Streams of Prayer for 7 March 2023
The Streams of Prayer for 7 March 2023, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
Training
Many people with different areas of expertise are needed in order to translate the Bible in a way that is clear, accurate, and natural. The skills are so important that many Alliance organizations regularly offer courses in topics relevant to Bible translation programmes, sometimes in cooperation with other organizations. Training in Bible translation roles is therefore one of the seven Participation Streams.
The current theme for Streams of Prayer is Training. We will pray for those who are teaching, the students, and the organizations and institutions that host these training programmes. We will ask God to provide instructors, administrative staff, finances, and equipment for the programmes and workshops. We will pray that through this provision the people who staff translation programmes will be equipped in the many disciplines required to finish Bible translations well.
Blessed to be a blessing: Germany
Seminar für Sprache und Kultur, known as ssk , is part of SIL International’s worldwide training programmes. Located in Germany, ssk is one of the programmes of the European Training Network. European Training Network courses and programmes offer training for cross-cultural workers in linguistics, translation and literacy in various European locations. Ask God to provide enough participants to make running the ssk courses viable. Some of the courses are staff intensive, so pray for enough teachers and trainers. Ask God to help participants learn what will be most useful for their work and ministry. There are also ssk courses that focus on language teaching for refugees and trauma healing. Ask God to bless churches through these materials and training so that they can bless others.
Training mother tongue speakers in unreached regions: Chad
Orality is one of the training strategies that Association Tchadienne d’Alphabétisation, de Linguistique et de Traduction de la Bible, ATALTRAB, uses to enable communities in Chad to be equipped with the Word of God in their mother tongues. Praise God for an oral translation workshop that was held from 13 February to 3 March in Moundou. The target language communities for this training were the Gula, Ndam, and Mulgi. These people groups have not yet been reached with the gospel, and there are not yet any churches in these communities. Several ATALTRAB specialists (consultants, facilitators, and technicians) participated in order to enable the 12 members from these three language communities to learn well. Pray that the participants would be able to apply the skills they have learned. Pray also that this programme will help generate an effective presence of the church in these communities.
Learning that Lasts training: Indonesia
Praise God for the partnerships among the Alliance organizations in Indonesia and various partner organizations. Ronna Karasih, the Executive Director of Yayasan Kaleb Yosua, led a Learning that Lasts (LtL) training in the first week of February in partnership with the Kampus STT Jaffray Makassar (Makassar Jaffray Theological College). Learning that Lasts trains instructors who want to improve their teaching skills when working with learners who have various cultural backgrounds, learning styles, experiences, and educational backgrounds. It provides “a framework for challenging, engaging, and empowering students of all ages.” Pray that all who participated in Ronna’s training will be able to incorporate the principles successfully into their own contexts. Ask the Lord to strengthen this partnership and may it continue to be a blessing.
Oral Bible storying workshops: Philippines
Wycliffe Philippines conducts Oral Bible Storying (OBS) workshops that have helped teams in the Philippines communicate God’s Word in language communities that prefer using oral means. Praise the Lord for the successful OBS workshops for three language communities: the Tagibulos (also known as Dumagat) in Aurora and Camiguin, the Panimusan in Palawan, and the Sambal in Zambales. Pray for wisdom and perseverance for those conducting the workshops with language groups located in areas that are difficult to reach. Ask God for his favour that the people will be responsive to his Word. May the teams and the language communities witness God’s marvellous work of drawing people to himself.
Studies in missiology and linguistics: Peru
A study program in missiology offered by LADP, Las Asambleas de Dios en Perú (The Assemblies of God of Peru), began on February 20 at ENAMIT, Escuela Nacional de Misiones Transculturales (National School of Cross-Cultural Missions). These studies will be carried out online for 10 months in three modules of 12 courses each, plus a cross-cultural practice trip. Courses are taught by well-known and experienced national and international instructors. The program includes courses such as: Phonetics and Phonology, Introduction to Linguistics, Beginnings of Literacy, Second Language Acquisition, and Languages and God’s Mission. Let us thank God for this training opportunity in missiology and for the resources provided. Pray that the Lord guides the teachers in the development of the study plan. Pray also that he gives understanding and wisdom to the students who are preparing for service in Bible translation and other cross-cultural ministries.
Training needs: Central African Republic
Pray for God’s provision of people and funding for the many training needs for Association Centrafricaine pour la Traduction de la Bible et l’Alphabétisation, ACATBA. ACATBA desires to develop an awareness campaign to mobilize the church and communities in the Central African Republic for participation in Scripture translation. Scripture engagement specialists need to be trained to equip language communities and pastors in ways to engage people in using the Scriptures so that lives can be transformed. Also, ACATBA does not yet have a trained linguist who can assist in linguistic research, such as sociolinguistic surveys. However, ACATBA staff intend to carry out a vast literacy campaign throughout the Central African Republic. Pray that God will provide for the training of literacy teachers to cover this need. Finally, let us pray for the translators in eight new language programmes who will soon be trained.
SoliDeo, a virtual training initiative: Panama, Americas
PAAM, Panameños Alcanzando al Mundo (Panamanians Reaching the World), in partnership with other organizations serving in the Americas, has launched SoliDeo, a virtual training initiative for Latin Americans. SoliDeo seeks to equip cross-cultural workers, pastors, and leaders through affordable online courses on the Biblical foundations of missions. It offers courses for pastors and church leaders such as the biblical basis for God’s call to churches to participate in missions and how to create a mobilization strategy. For mission workers and staff, there are courses such as the biblical basis and history of mission, strategic and cross-cultural fundamentals of mission, Old and New Testament panorama, spiritual vitality and spiritual disciplines, and community development and mission. SoliDeo seeks to provide future Bible translation workers with “a responsible approach to the Scriptures, an interpretation that respects the original context, and an application that is properly contextualized to the realities of the world.” Pray for the Lord’s guidance for PAAM´s SoliDeo initiative and work team, so that it may be in tune with God’s purpose. Ask him to bless students with effective preparation for service in Bible translation and cross-cultural missions.
Streams of Prayer is the prayer bulletin of the Wycliffe Global Alliance.
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Valrie McCarthy
Proclaimer Officer
Wycliffe Caribbean
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