Streams of Prayer for 19 February 2024
The Streams of Prayer for 19 February 2024, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
February 18, 2024 – February 24, 2024
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 in cooperation with other organisations.
We will pray for those who are teaching, the students, and the organisations and institutions that host 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.
An instructor at the Jerusalem Center for Bible Translators in Israel teaches Hebrew to a class of international students involved in Bible translation. Photo: Marc Ewell (2018)
Planning, logistics and need for additional people
Linguistics, consultants resourcing: Papua New Guinea
Four LingCrop (Linguistics Consultant Resourcing of Papua New Guinea) trainees – Simatha Tramaff, Cletus Aigeeleng, Marie Kima and Natasha Simon – are continuing their training programme in Ukarumpa. Give thanks for a beneficial two-week course on grammar labelling for these students in January, led by René van den Berg and Rob Bradshaw. Pray for a fruitful trip to visit the Abau language group in Sandaun Province from 13-22 February to gain practical experience in dictionary work. Preparations are well underway for Simatha and Cletus to continue with their training by embarking on an MA in linguistics in mid-2024 in Thailand or Indonesia. Pray for their academic, personal, and spiritual growth.
Africa Scripture Engagement Conference 2024: Africa, Kenya
Numerous Scripture engagement specialists and consultants from throughout Africa are meeting from 22 February to 1 March in Nairobi. This conference will provide a framework for training and sharing experiences on the various Scripture engagement strategies. The conference is organised jointly by leaders from SIL and Wycliffe Global Alliance in Africa. Over 100 people from about 24 Alliance and SIL organisations in Africa will attend, including media and EthnoArts staff. They will share resources, ideas and strategies for encouraging engagement with the Bible in the languages of Africa. Praise God for the growing interest of all these organisations to engage communities with the translated Scriptures in their languages so they can experience transformation.
Course prepares students to serve in cross-cultural settings: Argentina
LETRA Argentina is developing the Basic Course for cross-cultural workers in hybrid mode. The training consists of two stages. A virtual one took place during September and October 2023 and a face-to-face stage from 22 January to 10 February. Nine students received training in phonetics, linguistics and language and culture acquisition. Give thanks to God that LETRA Argentina has been able to return to face-to-face training after four years. Pray for the students that God will lead them to use these skills well in the places where they will serve.
Degree programme resumes, review for improved instruction: UK
Pray for students at Moorlands College starting the postgraduate diploma stage of the MA in Language, Community and Development on 19 February. They have returned from their internships, so will have a wealth of experiences and questions to share and to apply to the first module, which covers anthropology, sociolinguistics and discourse analysis. This module begins 18 March, and subsequent modules will run through July. Pray also for the review of this MA programme, as the leaders work to refresh it for the next generation and make it accessible to more people. Pray for useful, thoughtful feedback from the current consultation with stakeholders, and for fruitful interaction with SIL, Alliance organisations and the University of Gloucestershire, which provides accreditation for the programme, as proposals are developed over the spring and summer.
Application deadlines for Hebrew Study coming up: Israel
Whole Word Institute provides training in classical Hebrew for translators and consultants who serve with teams translating the entire Bible. Students also can specialise in teaching Hebrew, oral Bible translation and sign language translation. In addition to the training programmes that take place in Jerusalem, there are distance learning programmes. Online cohorts will be formed for three time zone regions: Asia-Pacific; Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Americas. Ask God for people to pray alongside the team at the Whole Word Institute. Pray for the students God is bringing, and that they will meet the fast-approaching application deadlines for the next cohort of 2024-2025 students. 23 February is the late application deadline for the in-person programme, and 31 March is the deadline for online classes.
Children’s course on how the Bible was written: Mexico
Maná Museum of the Bible in Mexico City is developing a free course designed for children on how the Bible was written. The purpose of this course is to familiarise children ages 7 to 13 with how the Scriptures were written and to help them appreciate the love God has shown to mankind. The first module was held on 3 February. Pray that many parents will enrol their children in this unique course. Pray that this initiative of the Maná Museum will lead children to understand the Word of God and to surrender their lives to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Helping pastors to get involved in Bible translation: Indonesia
Praise the Lord that Minahasa Evangelical Church (GMIM) sets a high priority on being involved in Scripture translation. GMIM also encourages its Bible Translation Centre (Pusat Penerjemahan Alkitab, PPA) to reach out to pastors to build awareness about Bible translation. They seek to help pastors gain better knowledge of God’s mission and calling, as well as develop in the areas of leadership, morality, and collaboration. The ‘Bible Translation Awareness’ initiative was held from 31 January to 7 February. May the Holy Spirit guide the ones he calls to become involved in Bible translation. Pray for the plans of PPA and GMIM to support other Indonesian organisations in terms of personnel.
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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