April 2024

Dear PRAYing family and friends,

Being clean is a good feeling! How nice it is to have a warm shower after a long day in my office. In Kuala Randau village, after a long hot day of sweating in our team’s translation office, I would gather my mandi basket that held my soap, shampoo, coconut husk for scrubbing and head down to the cool river to get clean again. Whether here or there, nothing beats that clean, fresh feeling after the shower, dip in the river or whatever. Indonesians always start their day with a mandi.

The Lord has been speaking to my heart about the cleansing He has done and is constantly doing in our hearts and minds. Some verses that I’ve been meditating on are: “the blood of Jesus cleanses us from ALL sin” 1Jh 1:5-9 “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness” Eph 2:26 “having cleansed (His Church) by the washing of water with the word” Jh 15:3 “Already you ARE clean because of the Word that I have spoken to you.” And our draft of Psalm 19 that we’ve been working on this month: “Cleanse me/declare me innocent of secret/hidden faults/sins/sins I don’t realize that I’m doing. Keep me also away/Guard my heart from doing sins on purpose/something that I know is sin and I do it anyway/presumptuous sins.” I am so thankful for God’s Word in my heart language that convicts, pierces even to the motives and intents of my heart, and then does that wonderful forgiving, cleansing work that only He can do. He can and does because He paid the awful price for that sin, my sin, on the cross.

There’s a verse of “My Living Hope,” one of my favorite songs that echoes my heart cry:

Thank you so much for your prayers this month! We have really sensed the Lord’s presence and strength with us. I (Darcy) along with my translation team have made good progress translating Psalm 1, 8, 14 and 19. Psalms is a new literary genre for our translation team. I had forgotten how hard it is learning to express a new literary genre in another language. Are you ready for a lesson in logic and translation comprehension testing today? Here goes:

Ps 1:1 says, “Blessed is the man who…and 3 things…” In the Semandang language, if a sentence structure says that A equals 1, 2, 3, a native Semandang speaker will automatically assume (or logically process) the sentence to mean that the 1, 2 and 3 things are different ways of expressing exactly the same thought. No matter how many times they hear and rehear the whole verse in comprehension testing, a Semandang person will only say back to me that God blesses the life of a person who doesn’t do bad things. But in the original language so much meaning goes missing when that’s all they are hearing. A typical Semandang sentence using that structure goes something like this: “I hope that you are well, that you are not sick and that you are healthy and strong.” When a person uses this particular structure, the hearer will literally “hear” the first part and automatically assume the following two items are saying the same thing. That’s the way their language works.

So for our draft to make the transfer (complete and with clear comprehension) to their mind, we have to say, “There are humans in this world whose lives are very blessed-fortunate than other people! Those people whose lives are very blessed-fortunate are like this: First they refuse to hear/obey the advice of bad people. Secondly their lives even don’t follow the bad deeds-works of people who are always making/doing sin. And thirdly that person/people whose lives are very blessed-fortunate refuse to live in one fellowship-one friendship with people whose work/doing is always hating God and blaspheming (doublet) Him.” Though it’s long and wordy, it communicates the whole message! I’m sure this draft will still need some work on it, but I’m thankful that it has now been clearly communicated and my translation team have all been very moved by hearing it in their heart language and truly understanding it for the first time.

One of our dear missionary ladies, Yujung Kang, has been working alone for years in the Kantuq tribe. This month new missionary families will be visiting her to make initial evaluation whether that might be a place/team the Lord would be leading them to join. Pray for wisdom for them as they visit Yujung in her village and especially pray that the Lord will bring co-workers to join her. Also please pray that the Lord will give clear direction as to where He wants each one of our new families in Asia-Pacific to serve. His plans are always BEST.

Mom, Dad and I are doing well. I am praising the Lord for another clear cancer check last week. Mom also just had her eye checked again and we praise God for her vision in that eye. It hasn’t diminished and no shots have been necessary for the past 2 ½ years. Also last month we mentioned my computer files that I deleted accidentally. I am thankful that most of them have been recovered or old versions found.

• Praise for recovery of most of Darcy’s files and good health, clear cancer check, etc
• Praise for the wonderful cleansing power of the WORD of God
• Praise for new families joining the team in Asia-Pacific
• Pray for co-workers to join Yujung in the Kantuq tribe
• Pray for Oke and Grace as they head out to P city next month for Oke’s health check
• Pray for Grace as she checks out high schools and dorms for next year
• Pray for God’s wisdom in replacing our car

Thank you so much for your partnership in the gospel,

Ron, Nita and Darcy Berglund