May 2019 News Update

by

Some of the 400+ attendees at the 49th General Believers Conference
of the Tribal Christian Ministries of the Kalanguya

Greetings from the Philippines!

PROGRESS! We are praising the Lord for the progress that is being made on getting the final manuscript of the Kalanguya Bible ready for the printer!  Bob and the Translation Team are still reading (and making necessary improvements) through the Pauline epistles but they should be finished by the end of May!!  A typesetter trained by Wycliffe Bible Translators will be coming to our place in the province on June 17th to do the “typesetting” here where our translators can work along with her.  That is a real blessing!  A typesetter sets up the Bible pages using a computer program to include not only text, but the book names and chapters, section titles, pictures when needed, page numbers, cross references, footnotes, etc.  Look at all that is on one page of your Bible and you’ll see what we mean!  We’re excited but yes, a bit weary with the process!  But oh, how incredible it will be when this complete Bible is in the hands of the people who will read it, study it and grow in their understanding of God’s marvelous story of grace and redemption from Genesis to Revelation!!

We had the great JOY of being part of our 49th General Meeting of the TCMK this past weekend! A representative group from each of the 30 local church gathers in a different village each year and this year, it just happened to be our turn, here at our Center, which was very fortunate for us (Bob and me) as traveling to these mountain villages gets more difficult for us with each passing year!  We had 400 plus people here off and on throughout the weekend.  Our meetings included 5 teaching sessions, a variety of music, reports from all the churches from the elders, and testimonies from the believers.  

On Sunday morning, before we all dispersed to go back home, we shared Communion together, remembering the death of Jesus who bore our sins in His body on the cross and shed His blood for the remission of sins.      

At this year’s conference, it was almost as if we (Bob and me) were sitting on the outside, looking in. Even though Bob taught one of the sessions, we had no part in organizing or making preparations for the conference or in their plans for the coming year of ministry and outreach.  The TCMK churches are strong and solid; they love the Lord, they are eager to keep on learning, they value fellowship with fellow believers and are effectively reaching out to those who are still unsaved!  TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE AND CONTINUES TO DO!!

FUNDS FOR THE PRINTING OF THE KALANGUYA BIBLE

…….have continued to come in and we are SO ENCOURAGED with how God has provided through His people!  The total that has been raised at this point to print the entire Bible in the Kalanguya language is $83.000. Our target goal is $150,000 to cover all the expenses related to this translation project!! We are grateful and thank our loving friends and supporters for how they’ve responded to God’s prompting in their hearts and minds to support this worthy project!  You can still give – the number of Bibles we print will depend on how much we have on hand at the time of printing!  Here’s how!

1. For giving using a credit card and to get a tax deductible receipt, go to the ETHNOS360 website: https://ethnos360.org/projects/kalanguya-bible-printing

2. The GoFundMe page on Facebook: www.gofundme.com/first-kalanguya-bible-in-print 

3. Send a check to: Ethnos360, 312 W First Street, Sanford, FL 32771-1231.   Write the check to New Tribes Mission or Ethnos360.  Include a slip of paper that says “Kalanguya Translation: Philippine Field Fund”.  Your gift will go through the mission’s office which will give you a tax receipt, then sent directly to our mission office in the Philippines.

PRAISE AND PRAYER POINTS

  1. Praise for the success of the 49th General Conference, for the blessing it was to everyone who was able to attend, for God’s presence among us as we worshiped, prayed and sang together!
  2. Praise for generally good health and strength during these past few months for Bob and me.
  3. Pray for the Translation Team (Bob, Margie and Sarah) as they complete the final reading of the New Testament and make any necessary changes.  Pray for wisdom and clear understanding, both of the Scripture passages and for the way the Kalanguya language can make the meaning clear. 
  4. Pray for the typesetter who comes to set up the Bible pages, that that work can be done quickly and accurately.
  5. Pray for the Kalanguya believers who faithfully serve the Lord in their own villages that God would keep them humble and dependent on Him as they teach and live the Word before their fellow Kalanguya.

Bob and I will be boarding a plane in Manila on June 25th to head home to the USA.  Pray that God will give us peace in our hearts as we leave the Bible manuscript in the hands of the Translation Team and the printer!  Of course, we’ll be back………….for the Dedication of the Kalanguya Bible!  We will be sure to let you know when that will be.  We understand the printing process will take 3-4 months.  Our Team here will keep us apprised of the progress and let us know when we will have BIBLES in hand!

YOU HAVE BEEN A VITAL PART OF THIS ENDEAVOR OF REACHING THE KALANGUYA PEOPLE WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND PUTTING GOD’S WORD IN THEIR HANDS!

2 Corinthians 1:11 “…you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that many thanks may be given….”

THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND LOVING SUPPORT!