Don Richardson (missionary)

In 1977 Don and his wife returned to North America, where he became a "minister-at-large" for his mission (now called World Team). Don also began teaching at the U.S. Center for World Mission in Pasadena, becoming Director of Tribal Peoples' Studies. He was instrumental in launching the Perspectives on the World Christian movement course under the auspices of USCWM. Richardson continued to teach and travel broadly, speaking about "redemptive analogies" as a means to communicate the gospel message among tribal peoples and other cultures. His best-selling books have had a significant impact on missiology and ongoing Christian missionary work.

Following this event many villagers converted to Christianity, a translation of the New Testament in Sawi was published, and thousands of patients from among the Sawi and neighboring tribes were treated by Carol. The world's largest circular building made strictly from un-milled poles was constructed in 1972 as a Christian meeting place by the Sawi.

Richardson studied at the Prairie Bible Institute and the Summer Institute of Linguistics. In 1962, he and his wife, Carol, and their seven-month-old baby went to work among the Sawi tribe of what was then Dutch New Guinea in the service of the Regions Beyond Missionary Union. The Sawi were known to be cannibalistic headhunters. Living with them in virtual isolation from the modern world involved exposure to malaria, dysentery, and hepatitis, as well as the threat of violence.

Don Richardson (June 23, 1935 – December 23, 2018) was a Canadian Christian missionary, teacher, author and international speaker who worked among people of Western New Guinea, Indonesia. He argued in his writings that, hidden among tribal cultures, there are usually some practices or understandings, which he calls "redemptive analogies", which can be used to illustrate the meaning of the Christian Gospel, contextualizing the biblical representation of the incarnation of Jesus.