Streams of Prayer for 26 July 2023
The Streams of Prayer for 26 July 2023, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
July 23 – July 29, 2023
Bible Translation Programmes
The Wycliffe Global Alliance serves Bible translation movements because we long for language communities to encounter God through his Word and be transformed (See the Alliance Foundational Statements). The current theme for Streams of Prayer is Bible Translation Programmes, one of the Participation Streams for the Alliance. Many Alliance organisations manage Bible translation programmes and many more support them through prayer, people, funding and training.
celebration in South Africa. Photo: Jennifer Pillinger
Bible translation programmes require teams of people with various skills.
- Pray for those engaged in planning projects as they seek to understand how to design projects that will have the most impact on communities.
- Ask God to guide and protect teams working together to ensure that the Scriptures translated into each language are clear and easy to understand, accurate in reflecting the original meaning and accessible in appropriate formats.
Team members also engage communities to use the Scriptures effectively.
- Ask God to impact language communities around the globe as people read, listen to, or watch translated Scripture.
- Pray that they will understand it and be transformed.
A variety of Bible translation programmes: Benin
Wycliffe Benin is involved in three types of translation programmes: written, oral and sign language. Thank God for the ongoing written Bible translation programmes in the Agouna, Ayizo, Toffin, Saxwe, Idaasha, Toli and Weme languages. Pray for the activities that are taking place that aim to produce a deep impact of the Scriptures. Pray also for the oral Bible translation programmes in Cabe, Ica, Ohori, Nagot, Chumbrung, Maxi, Xwela, Ci, Waci, Setto and Xwla. Pray for the legal recognition that some of these programmes are awaiting from the authorities. Pray for the successful production of Scripture engagement tools in the Ica and Chumbrung languages. Ask God to bless the meetings with church leaders and the sharing of the translated oral Bible passages in the churches. Pray for strong engagement among those involved in sign language Bible translation, and that the Deaf of Benin will be well served.
Transitions for sign language translation project: Romania
The Romanian Sign Language translation project faces a period of transition. Talks with partners regarding the next three-year phase and funding are ongoing. Please pray for God’s guidance and wisdom as an agreement with the partners is sought so the project can officially proceed into the next phase. Over the next three years, the translation team and the project’s committee would like to translate Matthew chapters 1-12 and John chapters 1-15. Unfortunately, one of the two people who had considered joining the translation team is no longer interested. This leaves the team with only three people – two experienced translators and a new one. Another Deaf person might help long term as a video editor volunteer. He has some basic knowledge of video editing but will spend a couple of weeks trying out professional video editing software and learning what is needed to edit the video translation in Romanian Sign Language. Pray that this volunteer will be able to develop the needed skills and be enthusiastic to serve long-term with the project.
Translation of prophetic books into Lambayeque Quechua: Peru
In recent months, the Lambayeque Quechua translation team has been revising the drafts of Joel, Obadiah and Malachi. Previously they worked on Daniel and Jonah, which contain narrative portions as well as prophetic sections. Although books like Daniel and Jonah use some of the same literary devices as the prophetic books, they have a different message. It has been a challenge for the team to review drafts of the prophetic books, but they have learned a lot. In the coming months, the team will work on other minor and major prophets. In addition, they have finished final edits of Leviticus and Numbers, which will be published both in print and audio. They are also working with a consultant on the revision of the first 40 Psalms. Pray that God will provide all the necessary resources to complete all this translation work and for protection, provision and health for the team of translators.
Äiwoo translation team: Solomon Islands
Praise the Lord that all six reviewing teams for the Äiwoo translation project in the Solomon Islands are working well. They have reviewed Matthew’s Gospel and now have a functioning steering committee. Praise the Lord for Father Barnabas, a new translator who joined the team. He attended a translation principles workshop in April. Ask the Lord for strength and wisdom for the steering committee and translators. Praise the Lord that advisor John Rentz from Wycliffe New Zealand spent time with the team in April before going to the United States to visit family and supporters. Praise the Lord that he was able to connect weekly with the translators via Zoom during this time. It has been a year now since the death of John’s wife, Rosalie. Continue to pray for comfort and grace for John. Pray for good steady progress for the Äiwoo translation project this year.
A new start with oral Bible translation: Cameroon
Often oral Bible storytelling (OBS) is an entry point for bringing God’s truth to people who do not have written Scripture. Bible stories are crafted, learned and shared. Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy (CABTAL) has been involved with OBS since 2012, and as a result, has seen the usefulness of oral approaches to Bible translation and sharing of Bible stories. Thank God that with this long experience, CABTAL is exploring possibilities to begin some oral Bible translation (OBT) programmes in Cameroon, which is a new strategy in the country. OBT involves all the steps of a written translation of Scripture passages or books (drafting, checking, revision, etc.) except that it is translated orally and recorded as an audio version. Pray for the two communities that have been selected for this experimental phase, Nubaca and Ndemli. Thank God that the speakers of these languages are receptive and want to see this strategy implemented. Pray for CABTAL staff as they share the vision of OBT with community leaders and together define the objectives. Pray that God will make it easier to access these communities. Pray for the success of this initiative in Cameron.
A passion for translation and a heart for his people: Peru
When Felix Manrique was seven years old his parents gave their lives to Christ after the death of his sister. They sought God in a time of suffering and to this day remain faithful in serving the Lord. As a teenager, Felix strayed from God’s ways, but after an illness at age 17, he gave his life to Christ and promised to serve God for the rest of his life. At the end of January, when Felix was about to join the translation team for his language, his younger brother, 25, died of a rare disease. In spite of this painful experience, Felix joined the team, where he felt strengthened and comforted by God. He was eager to learn more of God’s Word in his own language. His desire is to return to his community to share the translated Scriptures and to see the whole community transformed by the Word of God. Romans 14:11 says: “For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God”. Pray that everyone in Felix’s community will bow their knee to the Lord Jesus Christ as they hear and read the Word of God in their language.
Matsungan people begin Bible translation: Papua New Guinea
Praise the Lord that the Matsungan people on Bougainville have started translation of the Bible. Fifteen people from the island’s four churches completed the two-week Jonah translation workshop in May. They were taught translation principles and steps in the Bible translation process. After translating Jonah in five days, they checked the drafts and printed the first 25 trial copies. To mark this milestone, a combined church service was organised for all the churches on the island. The congregation listened attentively as the participants read Jonah’s story about God’s mercy and grace in Matsungan for the first time. Pray that the translators will maintain the same excitement and vigour in their translation project. The Matsungan language is the first project of the Papua New Guinea Bible Translation Association’s vision to start 20 new language projects in the next five years.
Streams of Prayer is the prayer bulletin of the Wycliffe Global Alliance.
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