Prayer Guide

April - June 2023

When God Changes Our Direction

When Joel and Sarah W. and family left for Myanmar (formerly Burma) in 2015, they expected to spend their missionary career in that country they had already come to love. However, when political turmoil broke out there in January 2021, it soon became obvious that their plans would have to change. Since then, they have been waiting on the Lord to make His plans obvious to them. With a love for the Burmese people remaining in their hearts, they had no desire to give up on going back there.

Within a few months, the Lord opened the door for them to move to Guam, where Joel could continue online workshops with Burmese translators. Living on Guam was delightful for the family. The children could participate in sports with other students. The family could worship together in the English-language service at the Harvest Baptist Church. Joel had the opportunity to preach and teach there on occasion. When the Lord made it possible for Joel to return to Myanmar for an in-person workshop in November, it became obvious that travel from Guam to Myanmar was not easy.

When Joel was there, he learned that while they could not yet live there long term, he could travel in and out to have workshops with Burmese people, but it was still less than ideal. The Lord opened the door for them to move to Thailand, a country closer to Myanmar. They have arrived in Thailand, and have found housing, a van, and settling in to that country. Pray as these initial steps are taken.

Being in Thailand will enable them to take some other steps that will be useful to them. There is a church where they can gather with Burmese people who worship together. They will also be able to continue their study of the Burmese language, which they had had to put aside while they were outside of Myanmar. It will also be much easier for Joel to travel back and forth from Thailand to Myanmar so that he might continue conducting workshops.

We don’t always understand, but sometime, God changes our direction. And we must simply follow.

Calendar

Project Requests

1. Jim W. working with Ngam in Chad, March 27-April 6

2. Anna Beth W. meeting with the Sara Kaba Dem in Chad, April 17-21

3. Glenn K. and Stephanie H. meeting with Luxembourgish weekly.

4. Cathy H. working with the Tenek in Maine, April 20-May 4

5. Angam R. giving translator training to the Diangello in Asia, April 10-21

6. Daniel G. checking the Eikon Old Testament storybook, April 24-28

7. Lun H. meeting with the Rhema in Asia in April and May

8. Jonathan V. working with the Riza in Asia in April and June

9. Hung K. conducting a workshop with the Asho Chin in Myanmar in April.

10. Joe V. and Sana S. participating in the Matu New Testament dedication in Myanmar on April 1

11. Chris P. working with the Rvwang in Myanmar, April 10-21

12. Ron W. meeting with the Dagaare and Waalii in Ghana in May

13. Joshua H. working online with the Dendi in Benin in May

14. Glenn and Becky K. participating in the Sango Bible dedication in Africa in late May/early June

15. Joshua H. meeting with the Day in Chad in May

16. Anna Beth W. working with the Sara Kaba Naa in Chad, May 8-13

17. Glenn K. and Anna Beth W. conducting workshops with the Sara Madjingay in Chad end of May/early June

18. Joel W. working with the Matu Chin and Taisun in Myanmar in May

19. Isaiah P. teaching linguistics in the ARRIBA program in Chile, May 22-June 2

20. Bethany B. and Tosgatna N. working on literacy and linguistics with Ngam in Chad in June

21. Anna Beth W. meeting with Sara Kaba Dem (5-20) and Ngam (19-24) in Chad in June

22. Isaiah P. working with the Tenek in Mexico, June 19-30

23. Naocha S. meeting with the Choros in Asia, June 19-30

24. Kim H. working with the Patris in Asia, June 5-16

25. Hye Ree P. meeting with the Akha in Thailand, June 5-16

Thanksgiving

26. Give thanks that the revised Sango Bibles have been printed and shipped from South Korea, and pray that they arrive safely in the Central African Republic soon.

27. Give thanks that several of our people have received their required visas for living in the country where they are doing ministry.

28. Give thanks that God has provided for a translation center in Chad that will meet our needs for years to come.

General Request

29. Pray for people to fill our need for more missionary staff: additional translation and literacy consultants, projects management, and especially for an Advancement Manager (fundraising and recruitment) and a Finance & Operations Manager (accounting, building and information technology).

30. Pray for our missionaries who need additional support and those raising support to join our mission family.

31. Pray that the financial needs for our translation projects will be supplied.