Every Sign Points to God

The Lord is continuing to transform lives through the Scriptures. Sora shares her story about how ViBi is working to bring God's Word to the estimated 300,000 Japanese Deaf. Japanese Sign Language is one of nearly 400 sign languages in our world today. Through your prayers and gifts for my Wycliffe ministry, you are a part of seeing God reach the Deaf through Bible translation. Thank you!

Every Sign Points to God

more information about the JSL Bible Project

God answered your prayers for my drive south. He provided safety and good energy for the trip. Mom is also doing well and is grateful for your prayers. I'm back in the office now and am reconnecting with the team here. We're continuing to process and implement virtual methods of serving both new colleagues and those who have been with Wycliffe for years. Pray that we are able to use the tools the Lord has provided to care for and encourage them well.

Please let me know how I might be praying with you. It is a privilege to join you in prayer.

Equip #49

Equip 49 orientation is in the books! Such wonderful new colleagues: it was a privilege to work with them these past two weeks. They expressed their gratitude as I told them you were praying for them. They are a committed group and are eager for God to build their teams of prayer and financial partners so they might go on to their next role in Bible translation. Thank you again for your prayers on their behalf, as through your prayers and gifts for my Wycliffe ministry, you have a part in all of their future service!

The surprise in this Equip was that I missed all of this past Monday's sessions as I drove north. (Special thanks to the wonderful team with which I serve, as they took on extra load!) Mom needed a little help with some things, so my family and I did some tag-team this week. The amazing part of technology was that I was able to jump back into Equip on Tuesday from Indiana and complete the week. So grateful for that flexibility! I am also grateful for your prayers over the years for my family. The Lord's hand has been obvious many times and in many ways. Things are going well here and I anticipate driving south sometime next week.

We continue to look for best ways to minister to our Wycliffe colleagues with the current challenges in travel and group gatherings. Thanks for your prayers for wisdom for those making decisions about such matters, that they may clearly know God's direction.

Please let me know how I might be praying with you. The gift of partnering with you in prayer is a joy.

The Year in Review

Blessings to you in this new year! January started a little differently than I'd expected, but it's been good. I've been able to work from Brownsburg this week and be available for some things to help Mom. All has gone very well. Lord willing, I will drive south tomorrow. I'm grateful for your prayers for the trip up -- it was the smoothest drive I've had -- and will appreciate them on my return.

Many people observe the practice of reviewing the past year as the new one begins. Through the challenges of 2020, God has still been at work in bringing His Word to the world. Watch as Dr. John Chesnut, Wycliffe President/CEO, reviews some of the year's brightest moments for Bible translation. Through your prayers and gifts for my Wycliffe ministry, you are a part of the team God is using to accomplish all these things!

​youtu.be/X7PLSCo-JhY

We will host another two-week virtual Equip session, beginning January 16. We eagerly look forward to the time when we may be face-to-face with new co-workers, but are very thankful for technology that helps us deliver their orientation virtually now. On January 29, we will host two virtual meetings to help care for and celebrate those who have served overseas. Thanks for your prayers on our behalf as we continue to explore the most effective ways to serve our colleagues in the current paradigm.

Please let me know how I might be praying with you. It's a true privilege to join you as together, we seek God's glory in 2021.

Chameleon

Saul & Rebecca Thurrowgood are Wycliffe Australia members who are excited about Chameleon, a motion capture technology Saul has spent years perfecting. Rebecca explains that, just like the chameleon’s ability to adapt and change in order to communicate, "the goal of Chameleon is bringing the gospel to the Deaf in a new way that protects the people involved by changing their appearance." Currently, less than two percent of the world’s Deaf identify as followers of Jesus. Many do not have access to God’s Word in a language they understand—their own sign language.

There are significant barriers to videoing real people for the translation of the remaining sign languages. For many regions around the world, persecution is a daily occurrence. Filming a real person may be a dangerous move. The use of animated characters eliminates these risks and also enables the translation work to be accelerated. After many years of setbacks and trials, Chameleon 1.0 is almost ready for release. Rebecca adds: "We are so grateful knowing that this product will be a way to get the gospel out to places where it otherwise may have been impossible to create a sign language translation safely."

Story Source: wycliffe.org.au/chameleon-changing-the-future-of-deaf-bible-translation/

See the calendar for dates of my upcoming trip to Indy. God used your prayers to keep me alert and safe on the last long trip. Thank you in advance for your prayers again! I look forward to connecting with family and with as many of you as possible, within the safety guidelines that likely will continue to be in place.

Please let me know how I might be praying with you. It's a true privilege to join you.

Skills Used in Bible Translation

God uses all kinds of skills and experiences in Bible translation. Just as he uses you as you pray and give, he uses me as I arrange logistics and train and coach. He also uses translators and teachers and airplane mechanics and even… lawyers!

One colleague who came through our Equip orientation training is Majeedah Murad. Majeedah is originally from Florida. She began her legal career here and then spent several years in private practice in Dallas. She is licensed to practice law in Florida and Texas, two states where Wycliffe USA has a significant presence. Majeedah looks forward to serving at the Wycliffe USA Headquarters as associate general counsel. She is in the process now of building a team of prayer and financial partners who will invest in her Wycliffe ministry. The staff in the Office of the President eagerly anticipates her arrival.

Majeedah’s skills and expertise are greatly needed, and we would like to have her join the team as soon as possible. There are a wide variety of legal issues that confront a global organization with 3,000+ employees working in more than 70 countries. On any given day, we deal with matters related to complex contracts, employment, tax, insurance, intellectual property, international law, real estate, and more. Truly, there is never a dull moment, and this year in particular, just keeping abreast of the latest developments from the U.S. Supreme Court has called for a significant investment of time. We look forward to Majeedah’s contributions to the team. — Josh Heidelman, General Counsel, Wycliffe USA

All of us working together accelerates Bible translation so that more people have opportunity to understand God’s Word and have their lives transformed. Would you pray for God to provide for Majeedah’s Wycliffe ministry so she might be able to begin her assignment soon?

For more information, see wycliffe.org/partner/murad.

For a personal update for Lisa, visit my google group.