I was expecting some kind of trials as I was finishing up the last step to complete before I could start on translation, but I wasn’t expecting it to look quite like it did last week.
Here in West Africa, being part of big life celebrations is of huge importance. And somehow, they all seemed to collide last week. Last week I went to the following:
- To visit a new baby (though by the time I got there the big party was already over)
- A 1-year-old’s birthday party
- A wedding (3 days)
- A funeral (3 days)
- To visit a sick person
Besides having all of those pile on top of each other, there were some hard things going on, too, that took time and energy and emotional energy.
But God.
Somehow, by the grace of God, amidst all of that craziness, I was able to translate the 46-page write-up that I had finished the week before and send it in to my consultant, completing the last step necessary before I can jump into translation!
And after a lazy afternoon Saturday (I had to miss two weddings, a get-together, and an activity at church to get to have one!), and getting a bit of a chance to relax and sleep, this week things look so very different. There have been no more urgent bad-news updates. I’ve only had 1 sick person to visit and 1 person to help move so far this week. And ministry seems to be flying forward:
- We finished editing three more little books in My Language!
- This morning I started reading a translation handbook again, and should get to start translating the story of Joseph within the next week or so!
- I just got word that the paperwork we had been waiting on before continuing with literacy is approved and waiting for pick-up!
- I was told that the app that we have been trying to get published on Google Play Store may get published today (after 23 months)!
- And it’s only Wednesday!
This is a good reminder of the struggle we are in here. The enemy doesn’t want us to be able to move forward, but our God is so much stronger! Please continue to pray for me, for My People, and for the ministry here. I can’t imagine that the enemy will be very happy as we start to put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) and translate the very Word of God into My Language, either.
Thanks for your prayers and all that you do that enables me to continue to live and serve here. I look forward to sharing more about how translating the story of Joseph goes in the near future!