Wabuku is the home to the Uriay people who live isolated in the jungle of western Papua New Guinea. Not accessible by plane or helicopter, Wabuku is connected to the rest of the world by a series of winding rivers through miles of bush. Surviving on sago root, sweet potato, and fish, the Uriay people are masters of their environment. 

The 250 river dwellers of Wabuku speak their native tongue of Uriay. They are naturally tribal animists, believing that evil spirits inhabit and control their world. But recently, they have had a glimpse of light. They heard a story about one more powerful than the spirits. 

In 2002, a group of New Tribes Missionaries began working with the Wabuku people. They built houses, began learning the language, and even taught through significant portions of the Bible. However, sickness and other complications caused the team to fail. Two more families joined the effort but again, the work failed. Only one original member of the church planting team remains. 

Without the Scriptures in their language or even a chance to hear the whole story, there is nothing left of the efforts of the original missionaries to Wabuku. Without further teaching or discipleship, this would-be church plant has failed.

In Feb 2017, two more families joined the Wabuku work to begin again. The Cizdziel and Teele families joined Lisa Kappeler to restart the work. The immediate task is to learn to speak and understand the Uriay language. The Gospel message is too important to be heard in broken speech. Years will be dedicated to this task. 

Along with learning language is the challenge to understand the tribal culture of the Uriay people. How are two people married? Why can’t parents remember how many children they have? Why is saving money taboo? Once the missionaries can think like the Uriay, they can teach through the Scriptures in a way that is relevant and understandable. 

The time to learn language gives the missionaries time to build relationships as well. The Gospel is too important to hear it outside of an environment that makes it easy to accept. Within friendships, the Gospel is an announcement easy to hear. 

The long-range plan is to teach and disciple through the whole sweep of the Scriptures in order to plant a mature church. Before the missionaries leave, they want to see local believers marked as elders teaching and discipling their own flock.

They want to see the Wabuku church reaching beyond its own village to nearby people groups. They want to see the Kingdom of God advancing in the hearts and lives of this previously unreached people group. Unbelievers will be reached. Believers will be discipled. Disciples will disciple and this corner of the jungle will be transformed by those being conformed into Jesus’ image.