70 Years to Multiply

On January 8, 1956, a story began that God is still writing today. When five young men gave their lives to reach an unreached tribe, many believed it was a tragedy—a waste of five lives.

But that moment was only the beginning.

Over the next 38 years, the Gospel was taught and translated into the Waodani language, and some tribe members came to know Jesus as Savior and Lord. Yet the Waodani understood that most of their people still did not know Him.

Over the years, medical and dental professionals entered the jungle many times to help meet the people’s physical needs. While the immediate needs were often met, the Waodani recognized that something was missing. They asked my dad, Steve, and our family to teach them how to provide medical and dental care themselves—so they could serve their own people while sharing the Gospel.

For nearly 30 years, ITEC has been developing tools and training systems to equip indigenous Christ followers with practical skills to meet their own people’s felt needs—allowing them to use those skills as a door-opener for the Gospel.

Today, we are not seeking simply to grow. We want to multiply.

We now provide training in six areas—medical, dental, optometry, film, small engine repair, and farming—and we intentionally train many trainees to become trainers themselves. In addition, we partner with churches in North America that want to incorporate these skill-based trainings into their mission strategy, empowering the indigenous Church for long-term, sustainable impact—even through short-term trips.

If you would like to see this mission strategy multiply, please share this with your church, join us on a training trip, or contact us to learn more about how you can get involved.