Streams of Prayer for 2 August 2022
The Streams of Prayer for 2 August 2022, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
Effectiveness and transformation
Prayer has always been the bedrock of the Bible translation movement. We produce Streams of Prayer to help people to pray and to encourage prayer for Bible translation movements worldwide. Twice a year, however, we like to look back and celebrate how our prayers have been answered. We rejoice at how the Word of God is impacting individuals, communities, and nations and how churches and partners are joining together to participate in the mission of God.
The current theme of Streams of Prayer is Effectiveness and Transformation. Together we thank God for how he graciously responds to our prayers, and we are encouraged as we consider all he has done for Alliance organizations and the communities they serve. Then we continue to ask he who began a good work in us to carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6).
Miraculous healing: Cameroon
Tim is a young man who was languishing under the weight of a very serious and strange illness which was difficult to describe. It ate away his face to the point where he was unable to talk and feed himself. His mouth was completely disfigured by it, and the disease was spreading day by day. After suffering for several months, he lost all hope of recovery. His brothers requested prayers from the CABTAL team visiting his community. During another visit three months later, the team found him completely healed. Filled with joy and gratitude for his healing, Tim said: “I would also like to be associated with what you want to accomplish in our community to serve the God who delivered me from death”. We thank God! News of this miraculous healing brings more interest for Bible translation and faith in Christ in that community.
Impact of translated Scripture on the Roma: Romania
Scripture translation for the Roma people in Romania started in October 2021. A few chapters of the Gospel of John are printed and some Roma people are drawing closer to God through his word. People shared these testimonies with the translators and the project manager:
- I thank you for the opportunity to work on this special project. I believe God has chosen us and we feel blessed to do it.
- I involve my mother in translation, checking, and testing. She studies the Bible with my sister who is a Christ follower, and that makes me very happy.
- It helps us as a family because we come from different denominations. The spiritual discernment we gain from reading helps us better understand God’s will and our mission. I hope that the Rromani Bible will have an impact on as many Rromani people as possible, transforming their minds and hearts.
- After a Scripture Use event, the oldest reading participant, Musta, 63, said, “I would stay with these people all day and every day to learn the words of Rromani and to read the Scripture in my language and that of my parents.”
- My mother said she could not believe she heard the Bible in her own language on her 70th birthday.
God makes a way: Nigeria
Thank God for the relative peace in Kaduna and Taraba where some of the Nigerian Bible Translation Trust (NBTT) language projects are based. In Kaduna, Jju, Tyap, Gworog can go back to their farms now that the herders-farmers clashes have ended. Kuteb and Jukun can return to Taraba after the end of inter-community clashes. Pray for continued peace. Join the NBTT staff in thanking God for the success of the Kugama and Teme Oral Bible Translation workshop in partnership with Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH) held from 16 May to 29 June. Ask God to help participants put into practice what they learned.
Internship programme for Scripture use workers: Papua New Guinea
Praise the Lord for Wendy Dowi and Fajiaki Kubo taking up the call to serve language communities in Scripture use activities. They were appointed to participate in the two-year Scripture Use Internship Programme that started in July. The Papua New Guinea Bible Translation Association (BTA), SIL PNG and Wycliffe Australia are partnering to bring this programme together. The aim of this training is to prepare BTA personnel to lead and provide oversight for the Scripture use activities with BTA. For several years the Scripture Use department in BTA has lacked personnel. Pray for a positive and productive time of learning for Wendy and Fajiaki together with their mentors.
Successful move to a new office: Japan
Praise God for Wycliffe Japan’s successful office move in June to the Ochanomizu Christian Center (OCC) in the heart of Tokyo City. OCC is one of the main locations for Christian and mission organizations in Japan. Thank God for the special prayer time to dedicate the new office during the Wycliffe Japan Board meeting in June. Pray that God will bless and use this new office for his mission work. Ask the Lord to grant grace to the Wycliffe Japan staff members as they develop new relationships with other mission organizations located both inside and outside of Japan.
Ongoing collaboration: Philippines
Praise God for Kadaclan translators from a language community in the Mountain Province. They worked on the translation of their New Testament by adapting the New Testament translation in Finallig, a related language. Pray for the ongoing collaboration between the Fialikia Scripture Society, SIL Philippines, and Translators Association of the Philippines. Pray for Carol P who agreed to be the translation consultant. May the Lord of the harvest bless and grant favour to this endeavour.
The transforming Word of God: Papua New Guinea
“If the Word of God is not transforming and changing you, then your translation will have no power to affect the lives of the people. Translation must begin with the transformation of the translator’s life.” Duncan Kasokason, a translation consultant with the Papua New Guinea Bible Translation Association was encouraging fellow translators with these words during a translation training session. He shared how as a translator the work became more meaningful when he surrendered his life to Christ. He was very excited to see the power of God’s Word affecting peoples’ lives as they read it in their language. A translator listening to Duncan shared he was not interested in attending church or reading God’s Word, yet through his involvement in translation, his interest in God’s Word and spiritual things is growing. Pray for translators to experience the transforming power of God’s Word as they translate it into their language.
Streams of Prayer is the prayer bulletin of the Wycliffe Global Alliance.
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Valrie McCarthy
Proclaimer Officer
Wycliffe Caribbean
7A South Avenue
Kingston 5
JAMAICA, W. I.
876 754 9334, 908 2970, 582 6592
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