Streams of Prayer for November 30
The Streams of Prayer for November 30, 2020 is a circular from Wycliffe Global Alliance. This is available through Wycliffe Caribbean.
Mission belongs to God and the agent of mission is the Church. Please join with us as we pray for Alliance organisations engaged in the Church Participation Stream and for the Church as it participates in the Bible translation movement.
Translation in partnership: Cameroon
Praise God that the Nweh project started in 2019 as part of the Bamenda cluster in Cameroon. Churches in the area desire to bring the whole community to worship the one true God of the Bible. They desire to challenge and correct the widespread syncretism that blends traditional religious beliefs with Christian worship in the region. Christians believe that the Scriptures in the Nweh language will be key in this process. Praise God that CABTAL is able to partner with the church and the community in this translation. So far Matthew and portions of Luke have been drafted. Pray for unity among all the partners in the project and that the Scriptures will have a significant impact on the lives of the project staff and community volunteers as they work together.
Partnering in outreach: Ethiopia
Wycliffe Ethiopia has launched a Faith Comes By Hearing programme at Fiche Prison in collaboration with Meserete Kirstos Church Prison Ministry. The team plans to create a listening group among the prisoners. They will listen to the Audio Bible (Mega-Voice) in Oromifa for 30 minutes and discuss it. They aim to complete the New Testament within a year. So far the team has given 60 Mega-Voice audio Bibles to the prisoners. They also prayed with the prisoners, and 12 of them decided to follow Christ. So ask God to continue to bless this partnership and that many more prisoners will follow Christ.
God’s divine connections: Hungary
The director of Wycliffe Hungary visited Kenya in 2017. During that trip she met a from Bible Translation and Literacy (BTL). A friendship began to form. When the director returned to Hungary they continued to keep in touch. She recently learned that one of the Bible translation projects the consultant works with was in dire need of funds. When she heard of this need, she remembered an individual she met this past year who wanted to become involved in a Bible translation project. The director connected the two, and now the year’s remaining financial needs for this translation project are being fully provided. Praise God for these divine connections of friendship. Thank God for bringing the right people together at the right time for his plans and purposes. Ask God to bestow his rich blessing upon this new partnership. May it result in much glory to our God.
Buddy System: Europe
The Church Engagement Academy is a new focus of the Wycliffe Global Alliance Europe Area. The European team hosting these virtual meetings are encouraging staff from participating Bible translation organisations to attend the Academy with a “buddy.” This could be a director, a fellow staff person or a board member. Together the “buddies” will be able to share, discuss and process all they are learning. The buddy system will also fulfil one of the goals of the Academy, which is to form a community of reflective practice among the participants. Therefore, pray that these times together will be mutually beneficial and encouraging.
Promoting interaction and collaboration: Americas
Since 2018, the Wycliffe Global Alliance Americas Area has been facilitating dialogue among organisations in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuela, and Peru. Soon organisations from Panama and Bolivia will join them. The purpose of these conversations is to invite ministries that work in Bible translation and Scripture use to share information. The round table discussions provide a place to grow in friendship, trust, and collaboration. Pray that in 2021 the work can continue with leaders both virtually and in person. They desire to compile information on translation needs and progress in each country and share that information with the church. Also ask the Lord to lead as they develop collaborative leaders at each table, strengthen relationships with the indigenous church, and encourage new projects between ministries.
Prayer and friendship: Philippines
When the pandemic started, staff from Translators Association of the Philippines began meeting via Zoom for their weekly prayer gathering. The online prayer fellowship is always well attended and has nurtured community and friendships among the staff members across the Philippines. Therefore, pray for safety and protection as some staff members without internet access travel to connect to the virtual meetings and pray with others. Also ask the Lord to grant unity and love as they connect their hearts in prayer and as they continue working together.
Translation creates and nurtures friendships: Papua New Guinea
In 2000 Ken Nayau and a team of translators started the process of retranslation* of the Manambu New Testament. Praise the Lord that on 5 October 2020, the consultant check of the last book was completed. Also praise the Lord for the strong support of people and churches from around the world that partnered with Ken and the translation team through consistent encouragement, prayer and finances. Friendships formed as everyone contributed to reach this milestone. Pray for the team as they spend the next couple of months reading through the New Testament to do a final check of the translation. Also pray for the Manambu people to come to know Jesus as their friend as they engage with the Scriptures in their language.
*The Manambu New Testament translation was initially completed and launched in 1980, but the people found it hard to understand. After consulting with the initial translators and others, the community decided that a retranslation was needed.
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