An Interview with Missionary Summer Zimmer

Music.

Greetings and welcome to the Faith Chapel podcast. My name is Jason and I am

the pastor of Faith Chapel.

Today is a special podcast where I interview Summer Zimmer, a missionary Faith

Chapel supports who works in Papua New Guinea, or P&G as they call it.

Summer, who spent her teenage years at Faith Chapel, speaks on her role as a

missionary and the overall state of the mission field in Papua New Guinea.

She begins by talking about her role and the organizations she is affiliated with.

Thanks for joining us today.

I'm working for New Tribes Mission

in Papua New Guinea, which is a partner organization with Ethnos 360.

And I am the connection coordinator.

And so in that role, I am a support missionary to our church planners.

So we have church planners all over P&G who are working in tribes,

and I'm there to help them and the other support missionaries communicate with

their home churches and their supporters.

So I'll do things like write articles or make videos that explain what it is

we do or what stage they are in ministry that they can share with those people

back home to give them an understanding.

But really my goal in doing that or any of what I do is to make sure our missionaries are cared for.

And another aspect of care is helping them connect with their churches by working

with their churches. So I will connect with churches that send missionaries

to Papua New Guinea on a Zoom call and we'll talk about different ways you can

care for your missionary.

So that's a five-week kind of a course, I guess you would say,

where we discuss that and different scripture that talks about missionaries and missionary care.

Another aspect of being the connection coordinator is that I want to help our

missionaries be connected.

So that is like updating a website that has prayer requests on it or gathering

ladies to pray for each other, either on Zoom or in person.

And there are other little things I do. Generally, the idea is to make sure

our missionaries are connected with the care that they need.

What kind of care do missionaries need? Is that something that is just individualized

for each one, or is there some basic things that everyone needs?

I think missionaries need to know that they are seen and cared for and connected.

I think it's really important that they have people back home who understand

what they're doing and where they're at in their ministry.

Somebody who will connect with them and ask them how they're doing.

Some people need more than others, but I think even practical things,

you can send packages or welcoming them home when they come home by getting

a house ready or by getting a car for them.

But while they're on the field, staying in touch with them, reaching out to say you're praying.

And sometimes letters work, but sometimes they don't come through very well.

Packages work because they have a tracking on them, I guess.

They work better. But I think WhatsApp is a app that you can get that is international texting.

And so you can send a text message to your missionary to say hi or to ask them

what's going on or to send them scripture to encourage them.

Yeah, it's just meaningful to know that people are praying for you and that

people see you and that you're not really alone.

Because sometimes some of our missionaries are out in these very isolated places,

and so they don't see their teammates or their family and the people they're working among.

But to have somebody else reach out to them and let them know that they care

about them and they're praying for them is meaningful to them.

When you talk about sending text messages, is technology in Papua New Guinea

in particular, is that something that most people have, whether they're in remote areas or not?

Yeah, our missionaries, a lot of them now have a satellite to be able to have

internet because of their remote location. It's important to be able to connect

in case of a medical emergency.

And so a lot of them have been able to have that. It's slow internet.

And sometimes it'll go in and out, but a lot of our missionaries do have access to the Internet.

In your particular role, when we've talked before, you've mentioned that you've hosted women.

Is that still something that's part of your ministry there to bring encouragement

to them? Yes, that's really my favorite part.

And it's normally four or five ladies that come together. and there's kind of

a five-day program that we'll go through to help them walk through their last

term or a period of time that they wanna process through.

And it doesn't have to be like a trauma or anything like a big thing that's happened.

And sometimes it's just preventative to help people process through things because

missionary life is full of a lot of loss and people come and go.

You're losing the time back home with your loved ones. when kids get to graduate

high school, then they have to leave P&G.

And so a lot of the parents that are still in P&G have kids back in their home countries.

And so that's loss and that's hard to deal with.

And then just some of the hard things about being a missionary in a remote location

with tribal people who don't know the gospel.

And yeah, just hard. There are hard things that they see and or team dynamics that are hard.

And And so just working through those things with the Lord, but then coming

together to discuss them and it kind of helps them see that they're not alone,

that other people feel the same things that they do.

And yeah, it's a real blessing to just see how the Lord works in their heart

when they take that time aside to meet with him.

Can you talk about your call into the mission field?

What did that look like? How did God tell you this is what he wanted you to do?

It's always good to look back and remember those things. Yes.

So I was, I think really my interest in missions started when I took a perspectives

class. I think it was 2012.

And it's a 15-week missions class where missionaries come and speak.

And I was just blown away. Like, I had no idea.

And so after that, I got involved with the mission committee at my church.

And it had just started.

But really my role on the committee was like, I want to get to know our missionaries

and how do we get to know them and hear what they're going through and what their stories are.

And so helping our committee connect with them quarterly, at least,

and just love that opportunity then to have them share with a bigger group,

with the mission committee and then with a bigger group.

And then it was part of our church starting support groups for each of our missionaries

and to see the impact of that on not just the missionary who felt supported

and cared for, but the people that were part of the group to be able to engage with the missionary.

Like on a monthly basis, they were doing video calls with them monthly to hear from them.

And it just was impactful to see God's faithfulness and see the missionary's

faithfulness and see that played out.

And I think it really impacted the church to have the opportunity.

And so, you know, getting to see that, I just started feeling discontent at the job I was in.

I worked at YMCA in marketing communications.

I started feeling like, you know, I want to be more involved with what God is doing in the world.

I mean, I had loved my job. I'd been there 12 years at the point that I left.

But I started looking for, OK, is there a job in missions? And I wanted to do it in Indiana.

I wanted to stay in my house. And so I was looking for that.

And they didn't really have a role for missions from Indiana.

Like I wanted to do mobilization and missionary care. And they didn't have that.

But I did find this role in Papua New Guinea with Ethnos that was a communication manager.

And that was exactly the same role I had with the Y, same title.

I could see how you could use that role to help missionaries connect with their

churches and help there be more care involved.

So my ultimate goal is to see them cared for, but enabling that by helping with communication.

But at first I said, no way, I can't go to Papua New Guinea.

Like, that's too lonely. I can't leave my family.

And the Lord just moved me step by step. Like, first it was,

I reached out just to ask a little bit about the position. I probably asked,

can I do this from Indiana?

But the lady was like, well, you need to submit a pre-application and a resume.

And I was like, a resume? I've not had a resume for 12 years.

So I put that off for a few weeks. And then finally I was like,

well, I'll make a resume.

And then I had some people proofread it. And that was like a disaster because

then they give you all sorts of feedback. You're like, okay,

let's just move along with this.

And so finally, I got that done, turned it in.

And then the next step was to talk to a coach.

And so somebody called me and he talked. He's like, well, what do you think, Summer?

And it's funny because I look back and I think, well, yeah, it was just a gradual moving forward.

Because in the beginning, I said no. But this guy asked me, like,

what do you what are you interested in? What do you feel like the Lord is leading you to?

And then he prayed for me at the end. And I was just like, that's so peaceful.

And just like it wasn't demanding and it was just kind of like,

well, let's try to help you find what what God has for you. And and then I talked to the field.

Some of the directors there called and I learned more about the position, about life there.

And I was just astonished because I thought if you moved to Papua New Guinea,

you wouldn't have running water or electricity.

And and they talked about the community and that there's a medical clinic on our center.

And I just remember just my mind being blown.

Like, I don't, I can't imagine, okay, you live in Papua New Guinea,

but you have these things and just, and it's not, the community sounded great. I was like, okay.

And then they prayed for me. And I was like, well, that's so nice that they prayed for me.

But then again, then the next step was like filling out, filling out the full application.

And I so I took some time away and took some time to pray about it and just

continued to feel like, OK, this is the right next step is to fill this out.

And yeah, and it was but then, you know, I had to tell my family and that was

the hardest part. And really just that was it. That was the hardest part.

Once that was done, then everything else kind of I mean, I told my job and that

was just a little sad. Like, OK, I'm sorry, but I'm going to go do this.

And so it all, you know, it all moved forward. I went, and I really loved my, yeah, that first year.

It just, so many new things, and you're learning so much, and you're getting to know these people.

And I remember thinking, there's no way I could love these people the way I

love the church, my church's missionaries.

How the Lord put people into my life that first year, just a few people from each area.

There's different areas in Papua New Guinea, and like, really connected me to

them. And just how that has grown. It's just amazing how he walks us through step by step.

When you got to Papua New Guinea, the role was already established then,

or is it something that you had to kind of put your spin on?

I definitely put my spin on it.

There hadn't been somebody in the role for three years, I think.

And he had been, he made videos for sure.

But when they had me come, the funny thing is, the job description I received, I liked.

But right before I was supposed to go, I heard that they just wanted me to come

and do social media. and I don't actually like social media at all.

And so that was kind of a shock and really a test of like, is this really what God has for me?

Like, am I supposed to go and do social media?

Like, that's not what he's giving me a heart for.

And I think if I had just backed down then, yeah, I would have missed out on so much.

And so, you know, that was their idea of my role is social media.

Okay, I do the social media, but like just

I was very interested in well how do I get to know all

these people and so then I developed this

map with all the prayer requests and their pictures and that

was totally something they had never thought of but it's for everyone everybody

can look at that map and see the missionaries we're working with that are out

in the tribes that on the support center we don't see maybe once a year and

so just the things that I wanted like to be able to know and care for for these missionaries,

I invited other people into.

And so I know they wanted me to do videos and the social media,

and I do those things, but just adding more of the prayer and the care stuff,

the debriefings were definitely added.

And it's good to remember that. Yeah, the Lord gave me just different.

Ideas. So after my first year, I came home because of COVID.

Well, I came home for a month to see people, and then I came back to the field

for two months, and then COVID happened, and I came home again.

And in that time, I had the opportunity to go to a debriefing retreat.

And so I learned about what it was. And in that time, I was like,

okay, I think my co-workers should benefit from this.

And so I guess I went to a training then to figure out how to do it myself.

And then I also, during that time, developed the missionary care discussion

group, which is with the churches.

And so it's, I mean, I came, I went to the field with these ideas and I kind

of got wrapped up in making videos and doing certain things that first year.

But when I came back, the Lord just kind of reminded me of like,

hey, this is, remember, this was what was on your heart was to make sure missionaries

were cared for by their churches.

And so it was amazing how I got permission to do that, for one,

and that has continued, and that I got permission to do the retreats,

and those things all came about over time.

You started in 2019 then, over in Papua New Jersey. Yeah, in January, yep.

What have you seen God doing over the past six years that you would like people to know about?

So I think it's really exciting to, like, I've been able to witness mainly through

social media, I guess, the, like, as our church planners get to the point of

being able to teach through the Bible.

So they have to go in and they learn the tribal language.

So there are over 800 languages in Papua New Guinea. And so each of our missionary

teams, they're in a different tribal language. And so they have to spend years learning it.

And when they get to the point where they can then teach literacy,

so teach the people to read and write their own language, and then they get

enough of the Bible translated to be able to teach through it.

And it's, you know, they have certain portions that they translate,

but then to hear the stories of the people like Christians.

There are very dark aspects of animism and believing in spirits and really they're

believing in demons and worshiping demons.

And they know the missionaries are there to teach them God's word.

And they've anticipated it for the whole time they've been learning the language.

You know, like five years, okay, okay, we're going to hear God's talk now.

And they are ready to listen.

And they want, they most, most of the time, not every time.

And the life change that happens as they really understand their sin and their

need for a Savior and the darkness of what they've been a part of or been involved in.

And it's not like that changes overnight.

And so then the missionary is staying there and discipling them and trying to

help them through the sanctification process as they continue to learn more of God's Word.

It's just amazing to hear those stories.

I just get like just amazed by

some of our missionary teams who just love the tribal

people that they're working with so much And they just invest

their whole lives in these people And it's so great to see them being able to

rejoice that these people that they have loved are now part of God's family

And they're brothers and sisters in Christ And to be able to see them when those

people maybe if they die that they can rejoice in that too because they're going

to go to heaven and they'll meet their Savior.

And it's awesome to witness that joy that people have when they know.

They know the truth and that the missionaries have when they know that their people are believing.

And it's exciting when that's coming.

So this year we have three teams that are in the literacy phase.

They're going to have the opportunity to teach literacy.

And then we all know that next is the actual Bible teaching.

And so it's super exciting. And we all get to be excited for these things.

And there's so many challenges, though. And health things and conflict and our

aviation team, we had a fuel crisis this year where they couldn't get the fuel they needed.

Then that means we can offer fewer flights and fewer opportunities for missionaries

to go into places or to get supplies.

And so, yeah, those things are hard because you're like, but why?

Like, you know, and like this summer, we had a team who wanted to move into

a location and all of our leadership was gone and they needed authority person

to do this signing of the land.

But there wasn't anybody that wasn't gone on home assignment. And so they had to wait.

But, you know, I think I'm learning a lot about trusting God and his timing

because you just think like, no, they want to move in and start this work and

start learning the language.

And but then they have to wait months because there's not somebody for a signature,

you know, like it's crazy.

But there are hard things, I guess, is the point. Like they're exciting things

and it's exciting to see work move forward.

But then it's hard when you're like, why did that happen? Or why did that conflict happen?

And this family is leaving and now there's just two families in there to finish the work.

And you're like, but because Satan doesn't want it to happen.

It's very humbling to hear the long-term dedication that people have that you're

working with out in the tribes.

Is five years normal for, like, language and before they're able to translate

it and start preaching the gospel?

Well, when they get to the country, they have to firstly learn the trade language.

And so that is a language, too. It's much easier normally than the tribal language.

And so they go through this orientation for six months, and then probably another

six months they're learning the trade language. And then they have to form a team.

And that takes time because it's like dating, and you have to find the team

that you want to spend your life with, which is normally three families.

So it takes a while, and then they have to figure out what tribe they want to go to.

So they have to survey tribes, and we have a list of people who have requested

missionaries. but to go in and ask, like, do you understand what it is we're coming for?

It's not for stuff. It's for God's word. And we'll learn your language.

We'll teach you to read and write in your language.

We'll translate God's word and we teach you God's word. But it's not other things.

And so making sure people understand that, that there's an agreement about wanting them to come.

So there's a lot to figure out. And then they'll finally select the people group,

find a place to live, have to do the land agreement thing, signing of the land,

and then they have to build their houses.

And then it's three to five years for the language learning of the tribal language.

And then like one of our current teams that I think they've been in there five

years, he, one person has finished the language.

And so, but now it's time for their home assignment.

So, So then there's a delay for that. And he had started translation and started literacy prep.

But they have to wait for the rest of the team to learn the language,

to learn it proficiently.

And so, yeah, it's like that. Like, it just seems like, wow,

this is taking a long time.

And they even, in their people group, they really are excited for them.

And they're kind of like, why is this taking you so long? And like, come on.

And so they're finally close and that's exciting.

But then, you know, then there's all the time of teaching.

Now the teaching, it doesn't take a year. The first initial,

we call it phase one, but then they'll teach back through it again.

And phase two, they'll teach it from the perspective of a believer and teach

it with kind of like now that you have the Holy Spirit, like,

and, and re review it, then they'll move on.

And so, yeah, so the teaching takes quite a while, too, once they want to translate

the whole New Testament.

So that takes a while.

And then there's still the discipleship and just a lot of time. It is a lifetime time.

We have got one couple now, and it was a family at one point,

now it's just the couple, and he is on his second translation.

He's done two tribal languages, and they're just finishing it.

They've been there a long time.

Yeah, it is a lifelong thing. And then, you know, we don't want people to just

leave after they've finished with their church.

We do need leadership within the organization and consultants because they'll

check translation, check language.

We've got consultants for everything to help our missionaries that are new to

a specific part of it have instruction and have somebody who's checking over

them and helping them. And it's a guidance thing, but also like,

let's make sure this is accurate.

Like we want God's word to be accurate. And so that's a whole process in itself.

But yeah, it's a long term thing.

What does it mean for, you said that there was, if I heard you right,

there was a tribe that really wanted people to come and they were ready for them.

Is that just for the putting the language into writing, like having a written

language, just not a verbal language?

Or what is the draw for tribes to invite people in? Well, a lot of,

I mean, they do have a knowledge that they don't know the truth.

And they see, a lot of times they see other tribes that do get the gospel and

that they see the change in their lives.

And they, and those people do like, encourage them, like they can,

in the trade language, they'll, they'll talk and they're, some of them are close

enough that they'll hike through them and, and, you know, they'll tell them

about what they need, how they need this and.

Yeah. And sometimes, though, it's wrong reasons. And so it's not always the

right reason. Sometimes they think they get stuff.

So that's, you know, we have to be very careful about making sure they're clear

on the four things that we're coming to do and not taking in too much and not

giving them too much because that distracts from the real reason.

And like there is some wrong thinking in thinking the gospel is the answer to cargo.

So they think that if they know what the gospel is, then they will be able to get cargo.

And it's called a cargo cult mentality. And so that does happen.

But when it's right thinking, it's because they've seen how the gospel affects their neighbors.

Or they've heard it from a friend in a different language group.

But it can be for years that they're asking because we don't have enough missionaries

to send to them. Wow. Yeah.

So you said there are more than 800 languages in Papua New Guinea.

How many of those do you have a sense

that have the Bible in their written language, have heard the gospel?

Do you have any idea where Papua New Guinea stands and being evangelized?

There are 300, approximately 300 people groups in P&G that still need the gospel

in their heart language.

We are currently working in 43 church planning locations, so 43 different people groups.

We've worked in over 80.

We always have a list of nine people groups.

Nine, nine to ten, that are identified as priority locations for the next missionary teams.

So really we need, if you have nine people groups that need missionaries,

and we send three families into every people group,

and then there are some existing works that we've started and families have

left, and so they're not finished.

Like maybe there's one family and they're trying to finish the translation and

the discipleship all themselves. So we need partners for them.

It's just, it seems impossible, of course, but like God can do anything to bring enough missionaries.

And that's what we need to be praying for laborers for the harvest field.

Yeah. So from previous talks, and you kind of mentioned it with the shortage

of fuel for your airplanes, it's a rather extensive organization that you have there.

Can you talk about some of the non-typical missionary roles that are there outside

of those that are working with languages and translating the Bible and discipling?

What else can a missionary life look like? That's a great question.

So we have 340 adult missionaries, and close to half of those are doing support work.

And what that means is we are there to make sure the church planners can thrive

So they can focus on language learning and translation and teaching.

And so those are pilots. We have a group of pilots, helicopter and Kodiak airplane.

We have aviation mechanics. So that keeps people in and out of the tribe.

We have teachers because we have a school.

The kids of our support workers go to the school, but also some of the older

kids that would normally live in a tribe, they'll come out to our center and go to school.

And so we really need teachers. And that's something we've been short on the

last few years, and it just keeps dwindling.

So we need teachers to invest in our missionary kids. And also there are some

kids from the community that also go to the school.

We need doctors. We are, yeah, our doctor would like to retire,

but there's nobody to take his place at this point.

And it's an urgent thing because there's not it's not like there are doctors

in P&G or if there are, then we don't want to take away from.

The P&G people by going to them because they are overrun. So we need a doctor

on our center and nurses.

Also, we have a dentist sometimes, but not all the time.

And she needs a dental hygienist to work with her.

And there's also IT is a big need. All these missionaries that are translating

the Bible have computers.

And so those things break down sometimes and they need help with them and satellites.

They need help installing their satellites so they can have the internet in

their tribal locations.

We need business people. We have a business office there so missionaries can

buy their supplies and have them flown into them.

So there's all that aspect.

Oh, maintenance, like we call it technical services, and it's people who can

build houses and maintain houses and help talk missionaries in remote locations

into how to take care of their houses if they break down.

And physical therapists, we don't have one of those anymore.

And that was kind of a huge help to have just, it's a rough,

I mean, we walk everywhere and, or I do, and you carry all your groceries and stuff.

So after a while, you kind of need help with your muscles.

And when you have the 150, 170, so in support of these other missionaries,

Are they living in a centralized area or is that are they spread all over the place?

We're mainly in a centralized area. The headquarters is where a lot of the support workers are.

But we do have three or we have we have four other centers where people are.

Out in different areas so that the church planters are closer.

So it's a more central location to church planters in a certain area.

And so those will be the people who are helping with supplies for them and care

for them when they come in from the tribe and need a place to stay at the center.

There's guest housing as well, hospitality, ministry, and that,

yeah, you're there to help them relax and help them get what they need.

What's one of the things that you have been surprised in a positive way about

the transition to living in a different country as a missionary? journey.

Well, I was surprised at like just how much I love the missionaries there and

how I know when I first came in my first weeks, I asked somebody like,

what's the hardest thing?

And I thought it would be missing the family and friends that you left.

And she said, the hardest thing is that people leave.

And I didn't understand it at the time because I thought, well, you know,

but now I do and yeah the hardest part is just loving people I guess the good

part is loving people but then the hard part is that they leave for different reasons it's just very.

Transitory I guess people come in and out also I think surprised that I could

that I have enjoyed living there there are,

aspects of it that get harder sometimes over time.

But yeah, just that it's a different, I'm surprised too about the way I can

switch back and forth. Because I'm here talking to you today.

A week from today, I will be back in Papua New Guinea, or I'll be on the plane,

I guess still at this point.

And I will get off the plane, I'll go to my house and I'll be like,

oh yeah, I forgot this smells bad.

And then I'll be like, okay, I forgot this is where I live. Okay.

And then I'll clean things up and start putting stuff away. And this is my house.

You know, like I have a house here and I have a house there.

And that one feels just as much as like home as the one here does.

And that is surprising to me.

It's just strange. And the switching back and forth is strange that it just

and you step right back into relationships and that they continue.

I mean, I'm grateful for that is that, you know, you it does.

It decreases over time. But some people you are still close with,

even though you're not around them for nine months of the year.

And, yeah, I just I know that first year I just had a lot of joy.

I just remember I was just so like, wow, OK, here I am. This is,

you know, like I didn't think I could do that.

I didn't think I could leave my family and go across the world and that I would

get so much joy out of trying to figure out how to help people with their communication skills.

And how to use different tools and how to connect people.

I just had so much joy in, I think, the Lord using my gifts and being used by

the Lord and seeing needs and trying to find the answers to them.

You know, I just had, yeah, there was a lot of joy in that.

You've mentioned some needs, teachers, doctor. What are some of the most pressing

needs that you see for particularly your new tribe mission organization?

Yeah, I would say the teachers and the doctor are definitely the most, I think.

But right now we don't even have any church planners coming.

And so that's a big, like, what? That hasn't happened.

It didn't sound like anybody had. In my time there, there's always a group of

church planners coming.

And we didn't have any this year. and we don't have any schedules yet for next

year. I'm hoping that will change. Yeah, that there's,

Just a lack of people willing to go, and that's hard.

I think prayer, too. I mean, yeah, we have a lot of needs of people coming,

but we need prayer for protection over us and over our work and prayer for unity, for health.

And yeah, just for situations back home for people.

A lot of people get like family things happen back home and then they have to

leave the field and just protection over our.

And the Lord's leading, that we would be seeking Him and pursuing Him and open hearts. Yeah.

If you would have something to say to someone who is feeling a nudge from God

to go into a missionary field, what would be advice or what would be some encouragement

that you could provide for them?

I would say, don't be afraid and seek the Lord.

Spend some time apart and ask him if that's what he has for you.

If you want to come and support, there's an associate program with Ethnos that

is a one to four-year program,

and you have a pre-field orientation that is taking your professional skills,

what you've been doing in the U.S., and taking that to a mission field.

And I would say, go for it. It's doable.

Don't say no to the Lord, I guess, and you'll have a lot of joy from doing what

he's prompting you to do.

But I would research it, ask for wise counsel.

There's a lot of opportunities to be equipped for ministry, but I would say

do it. I guess that's the main thing.

Don't say no. If you want to be a church planner, if you want to do it right and establish work,

a thriving church, you, yeah, you do need to go through the training.

I think the way you started that was like, don't be fearful.

Yeah. Don't be afraid. And then seek what God wants. Yeah.

How did that fear subside for you when you were, I mean, you said that you're

like, I can't go over there. Yeah.

But how did that fear subside for you?

I think just one step at a time. and like I

said it was just one do the next thing

yeah right like fill out the resume and the

pre-application and do the application and then pack your

bags and I think you can also like ask it helped I had some friends already

in Papua New Guinea some people I knew and so I could ask questions so find

I mean you could ask wherever you're going to go if they have somebody that you could connect with.

And then you can ask questions and understand a little bit more.

And I think that helps hearing, oh, life is normal.

And yeah, these are things you need. And then you don't like have to worry about,

well, what if they don't have that and I need that?

And like have somebody that you can talk to about what it looks like,

where you'll go. And that helps, I think.

Well, is there anything else you would

feel anyone who is thinking about missionary work would need to know?

Yeah, I think I don't have any regrets about going, and I can't imagine now not doing it.

I mean, I can't imagine coming back and not working with missions.

I think it's the most worthwhile thing we can do is to invest in the people

who don't know and don't have an opportunity to know and invest in God's work and glorifying Him.

So, yeah, I don't think nothing else really matters after you do that. Yeah.

People worry about money. I also would say about that, like partnership development,

like it is just an opportunity to explain to people what God is doing in the

world and give them an option, an opportunity, inviting them to be a part of it.

And I think all of us, I mean, of the, you know, 340 adult missionaries that

we have, we've all raised support.

Nobody is paid. And God has made a way for each one of us. And I have friends

right now that are raising support to go to other fields.

And it's just like, you just be faithful and walk forward and talk to people

about what He's prompted you to do and invite them to be a part of it. And He makes a way.

He's the one that will cause people to give. It's not up to you to make people give.

You just have an obligation then to report back what God is doing and to glorify

Him by sharing His story. So,

yeah, I guess that is a concern for a lot of people is the financial part.

And I would say don't worry about that because if God is really wanting you

to go, he'll make sure you go. Yeah, that's awesome.

How can people learn more about what Ethnos does or New Tribes Mission or even yourself?

Where can they go or what can they do to learn more about that?

One opportunity is a program called Wayumi that you can go for a weekend and

learn more about church planning. They can look at ethnos360.org.

They can also look on Facebook at New Tribes Mission, Papua New Guinea.

And that is where the Facebook page that I maintain where I share all stories

that they're telling so you can really hear what's going on as people are taught

through the Bible or how they're responding to different things or how you can pray.

Also on Ethnos360's website, there are missionary blogs and my blog is there.

Thank you again for joining us for this interview with missionary Summer Zimmer.

If you would like to visit Summer's blog, please visit the website blogs.ethnos360.org

and type Summer Zimmer in the search bar.

Ethnos is spelled E-T-H-N-O-S and 360 are the numbers.

For more information about Faith Chapel and its ministries, please visit gofaithchapel.org.

Next week we will begin a series titled questions that deal with specific questions

asked by people of the congregation about all things christianity each talk

will focus on one question and a biblical response to that question please join

us as we start this series next week have a great day.