Streams of Prayer for 12 November 2024
The Streams of Prayer for 12 November 2024, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
November 10, 2024 – November 16, 2024
Prayer
Prayer—by the church worldwide—is central to Bible translation movements. Engaging in God’s mission is a privilege, but it is also a God-sized job. Only through dependence on his power can we carry out this work effectively.
As an Alliance, we seek not only to help people to pray through Streams of Prayer but also to encourage creative ways to engage in prayer for Bible translation movements. Many Alliance organisations participate in the Prayer participation stream through staff members who provide churches, organisations and individual ‘pray-ers’ with prayer resources and opportunities. Each year we also facilitate content to help Alliance organisations plan activities for the World Day of Prayer for Bible Translation on or around 11 November.
Our current theme is Prayer. We will focus our prayers on the strategies by which Alliance organisations engage in the Prayer stream on behalf of those who do not yet have access to Scripture, as well as those involved in Bible translation movements.
Guillermo Paucar leads his students in prayer before beginning a literacy class in Peru.
Photo: Elaine Bombay
Prayer coordinator for Wycliffe Philippines: Philippines
Many prayer coordinators for Alliance organisations serve in other roles besides coordinating prayer for their organisations. Ana Opungu serves as prayer coordinator for Wycliffe Philippines and is also project facilitator for the Balangao translation project. She says, ‘I take joy in this prayer role knowing that prayer is the key. Thanks to everyone who is praying and taking all our requests to the Lord.’ Pray for Ana as she juggles her various responsibilities as well as being a wife and mother to two growing children.
World Day of Prayer focuses on being fruitful: Global
Alliance organisations are preparing activities related to the World Day of Prayer for Bible Translation on or around 11 November. The Alliance community is challenged through the World Day of Prayer for Bible Translation resources to spend time ‘beholding’ God or ‘seeking his face’. We will consider how being connected to God will bring fruitfulness. Ask God to refresh those who are weary and renew their strength. Pray that those who feel overwhelmed will find peace. May we all become more fruitful as we learn how to ‘abide’ in him. (John 15:4)
Prayer as the fulcrum of work: Ghana
Praise God that the administration of Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation (GILLBT) values carrying everything in their Bible translation work to God in prayer. They prioritise prayer as the fulcrum around which all activities revolve. An annual day of retreat and prayer during the first week of January serves as a time for people in all offices and project areas to seek God’s guidance for the year. On the first Monday of each month staff hold daily morning devotions and prayer times for all the language programmes and administrative offices. Prayer topics are compiled and circulated to every member. Individual language programmes are encouraged to plan their own schedules for prayer. GILLBT also mobilises prayer support from individuals and churches within the country. Praise God for these commitments. Pray that all involved will hear clearly from God as they pray together. Pray that more churches will be inspired to pray for the Bible translation movements in Ghana.
EMDC (Scriptures Media Broadcasting Community) Prayer Group: Americas
The EMDC* prayer group receives prayer requests from translators and ministries that work in Bible translation projects. At the monthly prayer meeting the group takes the time to pray for the work and activities of EMDC and for the prayer requests received as well as to give thanks for answered prayers. The EMDC prayer group subsequently writes back to the translators and ministries to inform them that their prayer requests have been shared at the meeting and to follow up with them for updates. Give thanks for the EMDC prayer group that continually supports translators, Bible translation projects and ministries through prayer.
*EMDC originated as Eurasia Media & Distribution Consultation and now has a global reach. In Spanish-speaking settings it is known as Escrituras Medios Difusión Comunidad.
Commitment to Alliance Prayer Stream: France
Prayer is one of the Alliance participation streams that Wycliffe France has chosen to engage in. Wycliffe France members and staff commit to pray and listen to the Lord’s will in their activities in the Bible translation movement. Wycliffe France also strives to encourage churches and individual Christians to pray for the work of translation. A WhatsApp group meets monthly by video and Wycliffe France staff are exploring other formats as well (computer, paper, face-to-face, etc.). Ask the Lord to inspire the team to create the right formats that will be a good fit for different groups! Wycliffe France also participates alongside other European Alliance organisations in the ‘Communion with God’ virtual table, one of eight virtual tables that unite European organisations to pool their efforts and resources. Pray for this virtual table, that our exchanges will become ever more relevant, and that this group will grow and benefit even more organisations and individuals.
Prayer strategies: Papua New Guinea
Prayer has been a vital part of the Papua New Guinea Bible Translation Association (PNGBTA) since its inception. Pray for the prayer summit being planned for February 2025 by Mellisa Wayne, prayer coordinator for PNGBTA, with assistance from Sineina Gela, Pacific prayer advocacy coordinator for Wycliffe Global Alliance. Ask the Lord for wisdom and guidance and pray that all the logistics in organising this event will come together. Pray for sufficient funds to cover all the costs involved and that the organising team will decide on the most suitable venue for this event soon and send out invitations to partner organisations to participate. Praise the Lord also for prayer advocates who serve in the regional offices of PNGBTA to coordinate prayer together with Mellisa. Pray for them in their prayer roles as they serve the language teams in their respective regions: Ladong Tibong for the Madang and Sepik provinces; Semi Togo for Milne Bay province; Diane Kubo for the Autonomous region of Bougainville; and Tusy Sete for Central, Gulf and Western provinces. Pray for additional personnel needed to cover other regions.
Prayer calendar to engage churches: Romania
Wycliffe Romania staff believe that prayer is the most effective strategy for advancing the Bible translation work. They have created a prayer calendar to assist churches in Romania in praying for the Bibleless people groups. The 2024 calendar features 24 ethnic groups, with two groups assigned to each month of the year. They have encouraged the church to pray for these people groups as a congregation or with children in Sunday School or to pray at home as individuals or families. Praise God that the calendar is being used by Christian radio stations, helping to raise awareness of the needs of these language communities. Staff rejoice each year when they can remove several ethnic groups from the calendar because Bible translation has already begun for them!
- Pray that many more Christian church leaders in Romania will use this calendar in their prayer meetings.
- Pray that soon the year will come when it is no longer necessary to add more language communities to the calendar – believing and thanking the Lord for the year in which Bible translation has already begun in every language.
Streams of Prayer is the prayer bulletin of the Wycliffe Global Alliance.
Valrie McCarthy
Language Development Officer
Wycliffe Caribbean
7A South Avenue
Kingston 5
JAMAICA, W. I.
876 754 9334, 908 2970, 582 6592
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