Nkukoli Update

The Nkukoli people have a team ready to begin learning Oral Bible Storytelling on February 1! Here's what that will look like: A team of 3-5 Facilitators will lead six 2-week workshops evenly spread over 2-3 years. The 4-5 participants per language (often 5-6 language groups are part of each project) are chosen by their church or their community. The participants learn to tell 30-50 stories of the Bible in their own language over the length of the project.

The whole group decides together with the facilitators which Bible stories to learn, generally starting with stories from Mark’s Gospel. Story selection varies from themes, books of the Bible, the lives of Biblical characters. The stories and storytelling are checked by translation consultants and checkers. There is a strong emphasis on using the local storytelling style in the crafting and performance of the stories. There often is immediate impact between workshops as the storytellers tell the stories in their communities (village, family, church). The stories create a hunger for more of God’s Word in the local language and are excellent preparation for more Bible translation.

Story Source: emdc.guide/resources/oral-bible-storytelling/

Read the Jan 9, 2015 update about the Nkukoli.


Thanks so much for your prayers for the January/February work project. Things have been even busier than anticipated, but it has gone remarkably well. God has been using your prayers! I can't tell you much about it, because it's working with financial things for people, but I can tell you that it has been a blessing to be a part of the process, celebrating God's provision.

Recent Highlights-- Answers to Prayer:
- Christmas with my family and friends was encouraging and enjoyable as we celebrated Jesus together.
- The extra work project is going very smoothly!
- Sundays with the Jr High are going well.
- I'm in a sustainably good routine for restful sleep now.

Items for prayer:
- The Nkukoli Oral Bible Storytelling team.
- Wisdom with clients.
- My Bible reading and prayer/devotions/quiet time plan is a little different this year. [When I get a little farther along, I'll share more. :-)] Pray that I grow more and more in love with God's Word and that I learn to know God better.

It is a privilege to partner together in prayer. Let me know how I may stand with you, too.

The Ikom Cluster Project

In January, 2015, I shared a story about Rosemary and her prayers for the Nkukoli people of Nigeria and their need for the Bible. This past week, translation began on the book of Luke, praise God!

Two weeks ago, a translation workshop for six related languages began in Ikom, Nigeria. One of those languages is Nkukoli! That means there are Nkukoli speakers (who also speak the trade language of Nigerian English) who are working with other Nigerians and missionaries to learn the principles of translation and apply them directly as they begin translating passages of Scripture into their own heart language. I cannot imagine what that must feel like! To have at least a draft of the first verses of the Word of God in your heart language for the very first time!

We will have opportunity to get regular updates now on how this project is progressing. Would you join me in praying for the six translations just beginning in Nigeria?

Click here for a brief video about the workshop!

(You can ignore the facebook login prompt and still see the video.)

Equip #35 new missionaries arrive tomorrow for their onsite orientation - 15 adults and 8 children. As always, we are grateful for your prayers for health, strength, and much wisdom during this two-week time. Your partnership through your prayers and gifts will now extend to also serve each of the peoples of the world who will someday be reached by these new colleagues. Thank you for your faithfulness!

Nkukoli

http://www.verbix.com/maps/language/Nkukoli.html

Rosemary has been a part of the Bible translation team much longer than I have. As I began with Wycliffe, she told me she had been praying for the Nkukoli people in Nigeria… for eighteen years.

I saw Rosemary during my recent time in Indy. She is still praying for the Nkukoli to have access to the Word of God in the language that best speaks to their hearts.

This month, Amy (one of the recent Equippers) begins her role as a field coordinator, managing translation projects in Nigeria. What a joy it will be to report someday that Rosemary’s prayers have been answered – that Amy or one of her colleagues has had opportunity to help facilitate a translation project for the Nkukoli people!

Since November 2009, I have been praying for the Jakati people of Ukraine. Learning of their need was a part of God’s call to Wycliffe for me. The Nkukoli and Jakati are only two of the more than 1,800 people groups who are still without a single verse of Scripture in their heart language: the language spoken amongst family members… the language in which we pray and dream. Please consider signing up to pray for one of the Bibleless Peoples of the world by going to:

wycliffe.org/prayer

January is an Equip month, when new colleagues come to Orlando for their two-week onsite orientation to Wycliffe USA. Our goal is to fully equip these “newbies” so they may begin their field assignments as quickly as possible, so Bible translation may be accelerated. As always, the staff and participants depend on your prayers for wisdom, strength, health, and much productivity during our time together. Your influence on God’s Kingdom will now extend to this new group of folks and to all of those whom they will one day impact. Praise God!