My name is Kelly Bryant, and I have been involved in missions work for over 3 years. God really got a hold of my heart several years ago and changed me from a rebellious teenager into a Christian who is committed to serving on the mission field. He began this work in fall of 2007, and by spring of 2008 I had committed my life to full-time missions work.
Between then and now I have been on over 6 different mission trips in 4 different countries. I led a trip to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in summer of 2009, and my plan is to go back to PNG full-time. God has gifted me in being able to work with my hands, and there is a great need for a missionary house-builder in PNG. There are few missionaries penetrating the unreached tribes of PNG with the gospel, partially due to the extremely harsh climate. Providing bases for missionaries is crucial.
But my ministry in Papua New Guinea involves so much more than building houses! I will be fulfilling the Great Commission by preaching the gospel to unreached tribes! When I say "unreached", I mean that these people have absolutely no access to the gospel. There are literally hundreds of unreached tribes (nations) in PNG! I had the opportunity to visit one of these tribes in March of 2009. That was the first time the gospel had come to this village. My heart was captivated by this place, where no one worships our God, only idols. I went back in August and spent a week there doing Bible teaching and preaching the gospel.
I will have also have the opportunity to disciple young believers. During my 3-month stay with the Chambri tribe, I was able to intentially disciple several of the national men who worked with us on the building project. I saw God using this discipleship in a very big way even during my short stay there. For instance, I saw one of the men go from repeatedly getting drunk, high, and sleeping around, to a man who studied his Bible, applied it to his life, and was trying hard to teach his family the Word of God.
These people desperately need the gospel of Jesus Christ. This mission field is one of the harshest places on earth. There is intense spiritual warfare involved. The food is awful. Transportion is painful. (Chambri, which is in the jungle interior, can take as long as two days to reach. And it is one of the more accessible places). The bugs are horrible. The people settle disputes by resorting to violence. Yet I still have to go, because Jesus is worth it.
