The following is additional detail regarding our recent Praise Reports and Prayer Requests as well as additional items for prayer. You may print this page to help you pray over each item.
Please email us and let us know how we can pray for you too.
Praise Report:
· The Ila language group has shown a lot of initiative in getting their Bible translation project going.
This comittee has raised funds locally in Zambia to support their own work. Praise God for Zambians who are learning to be blessed.
· The Taabua New Testament arrived safely and is being distributed
The New Testament copies arrived in northern Zambia and are being distributed but much more work needs to be done to get the copies out.
· God provided in many ways through the Missionary Home Building Project in 2007-2008.
In May of 2007 we began to build a home in the USA so that we would not have to pay rent each time. Besides, it's just hard to move every time we are back and we had no place to store things.
Over the course of a year over 190 people from over 40 different congregations came to help build. Other people gave materials and tools for us to borrow or keep. The home is now rented out until we can use it next time we are back.
· God provided for Sarah to go to school where she wanted to go.
Our oldest daughter, Sarah, wanted to either finish her High School in the USA or possible attend a missionary boarding school here in Africa. God provided when one family provided the funds she needed for the first year of her school.
Sarah is two countries away from us in Kenya at Rift Valley Academy with many other missionary kids. While she misses her family much, and we miss her too, we know the Lord is in this. Sarah is doing well in school.
Prayer Needs
For facilities such as a home that can be made into a training center for Bible translation students. Pray for both the funds and the location of a suitable place.
Currently we have to pay rent to live in Zambia. This is expensive but unless we owned a place here there are no other alternatives. Since our organization is now registered in Zambia we could purchase a plot or facility where people could come to receive training. Pray that God miraculously supplies.
Our work has been hindered in this last two years by a lack of facilities. Our office is cramped and facilities are needed where students could come to complete Bible translation training as well as work with the ex-prostitutes that Sue works with.
Empty lots or buildings are for sale in the capital city of Zambia, Lusaka, but can cost tens of thousands of dollars. God can supply. Pray that He puts the need on someone's heart and that property becomes available. Or perhaps we can join with another ministry to share some land. God knows how this can work.
We also need a home where Kapasa and his family can work from Lusaka. While in Zambia they shared our residence.
· For the Harvest. For more members and capacity to support more Bible translation projects
 | That God would call
more Zambians into Bible Translation. There are about 10 languages
in |
|
For cooperation among all denominations that have churches among these groups. |
|
That we would meet the key people who will best serve as translators. |
|
That those areas of these tribes that are not reached would be prepared for the translated Scriptures. |
|
Pray that more people from the USA and around the world would join with us in Bible translation as well as go themselves. |
There are about 10 different language groups here in Zambia that still don’t have any translation. We are looking into working with the Soli and Ila languages.
We’ve also been asked to help the Chikunda project that is based in Zimbabwe. Speakers of this language group are also in Zambia. The project wants to finish the Old Testament and wants us to help set up committees that would review the work.
The key to all of this is prayer. Through our prayers God can supply the right people. God needs to bring them to this work and give them the initiative and strength to do it. We also need safety as we travel to these areas. The local churches that are here need to contribute finances to pay the workers in the project while other finances help with things such as travel costs and computers for the translation work. Financial gifts given through individuals and churches are a way that they can be directly involved. It's an actual exchange of the time you spend at work to efforts on the mission field.
- Pray that more people get the vision to join The Word for the World Bible Translators as members, as well as getting involved when they can't actually go.
· For distribution of the Taabua New Testament
This is a big and exciting thing. The New Testaments were printed in South Korea in 2007 and traveled by boat to Tanzania. Then they traveled overland to the northern part of Zambia.
We are partnering with another ministry, called ProChristo that is purchasing a boat on Lake Tanganyika. This boat will be used to do ministry around the lake area. It is a six hour difficult boat ride the biggest city in in the Taabua area. There are storms on the lake as well.
There are many needs in this area for the Gospel. War has devastated the western shores of this lake, where the Taabua people live. Pray that we can get the New Testaments to their location and that God’s Word penetrates the hearts of the people.
Our Taabua team members, invited us to a dedication service at the end of November 2008. We joined with the Taabua people to launch completion of the New Testament and it was exciting to see copies being purchased.
The New Testaments are sold for less than what they cost to print and distribute them. Prices will be about several dollars. It's important that the local people pay for them as they will not value them as much if they are given away for free.
- Pray for the establishment of literacy classes among the Taabua in remote areas.
- Pray that the Word is powerful and effective among the Taabua people.
· For work among ladies leaving prostitution
During our last term Sue met twice a week with these ladies but she is seeking the Lord's will for how to re-enter this work.
Pray that they can find real, good jobs that would keep them from returning to such a terrible lifestyle.
Pray for a co-worker Ansie and her family who are also working with the ladies. Pray that we find a home where the ladies could be housed and discipled.
· Pray for peace in neighboring countries
- To the south of us, Zimbabwe's economy has been ruined. where there is much unrest. Recently many refugees have fled into Zambia.
- Fighting has renewed again in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north of us. Some refugees have that fled into Zambia during the last war have started to return to the DRC but with the possibility of war spreading again, chaos could develop.
· Other prayer requests:
- That God would raise up Christian leaders in African governments who will serve their people honestly and with integrity.
-