Bible translations on the Internet (Ward newsletter)

Dear Friends & Family,

We’ve been very busy this summer. Thank you for praying for us. Life is getting even busier as we prepare for a trip and try to wrap some things up before we go. Below is a prayer request related to putting the Bible on the Internet. It represents one project among many. After that is a personal update.

Digital publication: Sensitive regions

An agency is focused on helping language communities make information, cultural material, and Scripture in their own languages available on the Internet. As the team works to develop good methods for doing this, they are experiencing many hindrances. Pray that God will protect this agency’s staff, break down the barriers, and guide them into effective and creative ways to publish materials online. Pray that the special expertise they need will be available, along with personnel and funding for this work. For many people in restricted-access countries, the Internet may be the only way they can find the Bible in their own languages.

Personal Update

About a month ago, Lynee helped in the orientation of 21 teachers who are headed all over the world to educate missionary kids (MKs). A few things complicated the preparation. The event was held in Dallas instead of the usual place, and Lynee had jury duty the week before. Thankfully, the orientation went well. The teachers were eager to learn about educating MKs (not all from the U.S.) and about cross cultural issues, and they enjoyed themselves in the process. “I simply couldn’t have imagined it being more successful. I feel much more prepared and can confidently say that I am as ready as ever to move into the field because of this orientation.”

I’m working on a font called Gentium Plus. An earlier version of the font, which we’ve been using in our printed newsletters, was released in 2004. We’ve been enhancing it by adding hundreds of letters and some features that are needed to support a much wider variety of languages. Several weeks ago, we sent it to a group of testers. Thankfully, they haven’t found any major problems. We hope this font will further Bible translation and literacy for people around the globe who may have very few fonts containing the letters of their alphabet.

Do you have a Sunday school class, home group, or church that might be interested in hearing about Bible translation or our work? We would love to share with them. We’re planning to be in Georgia September 5 - 19 to visit our support team, family, and friends. Please pray for more partners to be involved in our work. Our committed support is about $475/month short. (That is an improvement from April!) We are thankful that occasional gifts over the last twelve months have been making up the shortfall. We are very grateful for all of you who support us through prayer, friendship, encouragement, and giving.

May the Joy of Immanuel, “God with us,” encourage you today.

Thank you for praying for teacher orientation

Dear Friends & Family,

Thank you for your prayers for the teacher orientation! Getting ready for it seemed quite overwhelming at times. My manager and I were trying to figure out how to get everything done in time, and then the week before orientation, I was picked for jury duty that lasted all five days. But the Lord amazingly brought everything together anyway, and I know it was because you were praying. Thank you.

I and the rest of the staff worked long hours before and during the orientation, but it was worth it. The group was enthusiastic. One of our goals was to help the teachers understand how missionary kids (MKs) are different from most of the kids they know and therefore how teaching them is different. One person put on the evaluation, "The profiles on the MKs...helped in a HUGE way. Now when I go to the field I can understand their needs and how to address them."

Our other main goal was to help prepare them for living in another culture by doing several simulations. When the electricity went out Tuesday morning, they thought we had arranged it in order to help prepare them for going overseas (we couldn't take credit). We did one simulation to help them experience a possible airport situation overseas. At least one of the teachers thought she might have to spend the night in the warehouse if she wasn’t successful. A comment on that simulation was, "KEEP the airport simulation!"

The group ended their last evening by writing John 3:16 on a chalkboard in every language they could think of, excited they were becoming a part of the Bible translation team. Each of you that prays for us are also part of the Bible translation team.

Here's an album of eight full-sized photos from the teacher orientation. You shouldn't have to login to see it. Use the slideshow button in the upper left for the best view.
http://bit.ly/ICO_album_2010

Thank you again for your prayers.