Ministry Leader Update
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” (Deuteronomy 6:24-26 NKJV)
Around the Christmas holiday at the end of the last year, our family visited a foster home in our city, where 10 children of different ages are living together in a family. As usual, we bought them some gifts and daily supplies they need. The children there were very happy to see us, they welcomed us and sat around us while we were praying for them. One of the bigger boys began to play guitar and sang a beautiful song to God with the rest of the kids joining. Though we didn’t understand what they were singing, our hearts and souls understood it in Jesus.
As we were listening to them singing, our whole family looked around at each other with smiles. We all knew at that moment that is exactly what we have been praying and hoping to happen among our people group. I began to imagine, to picture in my mind men and women, young and old, boys and girls all sitting together to sing and praise God in their heart language. There are people playing instruments, there are people singing, and there are people dancing, too. My family and I pray to God that it will come true one day and that we can see it with our own eyes and be glad in it.
My family and I had a wonderful Christmas break. Each day we spent time together to read and worship and celebrate. With Omicron’s fast spread here, the new semester began with online learning. Our children were very disappointed with that after not being able to go to school for 3 months. But thankfully, many schools are allowed to open from the second week of January. The kids were thrilled with that, and hopefully, it can stay open longer this time.
With the kids going back to school, I am able to focus on translation. Now, I am translating the book of Deuteronomy. As I am translating this book, I have a new way of understanding it. Reading word by word from the source language and translating it into the target language, it gives me a deeper understanding of God’s holiness, sovereignty, love, mercy, and wisdom. I pray that one day the people back in my homeland can find the only true God through the His words, and bow down to Him and praise Him only.
Project Update
Translation
Since the last update, we have been working on the 1st draft of Deuteronomy. Additionally, review and editing work has been done on the books of 1 Timothy and Jude.
Prayer Requests
Ask for wisdom for the ministry leaders to raise their children to follow the Lord with all of their hearts. Ask God to prepare His chosen people amongst the country, and pray that this country's people will use the translation to worship God.
The project committee has been talking to several different people and organizations about the possibility of recording the book of Luke. Ask God to guide the committee to the right partners so that we may record His words and people can hear the truth.
Pray for the project committee as they consider several different decisions for the project - that they would have wisdom and unity from the Lord.