Streams of Prayer for 8 September 2024
The Streams of Prayer for 8 September 2024, is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. Wycliffe Caribbean makes this available.
September 8, 2024 – September 14, 2024
Effectiveness and Transformation
The current theme of Streams of Prayer is Effectiveness and Transformation.
Twice a year we like to look back and celebrate how our prayers have been answered in the Bible translation movement. Together we thank God for how He graciously responds to our prayers, and we are encouraged as we consider all He has done for Alliance organisations and the communities they serve. We rejoice at how God’s Word is impacting individuals, communities and nations and how churches and partners are joining together to participate in his mission. And we are grateful for how He is transforming communities through His Spirit and His Word.
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV)
Four young girls in Peru smile after receiving their Quechua Bibles. Photo: Marc Ewell (2017)
Global Gathering prayer team needed!
We invite you to join a team of people praying for the Global Gathering. You will receive weekly email updates from 18 September and daily updates during the Gathering. There will also be online opportunities to pray with others on Wednesday 30 October. Please let Barb Speck know if you want to sign up by contacting her at prayer@wycliffe.net. (Note: Prayer teams will be conducted, and prayer information will be provided, in English.)
Getting Closer to God: Indonesia
Esra Banti is a language assistant of the Napu language project in Sulawesi, Indonesia. As the only Christian in his extended family, he finds it difficult to break out of the beliefs and rituals that his family still adheres to. He has tried to understand God’s Word yet the help from others is limited. Thanks to God for the opportunity to participate in the “Culture Meets Scriptures” workshop recently. Through the workshop, he now understands the importance of relying on God’s Word in all aspects of his life and in his work with the translation project. He also feels equipped with various weapons to fight against the power of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-20), and get much closer to the Lord. Pray for Esra as he desires to help others who face the same challenges to become closer to God through the Napu language project.
National Bible Translation Roundtable retreat: Venezuela
On 20-21 June, the Venezuela National Bible Translation Roundtable held its first national retreat with 23 representatives and leaders from various ministries, including two Alliance organisations: CLAN (Capacitación Lingüística Antropológica y Alfabetización Nativa) and DGM (Dirección General de Misiones de las Asambleas de Dios Venezuela). Various churches and other organisations, including COMIBAM Venezuela and SIETE (Sirviendo en Traducción a las Etnias), participated. The acronym MESA (Misión, Estructura, Salud y Acción – Mission, Structure, Health and Action) was explained to help the group to better understand the culture of the roundtable. A condensed version of the workshop “Languages and the Image of God” helped to strengthen their knowledge of the biblical foundations for Bible translation. Participants also shared information about Bible translation data in Venezuela. Praise God for bringing together all of these partners with Venezuelan churches and for leaders who agreed to be part of the National Bible Translation Roundtable. Thank God for the commitment to collaboration on behalf of Venezuela’s Bible translation movement.
Translation impact: Asia
The S* language New Testament was recently dedicated in Asia. S translation team members report an enthusiastic response from S people living on the other side of the mountain range from where the translation has been done. When a small portion was translated into their dialect, these S people on the other side expressed delight with how much more understandable it was! A team member writes: Many people mentioned that having the Word of God in their language would help restore aspects of their own culture, as the absence of written materials in their language has led the younger generation to a shift towards the national language. This effort is not just about translating the Word of God; it is also about preserving a language and culture that is cherished by the Lord. One of the village headmen said, “We have believed in God since 1998, but we were never able to grow because we never had the Word of God in our language.” Praise God for how he has provided them with a reminder of his love for them through beginning to have access to his Word in their language. Pray that they will continue to grow as they receive more Scriptures.
*pseudonym
Catalysing local leaders for translation and language development: Chad
Thank God for the many successful activities the Association Tchadienne d’Alphabétisation de Linguistique et de la Traduction de la Bible (ATALTRAB) carries out to further involve church and community leaders in language development and Bible translation for the holistic transformation of people. Praise God for the more than 30 leaders of the Mango, Nangnda, Guley, Laka, Kaba, Ngambay, Lélé, Marba and Massana language communities who took part in an event sharing about all aspects of Bible translation 27-28 June, in the ATALTRAB conference hall in Moundou. This forum provided a means for catalysing further involvement and partnership in translation, literacy and community development programmes. Give thanks that the participants have understood and witnessed the importance of these ongoing programmes in their own languages, helping to strengthen unity and partnership among the various villages and denominations for this work.
A translator’s faith journey: Indonesia
In mid-July, a workshop on translating Bible stories into Napita* was held. The Napita people live in a remote location in North Sulawesi. For the Napita translation team, getting there was not only a physical journey, but also a spiritual one. One of the four Napita translators shared as they checked the story “Jesus raises Lazarus”, that she learned from this story that Jesus works in his way. We shouldn’t be disappointed even if God hasn’t answered our prayers yet because he causes things to happen in his time. The Napita translators open their hearts to new faith journeys every time when they learn a new Bible story. There are only about 20 believers in the Napita language group. Pray that the Bible stories translated into this language will bear fruit in people’s lives.
*pseudonym
An expanded vision: Peru
AIDIA (Asociación Interdenominacional para el Desarrollo Integral de Apurimac) partners with Alliance organisations ACIEP (Asociación Cristiana Interétnica del Perú) and Wycliffe Canada. Since AIDIA began in 2006, its vision has been ‘to see the Quechua communities of the Apurimac region transformed by the Word of God’. But when the pandemic came, God opened the doors to a greater vision which includes language communities throughout Peru. Pastor Luis Cervantes, AIDIA’s director, said: “Since we started AIDIA, everything that has happened has been guided by God. We just follow his path”. Others who have served at AIDIA since the beginning can say the same. Step by step, God has opened the way. Now AIDIA’s vision is ‘to see indigenous communities all over Peru transformed by the Word of God’. It is a much bigger challenge, but AIDIA is confident that God is going ahead, showing the way. Pray for Pastor Cervantes, that God may continue to guide him in leading AIDIA under this new vision.
Briong* Old Testament translation progressing well: Asia, Australia
Thank God that the Briong* Old Testament in Asia is being translated at a good pace, despite the serious health challenges of David*, the Wycliffe Australia staff member on the translation team. Thank God for the courage and resilience of David and his wife through his illness. Praise God for how amazingly well he is doing. They thank you for your prayers. Please pray for ongoing strength, peace and complete healing. Pray James 3:17 for the team as they work with a translation consultant to check Exodus. Pray that the translation team continues to work well together, and that the Briong people are blessed by the new Scriptures they are receiving. Give thanks that funds have been made available to extend use of the recording studio. Pray for team members as they prepare to distribute MP3 players that contain the Briong New Testament, several Old Testament books and some new songs. Pray Psalm 1 over all who receive the MP3s to use them to meditate deeply on God’s Word.
* pseudonym
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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