Wycliffe Canada’s desire is to help the Church in Canada increase its commitment to united, fervent, sustained, and strategic prayer for the ministries of Bible translation. How can this happen?
On a Saturday morning last May, about 100 people joined Wycliffe Canada online to pray for the Eastern Lawa Bible translation project of Northern Thailand. Prayer topics were sent out after that. It has been very encouraging to see how God has been working in this prayer community and team.
In that meeting, we prayed for a Thai couple, Opel and his wife Natt. They had joined the Eastern Lawa team but could not travel to the region because of Covid restrictions. Praise God that they could move to the village in June, that they have adjusted well, and they began literacy and Scripture engagement work.
We prayed for continued progress in translation, including the Gospel of Mark. Praise God that the team has completed a translation of the book of Ruth with three options for people to access: text, video, and Bloom Reader App. The book of Jonah is finished as well. The translation of Mark’s Gospel is nearing completion. Also, praise God that the Eastern Lawa project, which was the summer donation focus of Wycliffe Canada’s development department, received donations that well exceeded the matching gift amount and is mostly funded for the next three years!
In September 2021, we launched an online series of “Growing in Prayerfulness Together.” Our focus has been on listening to God—practising and discerning what God wants to communicate to us. I am aware of two participants who shared the idea of taking time to listen to God with their small group, and it was a positive experience for that group as well. In our September session, we read Psalm 139:12-17 and asked God, “What do You think of me?” Then we were quiet before the Lord—to allow the truths in Scripture to speak to us.
My colleague Pat shared this exercise with a friend. This friend used it herself and also shared it with her small group. God has been reminding her that she is loved and she also shared this simple but profound truth with her small group. Pat was so encouraged that her own experience could help her friend as well as the small group.
Below are some testimonies from people involved in Wycliffe’s prayer ministry, either the monthly “Encounter: Praying Together” where we interview someone from a field partner organization, or as an intercessory prayer partner for one of our field partners:
“I really like the Saturday prayer times on Zoom. Recently I have been weeping a lot for those I pray for in the trauma areas, not just Wycliffe groups but for indigenous people and for others whom I know are suffering due to abuse. Yet, how much more does God grieve than we can. . . . I am thankful to be part of this work.”
“I am blessed to pray for the ones finally getting the Scriptures in their mother tongue and how happy they are to be able to understand much clearer that God is speaking directly to them. So very exciting.”
“I appreciate the leadership from Wycliffe Canada in recruiting and supporting intercessory prayer partners for our field partners’ ministries. It is affirming and motivating to sense the importance and centrality of prayer in Wycliffe Canada's strategies for serving. It also builds relationships and commitments over time that foster and strengthen the ministry of intercession as time goes by. Thank you for this initiative!”
We praise God for the growth in prayerfulness, intercession, and knowledge about the ministries of Bible translation. Please pray with us that God will use us to encourage continued growth in 2022.
To become an intercessor for Bible transation, email intercede@wycliffe.ca
Request weekly Prayer Alive e-letter
