Streams of Prayer for 16 August 2025
The Streams of Prayer for August 16, 2025, is a circular from the Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
August 17, 2025 – August 23, 2025
Training
Many people with various areas of expertise are needed to translate the Bible in a clear, accurate and natural way. Training in Bible translation roles is therefore one of the seven Alliance Participation Streams. The skills are so important that many Alliance organisations regularly offer courses or training workshops, often collaborating with other organisations.
We will pray for those who are teaching, the students, and the organisations and institutions hosting these training programmes. We will ask God to provide instructors, administrative staff, finances, materials and equipment. Pray also for unity of purpose, excellent teaching and energy for learning, all of which result in well-equipped staff to serve in Bible translation movements. Pray too, that God will use these times of training to prepare them not only with more than technical skills, but also with spiritual and collaborative skills.
Translation consultants-in-training from French-speaking countries in Africa participate in a consultant training
in Cameroon (2013). Photo: Rodney Ballard
Various categories of training: Ghana
GILLBT provides training and workshops for communities and churches. Praise God that this training is having a large impact in the communities GILLBT serves. Scripture engagement training includes Literacy for Life workshops and literacy facilitator training as well as trauma healing workshops. Thank God that trainings like this are organised for churches, pastors, Sunday school teachers and preachers. Also, GILLBT’s IT support provides training for translation programme workers in translation software such as Paratext, Scripture Forge and FieldWorks, as well as in general computer skills and Bloom (for creating books). Pray that God will continue to protect field staff who travel to organise trainings and workshops for project staff. Pray for resources and wisdom for successful workshops.
Learning a new way to engage others with Scripture: Czech Republic
Simply the Story is a method for learning Bible stories, telling them accurately and interactively, and then asking probing questions to engage others in conversation about God and his Word. It is Bible study done in a natural and conversational way. Wycliffe Czech Republic has hosted Simply the Story trainings in Prague previously and held another one in July. Thank God for Ivana Šímová, who teaches the course, and for all participants. Some took the basic training, and some were trained as instructors to teach others this method. “After the course, my non-believing friends asked me what I had learned,” one previous participant said. “I told them a story and we ended up spending two hours discussing the Bible!”
- Praise God for how he is using this oral method to reach people who respond more readily to conversational presentations of Scripture.
- Pray for wisdom and guidance as each participant seeks to use this highly interactive approach to engage friends, family, co-workers and even strangers with God’s Word.
Consultants receiving training: Hong Kong, Global
There is a great need for translation consultants around the world. Wycliffe Hong Kong has four consultants-in-training. They are undergoing various phases of training under the guidance of different supervising consultants. Please pray for their safety as they will travel to various language groups for assessments throughout the coming months. Pray specifically for the reviews of the book of Zechariah and the book of Genesis.
Training through an alliance with Global Partnerships: Paraguay
LETRA Paraguay‘s main mission is to glorify God through promoting the active participation of the church worldwide to make disciples in all nations through the translation of the Bible. LETRA Paraguay has established a partnership with Global Partnerships (GP) and participated in the training offered to partners in the Americas in June in Panama. It was a valuable opportunity to learn about GP´s vision and work methodology. GP’s purpose is to train and equip the church with God’s Word in the language of each people group. LETRA Paraguay learned about the philosophy of GP’s ministry and collaboration through the common framework. It was also an opportunity to establish bonds of friendship and cooperation with the other organisations. Pray that LETRA Paraguay will continue to fulfil the purpose for which it was created and that God will sustain the entire team in the various areas of service in Bible translation, including training.
Aiming for lasting impact: Togo
Wycliffe Togo, faithful to its mission of making the Word of God accessible to all, places training at the heart of its actions. Through various workshops, courses and academic programmes, the organisation equips churches, communities and translators to make a lasting impact. These courses aim not only to build capacity but also to foster profound life transformation through the Scriptures. Thank God for open hearts among the Konkomba during a workshop on Scripture engagement that was held in their northern Togo community. Pray that the Word sown will bear fruit there. Members of Wycliffe Togo attended a Scripture engagement forum in Kara, organised by SIL Togo-Benin, bringing together Bible translation experts and Christian leaders. Praise the Lord for the collaboration between Christian organisations to provide training. Thank God for the trauma healing course organised in Lomé and the literacy class opened in the Doumasséssé district of Lomé.
Hebrew and biblical studies in the land of the Bible: Israel, Global
Jerusalem Seminary (JS) offers Biblical Hebrew as a Living Language courses, biblical studies and a new MA programme in biblical studies that incorporates the language, land and history of the Bible. Courses are offered online, in Jerusalem and in various countries through partnerships such as with ITDAL in Jos, Nigeria. Pairs of certified Israeli ‘Hebrew for the Nations’ (H4N) teachers travel to teach month-long intensives for translators and consultants. Since 2018, in partnership with Jerusalem Centre for Bible Translators (JCBT) and Seed Company, JS provides practical Hebrew language acquisition for the two-year Biblical Hebrew Consultant Training (BHCT) program that combines the study of Biblical Hebrew, exegesis and linguistics, consultant skills and the land of the Bible.
In a recent Jerusalem Seminary Hebrew intensive course in Nigeria, Emily, a translator, and her fellow students each received a Hebrew-English Bible. She said, ‘I think that it is very important for Israelis to teach Hebrew. The quality of the teaching is exceptional, and they are able to give so many cultural insights.’
- Pray for more JS-H4N certified teachers to be able to go out from Jerusalem to meet the demand this coming year for biblical Hebrew training in Nigeria, Ethiopia, the Philippines and beyond.
Training for aviation staff and board: Indonesia
Yajasi requests prayer for the following:
- The internal training process for four mechanics to develop and improve human resources in Yajasi operations.
- The planned Yajasi board training in August, in which senior staff will participate.
A letter of recommendation is needed from the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs for aircraft import purposes.
Streams of Prayer is the prayer bulletin of the Wycliffe Global Alliance.
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Valrie McCarthy
Language Development Officer
Wycliffe Caribbean
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