Streams of Prayer for 28 March 2023

The Streams of Prayer for 28 March 2023, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.

Bible Translation Programs

The current theme for Streams of Prayer is Bible Translation Programmes, one of the participation streams for the Alliance. An increasing number of Alliance organisations manage Bible translation projects and many more support them through prayer, people, funding and training. Bible translation programmes require teams of people with various skills. Pray for God’s wisdom and protection as teams work together to ensure that the Scriptures translated into each language are 1) clear and easy to understand, 2) accurate in reflecting the original meaning and 3) 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.

Gibaio project development: Papua New Guinea

Pray for the Gibaio project facilitator and developing translation team as they work on planning for translation and related language activities. The facilitator plans to spend time in the four Gibaio villages to encourage the establishment of a language committee, encourage people to attend writers’ workshops and share the JESUS Film in Gibaio. As a part of the visit, she will help mentor a Gibaio team at a regional Oral Bible Storytelling workshop. Ask God to guide the team, facilitator and community as they move ahead on developing this project.

Pray for new translation committees: Indonesia

Yayasan Kaleb Yosua, an Alliance organisation in Indonesia, helps organise translation committees for the language teams in Central Kalimantan. Pray for wisdom and guidance as new translation committees are formed for the following languages: Kuhin, Bayan, and Malang. Pray that the Lord will provide the right people to join these efforts who can manage and support the language projects. Pray for excellent teamwork for the future translation committees as they serve with these three translation teams.

Progressing despite some challenges: Sudan

Praise God with the Episcopal Church of Sudan Translation Department (ECSTD) for ongoing work in the cluster project for the Ruwa, Barta and Toco language groups. 

• The consultant check of the books of 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus and James have been completed in Ruwa. Thank God that the team has also completed the draft of Luke and has begun drafting Genesis. Pray for more workers and appropriate facilities for this programme. 
• Pray that the Barta community will understand the importance of translation work so that work will continue smoothly in their mother tongue. The team has completed 1 and 2 Timothy and drafted Titus and James. Pray for the consultant check of Titus and James that will soon take place. 
• Pray that God will give the Toco Bible translation committee devotion and wisdom for the translation work. Praise God that they have finished the drafts of 1 Timothy and Titus. Pray for the consultant checks needed for these books.

Pray for peace in Sudan and for the security of all, especially for the Bible translators and their families.

Celebration of Old Testament books in three Creole languages: Caribbean

On February 21, 2023, International Mother Language Day, the Western Caribbean Creole Project launched the first three Old Testament books (Jonah, Ruth, and Esther) translated into Belize Kriol, Jamaican Creole, and Islander Creole. All Wycliffe Caribbean partners including the Seed Company, SIL, UBS, Bible Society of the West Indies and Jamaica Language Unit of the University of the West Indies were represented. The translation teams, exegetical reviewers, church partners and representatives from the Ministry of Education and theological colleges were present to join in the celebration. A Senior Custos of the Governor General brought his greetings. The event was covered by the media in Jamaica and San Andres and was live-streamed throughout the Caribbean. Pray for the impact of God’s Word for salvation and transformation as it is distributed in Belize, Jamaica, and San Andres. Praise God for the completion of these books and for the work in progress on the book of Genesis. Pray for the health, stamina, focus and perseverance of the members of the translation project as they work to complete the remaining 36 books of the Old Testament.

Pukapuka translation progress: New Zealand, Cook Islands

Pukapuka translator Mailalo Melota and Wycliffe New Zealand staff Kevin and Mary Salisbury are rejoicing in God’s goodness as they review the progress made with the Pukapuka New Testament in recent months. Kevin is busy finalising the selection of pictures, writing captions and completing the glossary. He will write introductions next. They have asked various Pukapuka people living in New Zealand to help review the Psalms. Pray for Paulus Kievet in the Netherlands as he begins typesetting the Pukapuka New Testament this month. Mary and Mailalo are reviewing a few dozen passages via the internet. Pray for fine weather so that the solar batteries can operate well in the daytime for Mai to have internet access. Pray for the Council of Chiefs as they engage with the team on the content of the Preface and matters regarding the publication and launch of the New Testament and Psalms.

Financial provision for Sibe consultant checking: Papua New Guinea

The Sibe translation team on Bougainville Island has been waiting for a long time for a consultant to check completed books of their New Testament. Praise the Lord for the financial assistance received through a partner to enable the checking to happen during the first half of this year. As translator Mark Sipaala and his team prepare, pray that: 

• they will soon be able to back translate the completed books into a language of wider communication for the consultant 
• the team can send the back translations to consultant Duncan Kasokason in enough time for him to prepare well before the checking sessions begin
• Duncan and Mark will be able to speak to one another by phone to confirm and prioritise the checking needs, with the aim of making good use of the checking time. 

And finally, pray that the Spirit of the Lord will hover over these checking times to bring encouragement and blessing to all involved!

Work with Tivoid languages: Africa, Australia

Wycliffe Australia personnel Bruce Cox and Kathy Cummins have served with four Tivoid languages in the southwest of Cameroon since 2008. One of these language communities is the Iceve, which began an Oral Bible Storying project in 2016. Thank God that the Gospel of Luke in Iceve is now approaching completion. The end of a major milestone is often a time when unexpected difficulties can disrupt the work. Pray for unity, good health and wisdom to finish Luke well in a timely way. Pray for wisdom for the team as they are devising literacy lessons that teach people how to read and write the complicated Iceve grammatical tone. Pray that the Gospel of Luke will lead to revival among the Iceve. Ask the Lord for voice actors for the JESUS Film who will practise reading their parts well before recording later this year. Pray too for the speakers of the Ipulo and Iyive languages in a refugee camp in Nigeria who want to resume work in translation and language activities after a five-year hiatus. Pray that God will guide them as they seek to take next steps.

Streams of Prayer is the prayer bulletin of the Wycliffe Global Alliance.

Copyright © 2023 Wycliffe Global Alliance. All rights reserved.

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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