Carol has not been feeling well for a couple of months now with various
gastric symptoms and fatigue. While we were in town for five weeks
watching over the NTM guesthouse she went to a doctor and was prescribed
antibiotics for intestinal bacteria which made her very sick and didn’t
cure her. Although blood test showed negative for H Pylori we traveled
to another town where she could get an upper endoscopy. Got there and
found a sign on the doctor’s door that she was out of town until later
in the month. So we flew back to our home in our tribal village.
Natural remedies have taken care of some symptoms, but she is still
fatigued and has frequent very “yucky” stomach. When our pilot returns
from meetings in the States later this month we’ll fly out to town so
she can get the endoscopy diagnostic. Please *PRAY *for correct
diagnosis and recovery.
Although Carol has to lie down for awhile off and on during the day,
most days she has been able to work at her computer. The past few days
she has been looking up cross references for the chapters of Proverbs
that Gene has translated with the help of Pulding.
The tabernacle portions of Exodus were a challenge to translate because
of figuring out just how some of the things were to be made. Simple
things like was the decoration around the edge of something flush with
the top or did it stick up a bit above the top. Different Manubu’ words
depending on where the decoration was to be put. And then the times God
said to Moses, “Make it like I showed you on the mountain” – how does
one figure that one.
We thought that Proverbs would be easier to translate, but there are so
many different meanings of so many words plus since vowels aren’t
written in Hebrew commentators will say that depending on the vowels
intended a word could be this word or that word or another word. So, as
translator, Gene has to consider the context and also which of the many
possible meanings of a verse don’t conflict with other verses of
scripture. Translation of scripture is always challenging and very
interesting to do.
Gene finished translating chapter 24 of Proverbs today – just seven more
chapters to go. Please *PRAY* as we decide which OT book to translate
next. It is very unlikely that we will be able finish translating the
whole OT in our life time so we have to chose priorities of what to
translate – what will be most beneficial to the Manubu’ believers.
We’re thinking of maybe Ecclesiastes next. It was very challenging to
Gene when he was first saved and helped him to focus his life on the
Lord, and the first time he preached it was from that book.
*PRAISE* Last week Gene drove out to a town on the highway (5 hours
away) accompanied by four Manubu’ men. They saw the Lord work in
amazing ways so that Dani, a lowland Manubu’ Bible teacher, was able to
get his driver license and buy a motorcycle financed by his fellow
believers with some help from our project fund. Gene was able to renew
the registration for our Toyota Hilux off-road pickup in just a few
minutes time instead of the usual many hours. He also bought a new
motorcycle for us. The Manubu’ Bible teachers here in our village have
bought our old one.
Our Hilux hasn’t been starting well – wouldn’t start when were ready to
leave for the trip at 5a.m. – had to charge the battery. Not clear
whether the problem is battery or starter. But, PTL it started okay
during the whole trip although Gene did disconnect the battery overnight
which may have helped. Please *PRAY* Gene and Mahan will be able to
diagnose the problem and fix it.
We are so thankful for all of you who are partners with us through
prayer and gifts. You are a vital part what God is doing among the
Manubu’ language group.