NTM: Our goal is to serve indigenous people

"New Tribes officials also have not heard directly from the Venezuelan government, she said. 'All we know is what President Chavez said in his speech.'

"The U.S. State Department is 'watching the situation closely,' said Janelle Hironimus, a spokeswoman. 'We have been in contact with the missionary organizations in Venezuela and, to our knowledge, the Venezuelan government has not required any missionary organizations to leave.'

"A statement posted on New Tribes' Web site said Chavez did not give a time frame for expulsion of the missionaries."

"New Tribes has been in Venezuela since Aug. 1, 1946, and it is one of the organization's largest missions. The missionaries work in 12 tribes and have made five translations of the Bible in the country." ...