Have you ever had to listen to a song over and over again to figure out the lyrics? And how much harder if the piece wasn’t in your heart language?
For some communities in the Northern Isnag people in the Philippines, the teaching of God’s Word has been like the lyrics of a song that wasn’t clear. They’ve been taught in English (widely spoken in the cities of the Philippines) and in other national languages, but many Isnag speakers have not clearly heard God’s Word taught in their heart language.
However, in 2024, the song sounded different for one of these communities. In fact, it sounded familiar. Actually, it reached their hearts. For the first time, the Bible teaching was in their very own Isnag language.
In 2019, Cole and Hannah Hinderager and their coworkers Alex and Erin Williams moved into one of the Northern Isnag communities. They became students of this group of people, building relationships to gain an understanding of their thinking. As Cole finished his language study, and with the translation of the whole Isnag Bible in hand (thanks to 66 years of effort in a different location of the Isnag people), the dates were set to teach from June to September of 2024.
The team started praying that many people would come to the Bible lessons. As it turned out, so many came to the initial meetings that the first location could not accommodate them all. Excitement spread, and two other communities asked if they could be next to hear the lessons. Hinderagers reacted with enthusiasm: “We know we can’t begin immediately, but pray for the excitement, curiosity and anticipation to grow as hopefully God’s story can be shared in many Northern Isnag communities.”
Cole finished the Old Testament teaching in July and started into the Gospels. The Isnag people were getting the message. “‘I’m able to understand this time’ is a phrase we’ve heard on repeat,” posted the Hinderagers. “Pray our friends truly understand and believe [that] they cannot be good enough on their own and [that they] see Jesus as God’s perfect solution to our problem.”
Cole finished teaching Phase 1 (Creation to Christ) in mid-September of 2024. The Hinderagers are beyond amazed how the Lord brought their Isnag friends back night after night. “Some of them have expressed understanding and belief. Some are still wrestling with what God says versus the many other things they have heard and believed.”
Lots of teaching remains to be done as the Hinderagers keep following the command of Jesus to make disciples, not just converts. Cole says the Isnag are in agreement: “Together, the group has clearly said they want to keep going!” So, Cole started through the lessons again (Phase 2) in September, this time showing clearly how everything from eternity past to eternity future points to Jesus.
Ethnos360 Aviation pilots Brian Schaadt and Ryan de Roos support the Isnag team with flight service so they can concentrate on teaching and discipling (Hinderagers) and language learning (Williams) rather than spending time on long, arduous land journeys — like when Hinderager’s seven-year-old recently needed an emergency medevac for a serious dental abscess.
The prayers and giving of many people are making it possible for this outlying Isnag village to have the privilege of hearing, understanding and believing in the God of heaven and earth and then being discipled into a mature and thriving group of believers! If you’ve had a part, thank you!
To make flights affordable for church planters like Hinderagers and Williams, follow the link: ethnos.ca/missionary-flight-sponsorship.
