Following 19 years of serving the Tabo people of Papua New Guinea in Bible translation and church planting, we returned to the US in 2006 to serve in pastoral ministry for a local church. Near the end of 11 years in that ministry, we began sensing God stirring us to return to a more active and full-time role in missions, to join others committed to the Good News of Jesus becoming accessible to all people on earth. At the end of 2017 we stepped out by faith into a new season of ministry — Taking Care Beyond.
Over the next 7 years with Taking Care Beyond we helped provide pastoral care for missionaries around the world in communities they served, investing spiritually in ones who, day in, day out, give so much for the sake of others.
We tried to resource three or four mission communities annually. In 2018, the first full year of service with TCB, we took ministry trips to Papua New Guinea, Tanzania, and Uganda. In subsequent years, we returned multiple times to those same countries, and added trips to Brazil, Mexico, and Indonesia to serve global workers in those nations as well.
Taking Care Beyond started under the umbrella of Pastors Beyond, a ministry established in 1975 to resource Wycliffe missionaries working in the cause of Bible translation. Pastoring couples who joined PB could serve missionaries of any organization, but were asked to give needs of Wycliffe communities first consideration.
As believers, we know God uses his Word to draw us to faith and teach us how to live in loving relationship with him. We also know that, although the Scriptures exist (at least in part) for 3,000 languages of the world, over 1,000 people groups could still benefit greatly from having access to the Scriptures in their own language. Having God’s Word in their heart language increases the fruitfulness of church planting and discipleship in faith communities.
It is the goal of Wycliffe and similarly minded visionaries to see Bible translation begun for each of these remaining people groups in this present generation, a milestone in Christian history that is getting closer with every passing year – a worthy and realistically attainable goal.
So then, we’ve felt privileged – at times awed – to have had a part in what God continues to do in his overarching Kingdom story played out in human history. Obviously, we couldn’t fulfill our small part in that story alone. We needed faithful partners, and God raised up just such a team – friends and ministry colleagues who stayed informed and prayed, who encouraged us along the way, and who gave financially towards the cost of ministry, living expenses, and travel.
Eternally grateful to God for letting us serve, and equally grateful for each of those who partnered with us.
Tim & Karen
Taking Care Beyond 