Streams of Prayer for 22 October 2024
The Streams of Prayer for 22 October 2024, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
October 20, 2024 – October 26, 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.
Women pray at a South Asian church service. Photo: Marc Ewell (2015)
People are strengthened by answered prayers: Ethiopia
Wycliffe Ethiopia has prayer coordinators who always prepare a three-month devotion schedule with prayer and sharing of God’s Word. Every Monday morning, the main office staff gather for 1.5 hours. Once a month, translation teams distant from the main office gather to worship and pray together. There is an annual day of prayer that involves a large number of people. Thank God that through those times, staff members see how God answers prayers. Recently God has answered prayers for the completion of the New Testament in the Tsara, Inor, Zay, Mursi, Seize and Guwama languages. Praise God also for new programmes that have started such as the Ganza project. Thank God for His protection over the translators who have been working in dangerous areas. Although the work is challenging, God strengthens his people by answering their prayers. All glory be to Him.
Fostering Prayer among National Bible Translation Roundtables: Americas
The Americas National Bible Translation and Scripture Use Roundtables (Mesas) seek to foster prayer to encourage regular spiritual practice in community, to maintain a spiritual connection between the facilitators and the members of the Mesas to better discern God’s will, and to reinforce the purpose, vision, values, and culture of the Mesas.
Mesas pray for themes such as:
- Unity of the members of each Mesa, for greater commitment and participation
- The facilitators of each national Mesa, who seek to collaborate and encourage participation of Mesa members in all activities
- The different ministries that participate in each Mesa: national organisations, international organisations, indigenous ministries and networks, churches and denominations, missionary networks
- The members of the Americas Peripheral Team who support the Mesas, to facilitate training and mentoring of Mesa facilitators, to encourage a healthy structure that functions well, to guide the Mesas in biblical conflict management, and to encourage collaboration among the Mesas from various countries.
Please join in praying for the Mesas of 14 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
Answered prayers for Casiguran Dumagat and Palanan project: Philippines
Jennilyn Inway, language project facilitator for the Casiguran Dumagat and Palanan Agta project, praises the Lord that her husband and daughter are well. She thanks those who prayed for her family and for the completion of the Casiguran translation office. Although it is not quite finished, the translators gratefully started using the building in the last week of September and with this new space, they can now concentrate on their work.
Answered prayer for Biblical Hebrew course: Nigeria, Israel
Two Hebrew teachers from Jerusalem Seminary saw God answer prayers during the three-week intensive Hebrew course they taught in August to Bible translators in Jos, Nigeria. With students of various levels from beginners to those who had studied Hebrew in seminary, Tali and Yuval had to adapt their teaching creatively. One night, Yuval got seriously ill with a fever and stomach pains. He was so weak the next day, he was not able to sit up let alone teach. God soon answered prayers from people in Nigeria and around the world; in one day Yuval recovered and was able to return to the classroom. Students commented how much having Israeli Hebrew teachers made Hebrew study come alive for them. Improved Hebrew skills will greatly help as they serve in projects that translate the Old Testament for many language communities in Nigeria. Praise God for his provision and protection for the teachers and students. Plans are unfolding for a repeat of Hebrew for the Nations (H4N) Level 1 and the implementation of Level 2 intensive courses next summer in the same location. Jerusalem Seminary staff ask for prayer for God to call Israeli teachers, new and experienced, to continue this work in summer 2025.
Monthly prayer for new Isaan project: Thailand
Pray for Wycliffe Thai Foundation as they embark on the Isaan oral Bible translation project. It is a new undertaking and a challenge. Praise the Lord for the 19 people who participated in the first mission prayer meeting hosted by the Bangkok Glory Church on 12 September. This was the first time to focus prayers for the Isaan people, an unreached people group, and other ethnic groups in the Isaan area in the northeastern part of Thailand. There are 13 people groups in Isaan, numbering up to 22 million people, but only 40,000 are believers. The majority of Isaan believe in ghosts and participate in rituals worshipping a big snake. Ask God to bring the Good News to the people in Issan. Wycliffe Thai Foundation plans mission prayer meetings every month with the next one planned for 28 October. Ask God to raise more of his people to pray for the Isaan people that God will open their eyes to see him as their Creator and know him as the only true God.
An indispensable activity: Chad
Prayer, which is a firm recommendation of the Lord Jesus Christ, has been highlighted in the practices of the Association Tchadienne d’Alphabétisation, de Linguistique et de Traduction de la Bible (ATALTRAB). It is seen as an effective force for action and a resource for success in the ministry of Bible translation. Staff have held daily morning devotions since the beginning of ATALTRAB. There are also monthly prayer and fasting meetings to intercede for Bible translation programmes. In addition, linguistic communities are encouraged to organise prayer locally. Thank God for the quarterly news and prayer bulletin La Perche, which is distributed to churches and other partners. Praise God also for the WhatsApp platform and the ATALTRAB website that are used to share prayer needs.
Global Gathering for Alliance organisation leaders begins next week: Global
The Global Gathering staff team will begin to arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa on 27 October. Pray for safe travel and minimal levels of jet lag. Ask God to protect their health and energy levels. This is the first time that the whole team will be together. Ask God to help them work well together and that they will experience God-given unity. Pray for protection over the final preparations and the whole event.
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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