Nagging Questions

“I thought he was dead. The form lying in the shade next to the round house … was emaciated and weak. He was dying,” wrote Jack Crabtree. “Flies buzzed around as I sat next to Papa Piaghi, feeling an odd mixture of anger and helplessness at my inability to articulate anything of eternal significance in the Wantakian language. Nagging questions buzzed in my head. Why is this language so difficult? … How many more will die before we’re able to share this message clearly?”

The Somber Truth

“We’ve heard the first death in the village is a  hard thing, and processing the accompanying emotions will prove a difficult task,” Jack shared. “We’ve spent years preparing for ministry in Wantakia. We’ve studied the Bible extensively. We’ve learned how to learn another language and culture. We’ve developed extensive strategies for reaching them and helping them grow in maturity in Christ.”

“Sometimes we dream about what the future could be like here in Wantakia, and we pray these dreams would become a rich reality. But … this sobering truth descends upon our minds: those wonderful things happen after we learn their language. Our ministry is predicated on fluency….”

A Future Hope

Papa Piaghi is still holding on, but his time is short. Jack and his wife, Lael, pray that he’ll be the last Wantakian to pass into eternity without a chance to hear the gospel message.

Would you pray for the Crabtrees to progress quickly in language and culture learning? Please pray for the day when they can share the Good News with the Wantakian people. Pray for the day when there are believers and a maturing church among the Wantakians.