Cultural Baptism

Tribal Chief Moved To Tears

By Paul Etherington in Papua Indonesia

(Foreword by Jamie Wood) 

Aimee is the third child of Paul and Pip Etherington. With big sister Bonnie marrying Joshua Eastwood on January 8 2011 and second eldest Daniel starting university this year, Aimee is now the eldest child at home with sister Olivia. Home? Well that’s a far cry from New Zealand where Bonnie, Josh and Daniel are living.

Aimee lives with Paul, Pip and Olivia in Sentani, Papua Indonesia where she has spent most of her life. Paul and Pip minister amongst the Nggem people who dwell in the area around Kobakma in the mountains of Papua. Paul is translating the Scriptures into the Nggem language and helping with literacy, and Pip tends to some of their community health care needs.

The Etheringtons live in Sentani because the facilities there enable them to carry out their ministry more efficiently and the children are able to attend the Hillcrest International School there. However, every chance they get, the family loves to make the journey to their second home in Kobakma where they’re able to spend time with their tribal family.

Easter 2010 was a particularly special time in Kobakma for both the Etheringtons and the Nggem people. Paul had recently completed the gospel of Luke in Nggem to the point of being fully approved and printed. Pastors from 15 of the Nggem churches received them with much gratitude. Easter is also a time when initiates are baptised en-masse and 37 Nggem were being prepared for that ceremony. At her request, Aimee was invited to join them.

Paul writes,

“Aimee was asked to share her testimony as part of the baptism service. The pastors said that she could do it in English, and I translate into Nggem, but Aimee asked if she could say it in Indonesian instead. The pastors objected at that, saying that many people would not understand. So Aimee said, ‘Fine. I’ll say it in Nggem then.’ And so she did! She had been working hard at improving her Nggem language over the last couple of years, and much to the people’s appreciation, she gave her testimony in Nggem – which made the leading Chief cry!

An interesting comment that was said afterwards by an elderly lady and passed on to me was, ‘Now I really know that Jesus died for us Nggems, because she (Aimee) got baptised here with our Nggem people.’ ”Paul took the opportunity to speak from the new Luke translation during the Baptismal service. Slowly but surely God is speaking at a heart level to the Nggem and baptising the culture in His Kingdom principles. Praise God for the authentic witness of people like Aimee, living evidence of a loving God walking in the world showing them that He really does care as He works through His people, young or old.

The Etherington family are involved in Bible translation and health care, based in Sentani, Papua Indonesia.

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