Friday, March 20, 2015

God Changes Us

It really is all about transformed lives. As we allow the Bible to impact our lives, God changes us. That is exactly how Naomi* and Felicia* felt as they listened to the AudiBible in their heart language of Kandawo in Papua New Guinea.

​Speaking recently to the Kandawo translation team, Naomi said, “I saved up the money I earned selling vegetables and bought an AudiBible. (No bigger than a mobile phone, AudiBibles are solar-powered devices with the recently translated New Testament on them.) Now I go to sleep every night with it playing on my chest,” She smiled as she continued, “We listen to it as a family. It has changed us so that we no longer gossip, speak evil of others, or steal.”


Naomi’s daughter, Felicia, has also seen her life change after listening to the New Testament in her heart language. After her husband left her, Felicia took responsibility for feeding, clothing and educating their two children. When she met the translation team, she broke down in tears and was desperate to make them understand just how much God’s word had transformed her life.

"I face worries, heavy problems and insults," said Felicia, "but the AudiBible told me that if I humble myself under God’s mighty hand, he will lift me up. So I came to the Lord and he lightened my load."


*Names have been changed to protect their identities. Read more of their story at http://wycliffe.org.uk/blog/2015/03/softened-soil-waiting-for-the-word/

Thank you for your partnership with your prayers and gifts so that others may soon have this same access to God's Word in a language and form that is best for them.

This week, I have been particularly reminded of how inter-dependent we are... how much God uses the prayers of others on our behalf... how God prompts us to pray for each other at just the right time... and then uses those prayers in ways that only He knows and understands. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to be covered by your prayers, day after day.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Clap your hands!

Clap your hands, all you nations. (Psalm 47:1 )

When a Tanzanian claps, the sound seems loud enough to reach heaven. Steve & Mary Pence were clapping and singing with their Tanzanian brothers and sisters on the way to the celebration of the Gospel of Mark in Safwa. One of their brothers held high a small blue booklet: some of the first of God’s words ever published in this language.

A choir ran to greet them and broke spontaneously into a traditional Safwa dance—arms outstretched and knees bent. Soon a Safwa marching band took the field. Painted turquoise flowers shone fluorescent from their faces.

Safwa hymns were celebrated. The audio version of Safwa Mark is now available on smart phones. School children who peeked into Scripture booklets expecting Swahili found Safwa instead. They discovered they could easily read their own language.

For the Safwa people, there is much to celebrate. God’s Word has arrived. But it has only begun to arrive. There has been work on the books of Matthew and Acts. Completion of the New Testament is years away. Literacy rates must rise. Safwa churches and believers need to learn to use God’s Word in their meetings and their lives. Pray that the Safwa translation project will continue!

Story Source: http://www.wycliffe.net/stories/tabid/67/Default.aspx?id=5300&pg=1
For more about the Safwa translation project, search for “Safwa” at : https://theseedcompany.org

March is a month of recovery, renewal, and reengagement as we do long-range planning in the office. Mom will be coming for a visit, so there likely will be some roaming and revelry, too. J I am thankful for the health and strength God has given to both of us… and I don’t take that lightly.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership with your prayers and gifts for my Wycliffe ministry. God is using you to help provide the Scriptures for many just like the Safwa. Rejoice!