We finished proof reading and revising some things in our two Manubu’ New Testament translations this past Monday and have sent the revised files to Philippine Bible Society (PBS). They expect to have new films made of those pages and new proofs ready to send to us to check over in about two weeks. It will be primarily a matter of our checking the page sequence. We don’t know yet when the printing will fit into the press schedule.
Two lowland Manubu’ Bible teachers, Dani and Charlitu, are hoping to be able to travel to the province of Surigao del Norte to talk with a relative of Charlitu’s and other Manubu’ about listening to the evangelistic phase of the teaching program. It is more than 200km from where they live. Please PRAY that they will soon be able to make that trip and that there will be many who will want to listen to the teaching. It would mean that at least Charlitu and his family would need to move there, and they would need either land or work or both in order to live there and teach. So, please PRAY for that too. It is more difficult for them to move and live 200km from home than it is for us to move and live across the ocean.
And there is another exciting development. A few months ago we featured in an update Telmon and Maricel. They had left a note to us saying (in Manubu’), “Older sister and older brother, we will have been married 13 years tomorrow, Feb 8. Help us by praying that we will be faithful to what God wants, and that Telmun will continue to spread God’s word because that is what he likes to do.” They are seeing answers to that prayer request.
While we were out in town for six weeks waiting for proofs of the New Testaments to arrive and then proofreading, the Lord enabled them to buy three hectares of land in the lowlands near Maricel’s home village which is not far from the village where Telmun has been traveling to by motorcycle to teach each weekend – a rough trip of about two hours each way. There are more and more people in that lowland village wanting to listen to the teaching of God’s Word, and Telmon is also teaching in another lowland village so it would be a big help if Telmon and Maricel could live there in the lowlands.
The Manubu’ don’t work fast on developing plans and carrying through on plans so it could take months or even a year or two before Telmon and Maricel actually move. Please PRAY that it will work out for them to move to their land and also have a way to earn a living there, at least until they can prepare and plant the land and have a harvest.
Isn’t it encouraging that we can bring our requests before the creator of the universe, and He answers according to His perfect will? He knows what is best for the accomplishing of His purposes and the perfect timing.