New Tribes Mission has brought the message of the gospel to the Sinow people of Papua New Guinea for the first time ever and the good news has brought tear-jerking testimonies of faith, reports one New Tribes missionary.

Workers with New Tribes Mission, a mission group which works primarily with tribes and people groups previously unexposed to the gospel, started teaching around 150 Sinow the chronological Bible lessons back in June.

Members of this unreached people group have been listening intently since then and were able to complete the final Bible lesson in the programme just last week, on Tuesday, December 19.

Missionaries expected 175 people to come for the final evangelical Bible lesson, telling the story of Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection. They were surprised when 225 packed the meeting place, reports Mission Network News.

Missionary Mike Cratch says they simply shared the gospel and then left it to sink in. "We spent the afternoon meeting with them informally and seeing where they were at," says Cratch. "I had several great talks and heard tear-jerking testimonies of faith in Christ," Cratch continued.

"One guy unprompted took off his dirty shirt and said he is clean. He then pretended to put on an imaginary cross. 'Jesus took my dirty shirt,' he said. It was especially neat because he had not heard that type of imagery from us. He came up with it on his own," Cratch says.

New Tribes Mission is appealing to Christians to pray that the missionaries will have discernment and the right words to say as they continue to talk with the Sinows one-on-one. Pray also for the new Sinow church, which is just beginning it's journey. Pray that these new believers will grow and that their church will not only reach the Sinows with the gospel, but also neighbouring tribes.

The mission group is also working with the Inapang and Sorimi peoples of Papa New Guinea.