As last week ended, I could not let an opportunity pass to highlight the changing face of Bible Translation ministry in PNG. Including the guy taking the selfie in the foreground, there were just three expats amongst 28 staff in our regular 8am prayer circle.
With two pilots already in the air after a warm fog-free morning, others on rostered duty leave, three management staff absent, one senior maintenance person on a training course, and three engineers taking a day off after several weeks of overtime, our numbers were, admittedly, skewed from the norm.
However, looking through the photo archives at 2004 (left) and 2014 team photos, the changing face of our Aviation team is evident, with our current staffing levels in country consisting of 18 expats and 31 citizen staff. It is encouraging to see PNG employees filling significant senior roles, providing a sense of stability to our ever changing team. However, we are constantly reminded of the shortage of expat personnel, who generally bring diverse experience, current professional practices, and a range of complementary skills to the workplace…. and who also work for free!
The current situation emphasises the importance of training and professional development of our PNG colleagues. As the expat staffing levels decrease, our focus turns to ensuring effectiveness and sustainability into the future, with a core of PNG national personnel.
Prayer points
- Pray for the challenges facing Aviation next year, as twelve current expat staff will either be taking furlough or finishing during 2025 – including the Campbell’s in April.
- Praise God that up to nine new staff – engineers and pilots – are aiming to come to PNG in 2025.
- Pray for the training processes – both for current PNG staff and any incoming expats.
campbell ramblings 
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