A remote tribe in Papua, Indonesia gladly received 2,500 Bibles translated in their own language after they once killed two missionaries who went to reach them.

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) delivered the Bibles on an airstrip in the mountains of Papua. The Yali tribe people travelled for an entire day to receive the shipment but they were more than happy. After 55 years, they now have a copy of the Word of God.

Remote tribe

Way back in 1965, MAF pilots discovered the Yali men after conducting survey flights. They described them as masters in jungle warfare and headhunters. They also practice witchcraft. After 3 years, World Team Missionaries Phil Masters and Stan Dale decided to reach out and planned to start a church in their community.

However, when they arrived in the region, rumors start to spread and the tribe began to get weary of two strange-looking men carrying a message of change. So, Yali warriors lay in wait to ambush Masters and Dale. When the opportunity came, they showered the missionaries with arrows.

Reportedly, the two brave men stood their ground, pulling the arrows from their bodies and broke them in two in front of the warriors.

Three months later, a family of missionaries went to search for the bodies of Masters and Dale. But their plane crashed in the valley, leaving Paul Newman, their youngest son, to survive the tragedy. He took shelter with a Yali man who did not agree with the killing of the missionaries.

After the tribe found out that Paul survived, they took it as a sign and welcomed Paul into the community. Five years later, 35 Yali Christians got baptized and finally, Masters and Dale’s goal was achieved – church planting.

The 2,500 Bibles composed of 1,600 Bibles and 1,400 children’s Bible stories translated into the Yali language.

“Now, instead of waiting for war, the Yali church has been waiting for more Bibles in their language. Because God in His far-reaching love, worked through a killing, a plane crash, faithful missionaries, translators and organizations like MAF, these Yali tribes no longer walk the path of darkness. Their path is lit by the Word of God,” Linda Ringeberg of MAF said.

Reference: Christian Today

ALSO READ: American Sign Language Bible Translation Completed After 39 Years