Current needs in Papua

Mission work can be rewarding as well as demanding.  If you are feeling a
desire to help meet the many needs in the world's mission fields, pray and seek God's guidance for your life.  The best place for you to be is not where you feel most comfortable, but rather wherever God wants you to be!

Please feel free to contact World Team Papua for further information about any of the short or long term needs on this page, or to ask any questions.  If you have a desire to use your gifts for God to help in this part of the world, but aren't sure what needs best match your skills and experience, contact us to discuss the opportunities!

Short Term

Internships (up to 4 weeks) are very short visits in which you would be paired with a missionary mentor to assist and be exposed to their day-to-day ministries.  This program is good for gaining a clearer understanding of whether God wants you to work in missions in the future.  You may be surprised at what a life-changing opportunity this could be for you.

There are no permanent internship postions available - it depends on the current personnel and ministry situations on the field.   If you are interested, the best thing to do is contact the field director to enquire.

Short term (up to 1 year) work possibilities are limited in Papua due to visa and language restrictions (most roles require a working knowledge of the Indonesian language).  Current short term needs are listed below.  Although having prior knowledge of Indonesian language would definitely be of benefit, it is not required for these short term positions:

• Missionary school teachers / Dorm parents
• Teaching English to the national church (GIDI) leadership
• Medical

Work parties are welcome to come and help in practical ways, often in building maintenance.  They would usually come for up to one month, and would be assigned a task whose completion would be of real benefit to a missionary and allow them to continue to focus on their main ministry.  Completion of a missionary family's house in the jungle is the current priority work party need.  If you are interested in forming a work party, the best thing to do is contact the field director to enquire.

Long Term

Most World Team Papua personnel are long term missionaries.  They need to learn the Indonesian language at the start of their service, this can take 3-12 months depending on the required level of proficiency.    Current long term needs in Papua are:

• Church planters
• Bible translators
• Medical personnel
• Urban/Youth ministry workers
• School teachers
• Dorm parents
• Bible teachers
• Leadership development
• Literacy workers
• Field administrators
• English teachers

 

Church planters

There are still tribes in Papua who are yet to hear the gospel, have no church in their villages and no scripture in their language.  Church planting is one of World Team's key focus areas in their efforts to reach the unreached.  Church planters and evangelists are needed to build God's church in Papua and multiply the numbers of believers.

Bible translators

Papua has over 250 languages, but only 3 have a complete Bible translation.  Others have just the New Testament, or a number of gospels.  Many are still unwritten and have no scripture in their own language.  While Indonesian is the official language, spoken as a second language by many, experience has shown that people's hearts respond to the message of the gospel much more significantly if they can hear and read it in their own heart language.  Will you take up the challenge to bring God's word to a tribe in Papua in a language that speaks clearly to their hearts?

Medical personnel

Papua is a remote land with medical services basic at best.  Its people are crying out for medical help but there is a shortage of trained medical staff.  HIV/AIDS is on the increase, reaching epidemic proportions in some communities, and much more education is needed.  Saving people's lives is a perfect example of displaying God's love and can be the first step to eventual salvation.

Medical personnel work directly with meeting the needs of the local people as well as training nationals along side them.  Calvary Hospital in the town of Wamena is an example of an inter-mission medical facility which serves the needs of people in the mountainous interior region, in cooperation with the national church.

This could be a short (less than one year) or long term position.  Without knowledge of Indonesian language a short term worker would be limited to directly assisting another medical missionary who can speak the local language.  However they could still provide valuable medical services.

Urban/Youth ministry workers

Like elsewhere in the world, urban centres are rapidly growing as people drift from rural areas to the cities.  This creates many challenges as people are removed from their traditional societies into an urban mix.  Young people are ill-prepared for today's modern social pressures.  Young women fall into prostitution for various reasons.  There is a need for workers to run youth programs and help Papuans in urban areas.

Missionary school teachers/Dorm parents

When missionaries come to Papua, they need to know that their children will get a good education.  Hillcrest International School exists to serve God by meeting the needs of the children of missionaries.  Hillcrest lists computer (IT) personnel, teachers and dorm parents among its staffing needs.  This could be a short (one year or even less) or long term position.

Bible teachers/Leadership development

The Papuan church has been planted and mentored and is now an independent, growing national body.  However they still ask for experienced Bible teachers to teach in Bible seminaries, and disciplers to work alongside their pastors and church leaders to train and develop them spiritually.

Literacy workers

If people finally get the Bible in their own language, but are unable to read it, its effectiveness will be drastically reduced.  Literacy workers meet this need by teaching people of all ages to read.

Field administrator

World Team Papua has a need to fill the role of field administrator.  This important position can involve church and government liaison, managing field finances and buildings, and assisting and deputizing for the field director.  It frees up other missionaries to focus on their ministries, and makes the mission more effective and run more smoothly.  If you have administrative skills please consider this need!

Teaching English

The leaders of GIDI, the national church in Papua we partner with, have specifically requested the assistance of a native English speaking person to help teach them English.  They see English as the common global language whose knowledge can help open doors and facilitate the church's growth in the future.  This could be a short (less than one year) or long term position.