Streams of Prayer for 25 March 2024
The Streams of Prayer for 25 March 2024, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
March 24, 2024 – March 30, 2024
Bible Translation Programmes
The current theme for Streams of Prayer is Bible Translation Programmes, one of the Alliance participation streams.
Wycliffe Global Alliance serves Bible translation movements because we long for language communities to encounter God through his Word. As written in the Alliance Foundational Statements, one of our core values is “trusting God to transform lives through His Word translated into the languages and cultures of the world’s peoples”.
We will pray for Bible translation efforts around the world. We will also celebrate lives changed through Scripture and pray that many more communities will be powerfully impacted by encountering God through the Bible translated into a language they can understand.
A child sits on her mother’s knee during the Anmatyerr mini-Bible celebration in Ti Tree, Northern Territory, Australia. Photo: Gary McMaster (2021)
More trainers needed: Israel
Praise God that Bible translation is taking place in more language communities than ever before. There is also a greater focus on translating the entire Bible. The role of Jerusalem Seminary is to equip Bible translators and consultants in Biblical Hebrew and a Hebraic worldview in order to produce better quality translations. The need for training in Biblical Hebrew worldwide for Bible translation exceeds the combined capacity of several ministries focused in this area. Pray that God will provide workers to help Jerusalem Seminary and their partners fulfil this important need in Bible translation. Pray too that believing Israelis who are native Hebrew speakers will use their gifts and unique background as translators and consultants in the Bible translation movement. Pray that nine Israelis joining the teacher training course this spring will hear God’s call on their lives and for others to join them in Bible translation.
Oral Bible translation: Ghana
Thank God for the Oral Bible Translation (OBT) initiative of the Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible (GILLBT) in the Larteh and Chakali languages. GILLBT plans to add a third language. In January, GILLBT Executive Director Mr Sylvester Kwame Nkrumah, accompanied by translation consultant Mrs Naana Nkrumah and the GILLBT communications team, visited the Larteh OBT team in Larteh Akuapem. They encouraged the team also met with the traditional Larteh authorities. The local leaders emphasised the significance of having the Bible in their language and expressed satisfaction with the progress made. They pledged their support and commitment to ensuring the successful completion of the project within the designated time frame. Thank God for this collaboration and pray for continuation of this harmonious relationship.
Celebration among the Jaminawa: Brazil
Jaminawa people rejoiced as a large box of Scripture books in their language was delivered. Now they are distributing the books and plan to use the biblical texts in their schools. The Bible film based on the Gospel of Luke was also completed and will be shown in the villages. Meanwhile, the team recorded the oral version of the book of Ruth. This provides another resource that can be listened to during evening gatherings or during housework, fishing or while tending to crops. Next on the team’s plan is to translate the Gospels of Matthew and John, the book of Acts and John’s epistles. Give thanks that the Jaminawa have received copies of Scripture to distribute among their communities. Pray that the Jaminawa team will be able to adapt to a new consultation process for the remaining books to be translated.
Indigenous languages need Bible translation: Australia
According to the latest census, over 150 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages were spoken in 2021. About 40 of these languages are used in daily life. Give thanks for this diversity and ask God to bless each indigenous people group using Numbers 6:24-26 in their language. The complete Bible is only available in one Australian Indigenous language – Kriol, a non-traditional creole language. Pray that God’s Word will be translated into every indigenous language that is still used in daily life. The Alice Springs Bible Place shop helps distribute indigenous Bibles and books. Ask God to raise up workers for this important distribution centre so it can remain open.
Translation for indigenous languages: Taiwan
Praise the Lord for the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan that is assisting with church planting and translation of the Bible and hymn books among Taiwan’s indigenous language communities. The Bible Society in Taiwan and the pastors of the indigenous churches have been working together to revise or retranslate older versions of the Bible in some of these languages. An AI translation workshop for indigenous languages will be held from 20-24 May. Thank the Lord that the Bible Society will provide the venue for the workshop. Pray for workshop logistics and preparations, arranging accommodation and inviting translators from the various language projects. Pray also for text preparation and finances needed to support the workshop.
Laying foundations for sign Language translation: Switzerland
In early 2020 Wycliffe Switzerland contacted the Christian Deaf community in Switzerland about collaborating on Bible translation into Swiss-German Sign Language. In late 2020, one of the Wycliffe Switzerland staff members agreed to help lay the foundation for a project. With no previous experience, he had to learn a lot about the Deaf community and continues to learn Swiss-German Sign Language. In the meantime, the team has worked on how to sign the names of all the Bible books and some important Bible terms. In November 2023 the team celebrated this milestone and published an online dictionary of what they have done so far. Feedback from the community and support from Wycliffe Switzerland has been encouraging for the team. They are working hard to compile signs for biblical terms, names and places. Thank God for this progress and pray for his blessing on this work.
Translation consultants: Papua New Guinea
Duncan Kasokason and Kidu Magi are translation consultants serving with the Papua New Guinea Bible Translation Association. Praise the Lord for their availability and commitment to serve other language communities in the country. They have a full consultant checking schedule for this year. Pray for their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Ask the Lord to watch over their families when they are away for long periods. Some language communities are in hard-to-reach locations. Pray for the Lord’s provision and protection in their travels. Ask the Lord to give these consultants joy as they serve him in this capacity. Pray for more translation consultants to be trained to ease the load for checking Scriptures.
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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