By Diane Miller

In January of 1985, I traveled to Papua New Guinea (PNG) for the first time with Wes and Alta Beasley, their two boys Jonathan and Adam, and Martha Wade.  Martha and the Beasleys had already served in PNG for several years and were returning from furlough   I spent several months at the Pacific Orientation Course, which acquainted me somewhat with PNG culture and one of two trade languages in the country—Melanesian Pidgin.  My next three years were spent teaching the Beasley boys on Manus Island where Wes and Alta served as a Bible translation team.

I had first met the Beasleys while teaching missionary children in Germany.  Wes was serving in the American military, and was eventually discharged and flown back to the US as permanently disabled after developing a cyst on his spine.  Although he had been told he would never walk again, God graciously answered yes to the many prayers offered on his behalf.  Later Wes and Alta became members of Pioneer Bible Translators and served for several years in a small village on Manus Island.  Wes and Alta have also worked at PBT’s International Service Center in Dallas, Texas, and their current residence is in the Dallas area.  They are now serving as PBT Mission Associates and making periodic visits to PNG, where Wes has just completed a course which will enable him to serve as a Bible translation consultant, doing some of the final checking of translations in various languages.  It is a real joy to have them back here from time to time working with our PBT PNG branch, and we look forward to their visits.

How about you?  Have you always wanted to be involved in mission work, but found the doors somehow closed.  Would you consider becoming a Mission Associate or a Volunteer Specialist with PBT and making periodic trips to one or more countries to assist in various ways?  Or maybe you have never considered mission work, but find this sounds like something you could do.  There are plenty of opportunities that may fit in with whatever career you have pursued or sets of skills you have developed.  To learn more about PBT’s Mission Associates and Volunteer Specialists and discover where your skills might be needed, contact PBT’s International Service Center at 7255 W Camp Wisdom Rd, Dallas, Texas 75236.  You can phone at 214-699-4300 or contact PBT via email at .  Check out the PBT International website at www.pioneerbible.org.

Diane facilitates development of Elementary 1 curriculum, assists in publications department and oversees branch library.