Pioneer Bible Translators August 2015 Prayer Partner Letter

The Prayer Partner Letter is a publication of Pioneer Bible Translators

August 2015

Dear Prayer Partner,

John is a first-term missionary with Pioneer Bible Translators in Africa. He is doing a great job in starting Scripture reading groups in the village where he lives as well as another village on the other side of the country. This is true in spite of the fact that he has had to evacuate the country on several occasions due to civil unrest. In fact, he wrote the recent newsletter while once again having to live in a nearby country until things settle down in his village.

Wow! I’ve Got a Lot to Update You

The Lord granted me safe, easy travels to the southeast and back, in spite of the nationwide fuel shortage and the irregularity of flight circuits in the direction I wanted to go. I had the privilege of staying with some missionaries there, who were a huge help not only through their hospitality, but also through their willingness to introduce me to many pastors and community leaders in the area.

The logistics of the Scripture reading groups kick-off event came together beautifully. The locals who worked with me on this were honest, hard-working, well-qualified to do the work, and interested in seeing the Scripture translated into this language. I found that I could communicate with them very easily, in spite of the fact that I learned this language in a town which was a two-day drive away. This ease of communication was actually something of a surprise for me, and a pleasant one, too. Not only did this homogeneity of language make it easier for me to run the kick-off event, but it will probably make the Bible translation project itself easier than I expected.

Over twenty people attended the kick-off event, including prominent community leaders, such as the Speaker of Parliament for the state government, the Director General of the state education department, and the Assistant Bishop of the whole eastern half of the country for a certain Christian denomination. Everyone seemed very interested in getting the Bible in this language. Everyone interacted well with the information I presented during the kick-off event, and I think that several will follow up and start reading groups.

So, in short, the trip went great. I think I succeeded in promoting this new Bible translation and soliciting people’s feedback on it, and I definitely made a lot of connections with some really great people.

But … my news doesn’t stop there. Four days after I got back from the southeast to my African hometown, several shootings occurred around my town, prompting me and my teammates to leave for a neighboring country. Here I’ve received news that, in my absence, my house has been broken into and looted, adding insult to injury. Thankfully, I had the presence of mind to take everything absolutely irreplaceable with me, including translation drafts, community feedback, most of my contacts in my country of ministry, etc. Nevertheless, although I don’t currently know the precise extent of the looting, it is a sad, hard blow in any case. As of this moment, the situation hasn’t improved enough for me or my teammates to book our tickets back. (Ed. Note: Since John wrote this he has found out that everything in his house has been taken except the case for his guitar.)

Thank you for your prayers,
Gerald & Ruth Denny
Coordinators of Prayer Ministries
Pioneer Bible Translators

In light of all this, John requests prayers:

for my friends and neighbors in my African hometown. The situation is still not good, and most of them don’t even have the option of getting out like me.

for me, my teammates, and our supervisors, that we would be patient and wise in this situation.

for my country of service, and particularly my African hometown, to “be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9, NIV). This country needs so badly the kind of peace that Isaiah was talking about.

Thank God with us:

for John and his teammates as they continue to perseverein fulfilling God’s calling on their lives to bring translation of Scripture in the heart language of the people group they have been serving.

that progress is being made through the Scripture reading groups John has begun.