archers returned to the U.S.A. in 1993 and in 1996 Pat and Kath returned to Australia to assist with the resolution of health problems with their daughter and themselves. The Lord raised up Steve and Cathi Henley to continue the work in Asengseng after Pat and Kath left.

Pat and Kath are presently NTM representatives operating out of Brisbane, Queensland. Pat continues teaching in the churches and lectures in Missiology at the Laurieton training facility. Their passion is to see the Lord glorified in their own lives and in the lives of others.

Steve and Cathi Henley

North Ipswich

Steve & Cathi Henley met in Perth of Western Australia after Cathi moved over from her hometown of Sydney. Steve became a Christian during the time he was studying Engineering at University of Western Australia after being invited along to Thornlie Church of Christ by a friend. Cathi was brought up in a Christian home and came to know Christ at an early age. They were both challenged into missions at a Missionary Conference just shortly before they were married, although they had both previously felt the Lord challenging them into full-time service in some way. Cathi knew of NTM through an uncle and aunt who started them both thinking towards tribal mission and bible translation work.

They started NTM Bible College in 1989, as newlyweds, and then continued into NTM Missionary Training & Language School. After spending three years on the home staff teaching in the Language School, they believed the Lord would have them join an existing work in Papua New Guinea. In 1995, they began working with the Asengseng people located in the Whiteman Ranges on the Island of West New Britain, Papua New Guinea. It was quite an intense time initially with language study, dealing with a heavy medical load, airstrip maintenance, organising a local community store and also home schooling their three boys.

After much language study and with relationships developing with the people Steve finally had the opportunity to teach God's Word chronologically to a group of Asengseng people in June-July 2000. Currently, the translation of the bible into their language is at the final stages of completion. There are three elders and 25 or so Bible teachers teaching in nine different local churches and they are in turn, reaching out to neighbouring villages, continuing on with the medical and literacy work. Steve, Cathi and their boys are now based in North Ipswich, Queensland and are making periodic trips to Papua New Guinea to visit with the believers, to give them encouragement, teach and finalise the checking of the Asengseng New Testament Bible. Their desire is to continue to remain committed to this people group and is constantly amazed at what the Lord has done and is continuing to do.

John and Gail Middleton

Burnie

Before being challenged to work with NTM in 1981 by a missionary on a visit, John was an administrator with a government authority, while Gail was a primary school teacher. They later felt called to do the training with NTM. After their training, they served in Australia as teaching staff. In 1990 they went to Papua New Guinea to serve. John was training some national men in practical skills and Gail was teaching in the mission school. Later, they served for five years in the role of representing NTM to the Papua New Guinea government and facilitating passport and visa work for the missionaries. When they returned to Australia they were involved again in the Australian head office in administration. They have now served as NTM representatives in Tasmania for the past five years and love to share with others the importance of teaching the Word of God chronologically.