Our Hopes

Mark 5:13 14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Mark 16:15 He said to them; "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.

  Our ministry and purpose for serving in Papua New Guinea is to be a direct support to those who are working hard to ensure that every "tribe and tongue" have a chance not just to hear but to understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their own language. A task that is amazing and difficult at the same time.

Things like fixing generators, building homes, or other such projects will be my focus, while Amy will provide medical checkups, and emergent care for the region. Our job is to do whatever we can to allow those planting churches and discipling new believers to do so without distraction. All with the hopes of removing the stress and allowing those serving in the tribes to focus on what they are there to do.

Each of us can play a part in touching the lives in the lost reaches of the world. We can do this by supporting those who are on the forefront of the mission frontier. Taking the weight of worry off their shoulders and allowing them to focus on the task at hand, the presentation of the gospel, the translation of the scriptures, and the ministering to those in need, and the discipling of the believers .

Let’s join together each doing the piece God has assigned to us without abandon. Each part of the body fulfilling its God given function whether it be praying, giving, or going. If each with a burden prays, and each with the ability gives, and each one called goes then together we can reach the last tribe with the message. Each of us has a burden to bear lets do so with the grace, wisdom, and strength of our God. Running the race as though to win the prize of every last village being reached with the gospel.

Ephesians 4:15-17 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Supplication, Support, and Sharing

Hello! This is Ryan here. We wanted to send you all a basic idea of what the future holds for Amy and I. We are getting married and then traveling to New Guinea (NG). We are currently raising support for that trip, for the full-time training with New Tribes Mission (NTM), and for our time in NG after that. Together we hope to shine Christ to the world, appealing to them to “be reconciled to God.” The doors are open, and we need you to help us move forward.

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassador, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

This is Amy. Howdy! For those that I haven’t talked to recently and to those who don’t know me yet, I have been an ER nurse at Parkland Hospital for 3 years, mentoring Somali refugees, getting involved at The Village Church and participating in a triathlon or two. About a year ago, the Lord led me to begin seriously looking for a nursing opportunity overseas, one where I could serve people who have not heard the gospel. Over the years, the Lord brought me to that place through an eye-opening mission trip to Sudan, Perspectives course, Scriptures and various friendships. I am thrilled to continue traveling this road with Ryan and look forward to partnering with you.

Philippians 1:3-7 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace.

We hope to go to unreached peoples who have no access to the Bible and where the gospel has yet to be presented. We have decided to go to New Guinea, the world’s most primitive and untouched place. With 1600+ languages and 2100 dialects, it is the most linguistically and culturally diverse place in the world. Over 900 of the world’s 2300 unreached people groups are found there.

Romans 15:20-21 Thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, "Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.

We will be a part of a team of 130 families planting churches in over 30 language groups. We will be living at a center, which houses a boarding school, clinic, supply depot, guest houses and technical support facilities. Ryan will provide the technical, mechanical, and construction support for those families and the tribes they are in. Amy will provide the routine and emergent medical care for them. We will also serve as mentors for the missionaries’ children at the boarding school. We want to allow those in the tribes translating the Bible, presenting the gospel, and discipling believers to focus on the task God has called them to do.

Ephesians 4:15-16 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Life is a gift from God and we are excited to be able to lay ours at His feet. We are confident that He has not called us to something that He will not provide for in every way. It is His provision, love, and guidance that allows us to reach out to the lost in this world. And, it is His drawing them to Himself while shining through us that makes any of this work. We need to be constantly depending on Him in prayer for everything.

Philippians 4:18-20 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

We have sought the counsel of our church leadership and those currently serving with NTM. Based upon their recommendations and our own convictions we have decided to do the full training offered by NTM. NTM has what is recognized by mission organizations around the world as one of the best and most intensive and exhaustive Mission Training Schools (MTC). With classes meeting from 8-5, five days a week, and studying too, there will be little room for anything else over the next two years. We are excited to dive into the training and prepare for our future in ministry.

1 Peter 1:13-19 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

We are thrilled that a majority of this school’s staff are seasoned missionaries who have faithfully walked the road we will be taking. They’ve planted churches among the most remote, unreached peoples of the world and discipled pastors and elders, while raising godly families. Under their discipleship, we plan to learn from their stories and wisdom how to run the race well to the end.

Acts 20:24 But I do not count my life as any value, if only I may finish the course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the good news of God’s grace.

We are about to set out on a journey that is very difficult. It will test us and our walk with the Lord in every way. Our goal in this time of training is to learn to love each other well through our love for the Lord and to prepare our hearts and minds for ministry. In many ways our love for each other in marriage can be a true and bright reflection of the Lord’s sacrificial love for the world. It is this very love for the Lord that is necessary for us to be able to walk together faithfully through whatever the future holds. Our ministry starts and ends with our love for the Lord and for each other.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

We cannot walk this path alone. Please join with us in reaching these people and lift us up to the Lord constantly. As we set out on this journey we are aware of the spiritual warfare and danger involved. We are driven to our knees in dependence on God and we ask that you join us there. We will keep you updated on our needs and what God is doing around us. In all of this we deeply covet your prayers.

Ephesians 3:18-19 Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication to that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador.

We also ask you to partner with us financially. We are currently at 20% of our recommended support, which is $4897 a month. We are asking for support from people like you who believe in what God is doing through us and want to be a part of it. This may sound like a lot, but it’s really not much. If 200 of you committed to $25 a month ($300/year), our financial needs would be met. We also need $11,500 by the end of November to cover the cost of our trip to New Guinea this spring. We can’t wait to see God provide through you. We have enclosed two documents that explain what the support money covers and how you can give. Please let us know if you have any questions. You can email us at ryan.amy.carpenter@gmail.com Or, call: Ryan, 574-850-0343; Amy, 214-499-5233. Ideally, we’d like to sit down and chat with you!

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Thank you,
Ryan Carpenter &
Amy Smith