Streams of Prayer for 2 September 2024
The Streams of Prayer for 2 September 2024, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
September 1, 2024 – September 7, 2024
Effectiveness and Transformation
The current theme of Streams of Prayer is Effectiveness and Transformation.
Twice a year we like to look back and celebrate how our prayers have been answered in the Bible translation movement. 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 organisations and the communities they serve. We rejoice at how God’s Word is impacting individuals, communities and nations and how churches and partners are joining together to participate in his mission. And we are grateful for how He is transforming communities through His Spirit and His Word.
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)
Three boys chat excitedly in sign language after the Kerala Sign Language Scripture dedication event
in Kochi, India in 2010, attended by over 1200 Deaf people. Photo: Elyse Patten
Global Gathering prayer team needed!
We invite you to join a team of people praying for the Global Gathering. You will receive weekly email updates from 18 September and daily updates during the Gathering. There will also be online opportunities to pray with others on Wednesday 30 October. Please let Barb Speck know if you want to sign up by contacting her at prayer@wycliffe.net. (Note: Prayer teams will be conducted, and prayer information will be provided, in English.)
Kabalikat 2 project: Philippines
Praise God for the approval of the Kabalikat 2 project, which will continue work on a large oral Bible translation cluster project for 26 languages with involvement of Wycliffe Philippines. The goal is to complete translation and recording of the entire New Testament in all 26 languages. Please pray for discernment, health, patience and unity among all those working in this project. Pray for Wycliffe Philippines staff as they help manage the project in partnership with local communities. Pray that these completed translations will have an impact on each community and that God’s Word in their languages will change peoples’ lives and bear fruit for his glory.
Celebration of the Word of God: Cameroon
Praise God for the Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy (CABTAL), which continues to celebrate Scripture translations into mother tongues with the communities and the church. Thank God for this year of various celebrations in Cameroon. After the Tchouvok in the Far North and the Esimbi in the North West, the Bakoko in the Littoral region also welcomed the Word of God into their community. Thanks were given to linguist Dr Michel Kenmogne, who worked to analyse the language, as
well as to CABTAL for its technical assistance and the other partners like Seed Company. Praise God for exposing this “people of the sacred cave” to his transforming Word. Thank God that the traditional chiefs present at the ceremony also thanked the Inter-Church Committee for translating God’s Word into their language. Let us pray for its impact in the community.
JESUS film translations: Malaysia
Praise God that the JESUS film translations for four language groups are completed and that three of these are now on the JESUS film website and ready for public viewing. Pray for the fourth language which was completed recently and is awaiting approval to be uploaded for public viewing. Pray that the Christians in these language groups will use this tool to reach their communities for evangelism and discipleship training. Pray for God’s leading as Wycliffe Malaysia explores possibilities to start the JESUS film translation for the remaining language groups that do not have Scriptures in their heart language.
Churches that support Bible translation: El Salvador, Peru
In May, Pastor Mauricio Castellón, of Miramonte Baptist Church in El Salvador, and his wife Cecy travelled to Peru to visit missionaries Jenner and Rosalba Valdivia, who serve in Bible translation. Jenner is a member of the Lambayeque Quechua translation team and Rosalba is director of the Basic Course on Linguistics and Bible Translation. Pastor Mauricio and his wife learned about the context in which Jenner and Rosalba serve; the places where they work; and the challenges that these sites present. They accompanied them to Incahuasi, where they visited two churches. Pastor Mauricio preached at La Playa church and encouraged the congregation. Praise God for this visit and for the encouragement shared with Jenner and Rosalba and the churches of Incahuasi and La Playa. Also, thank for the opportunity that Pastor Mauricio and his wife had to meet Pastor Abel from the Alliance (IACYM) Church of Chiclayo, where Jenner and Rosalba attend and that also contributes to their work in Bible translation.
Celebrating God for Eveline’s life and ministry: Africa
Mrs Eveline Houmegni served with Wycliffe Global Alliance as Africa Area Assistant Organisational Development and Assistant Project Funding Coordinator, and also as Francophone Initiative Assistant Coordinator. Thank God who enabled her to make a great contribution in these aspects of the ministry. Praise God for the great appreciation given by all the speakers during Eveline’s online memorial service on 29 July, portraying the quality of the person she was and the work she has accomplished. In the online tributes, Sean Mooney, Board Chairman of Wycliffe South Africa said ‘I will remember her quiet and yet strong demeanour. She facilitated many of our sessions with such a calmness which was really pleasant to observe’. Matthew Bore, Project Funding Manager and Organisational Development Coordinator for Wycliffe Global Alliance Africa Area, said: ‘Her love for God, dedication, excellent mobilisation skills, and good interpersonal skills were evident’. Thank God for Eveline’s life of gentle and capable service which touched many in Bible translation movements. Pray for her family, for the Africa Area team and her colleagues throughout Africa and beyond as they celebrate her life and mourn her loss.
Celebrating Nigeria translation progress: Nigeria, Cameroon, USA
Wycliffe USA reports: ‘We praise God for the amazing progress that has been made in Nigeria over the past two years! As it has now officially dropped off the list of the “Big Five” — the areas with the highest remaining needs for Bible translation — we want to focus our prayers on Cameroon with 37 remaining Vision 2025 languages waiting for Bible translation to start, which has officially replaced Nigeria in the Big Five.’ Praise God for this encouraging progress. Pray for ongoing work both in Nigeria and Cameroon. Ask God’s protection and blessing on translation teams, community members, partner organisations and churches involved in this work together.
Data collaborative systems for national Bible translation roundtables: Americas
Rodrigo Tinoco, an expert in research and data from the Brazilian national Bible translation roundtable, will volunteer on the Americas Bible translation peripheral team. He will support all the national Bible translation roundtables so they can advance in updating, organising, interpreting and using Bible translation data for decision-making and sharing this information with local churches. Praise God for a meeting on 24-25 August in Bogota with several delegates from the national Bible roundtables. Praise God for a meeting on 24-25 August in Bogota with several delegates from the national Bible roundtables. They will participate in a group to facilitate data collaboration for the national roundtables and the Bible translation movement in Latin America. The meeting participants sought to initiate work on establishing a “roadmap” for collaborative work on this project.
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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