Wycliffe Mission Camp Hungary. This mission camp, July 5-11, is a one-week mobilizing program held every two years. It is for Hungarian Christians who are interested in foreign missions and would like to know more facts and possibilities. This year it will be held in a new location. About 30 participants are expected. Please pray for teamwork, unity and strength for the staff who come from different parts of Europe. Pray for more participants and a growing interest concerning Bible translation within the Hungarian Church. Pray for those who will come—for God’s leading in their lives.

One-time course Dallas, Texas, USA. The course, “Translating the Psalms as Poetry and Song” will be offered, possibly only once, from July 22 through August 18. It is offered through the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics*. Pray for wisdom in course planning and for course goals to be met. Pray that students will learn how to translate the Psalms in a way that will speak the heart language of the people they eventually work with. They will study the poetic and song features and genres of Hebrew and English, and compare them with examples from mother-tongue translations.

* http://www.gial.edu/index.htm

Scripture in Filipino Sign Language Philippines. The Filipino Sign Language translation team hopes to dedicate some portions of the Bible by May 2010. Two of the translation team’s goals are: 1) complete one-third of the material by December 2009 and hold a mini-dedication; and, 2) finish the whole project of 32 stories and record them on DVDs for distribution at the official dedication in 2010. Pray that God will help the team overcome any obstacles and be able to finish the work. Pray the Lord will prepare the hearts and minds of Deaf Filipinos to receive the Bible’s message of salvation.

Radio for minority languages Peru and beyond. Dany and Sara Parado work in media services with ILMAV*. They facilitated recording the Cajamarca Quechua New Testament. In the process, they trained an additional recording technician from a local church, with plans to train even more people. During June, Dany was in Guatemala to present a condensed workshop on how to plan, produce and present radio programs in local languages. Pray for the trainees as they return to their local areas enthused about producing radio programs. Pray that as people hear God’s Word, they will be transformed.

* ILMAV: In English, stands for "Impacting Minority Languages through Audio Visual Means" ("Impactando las lenguas minoritarias por medio de Audio-Visuales" in Spanish.)

Americas Area leadership meeting follow-up Brasilia, D.F.*, Brazil. Bible translation leaders met for four days in May, 2009. The meeting theme was "Mobilizing the Church - 24 hours." They planned and shared strategies, learning much from one another. Their goal is to encourage the Church across Latin America to have greater involvement in Bible Translation. The insight and fervor of new, emerging leaders was refreshing. Thank God that He continues to be the architect and builder of this movement. Pray for these leaders who have now returned to their home countries to carry out the plans made in the meetings.

* D.F. stands for "Distrito Federal", or "Federal District, in English

Growing use of Bribri New Testament Costa Rica. Praise God that people in the Bribri language community are using their New Testaments* in several different ways. Bribri speakers participate in listening and reading groups meeting in six homes. The husband of one woman attending such a group has now decided to join her in following the Lord. Pray for growth and faithfulness. The Bible Society of Costa Rica is encouraging use of the New Testaments in churches. Plans are underway to broadcast the New Testament audio version on a popular radio station. Pray that this increased exposure to God’s Word will bear lasting fruit.

* The Bribri New Testament was dedicated in August 2007.

Scripture Use workers needed Pacific. Having a New Testament sitting on a shelf is not the goal of translation teams. They want the books used and the life-giving words taken to heart so that lives are transformed by the power of God’s Word. Scripture Use workers are adept at encouraging people in making the most of their translated Scriptures. More Scripture Use workers are needed in the Pacific region where some people come from pre-literate societies. Thank God for the translation work that has already been accomplished in the region. Ask Him to please send more workers.

Four New Testaments dedicated Ghana. In February 2008, we praised the Lord together that New Testaments in the Selee, Siwu, Sekpele and Tuwuli languages were approved for typesetting. Fourteen months later, they were printed, shipped and delivered. During Easter Week 2009 they were dedicated and distributed in the central Volta Region. During the first three weeks, one of the languages actually sold out and already needs to be reprinted. The beauty, pageantry and expressions of joy were all distinctly Ghana's own. We can praise God together for this, and be thankful that we helped through our prayers.

Stories from Luke's Gospel sensitive location, Asia. Praise God for the painstaking work of love that goes into translating His Word. Teams working in three languages have finished translating, or are in the process of translating, nine small story books from the Gospel of Luke; for example, "The Good Samaritan" from Luke 10, and "The Prodigal Son" from Luke 15. The next step is to write a 'back translation*.' Pray that the Lord will continue to give each team joy, perseverance and continuing expertise.

* Drafted Scriptures are translated back into a language of wider communication so that a qualified translation consultant can check for omissions, extraneous thoughts or possible misconceptions.

Translation consultants' vital part Asia, Global. Praise God that a consultant recently completed a check of the story of Joseph in a sensitive location in Asia. The language team offers special praise for the consultant who worked with them. He was relaxed, cheerful and friendly. He had a good effect on the entire team in the process. (A consultant thoroughly goes over the translation with the team, checking for accuracy, clarity and naturalness, and looking for omissions, extraneous thoughts or possible misconceptions.)

JESUS Film script completed quickly Guyana. In March and April, two organizations worked jointly to produce the audio track for the JESUS Film in Carib, specifically the West Carib dialect. They did this by using the script from the JESUS Film in the Eastern Carib dialect spoken in Suriname and French Guiana. By using the Jesus Film audio from the Suriname dialect, the audio script in the Western dialect was adapted and finished in just three weeks*. Pray now as the joint team looks for voice actors to record the parts for the dramatized version. Pray for the timing and completion of this project.

* The two dialects are closely related.

The role of the Church Asia. Bible translation can move forward more successfully with interaction in both directions between Bible translation teams and the Church. Here are examples, some of which are repeated in multiple locations worldwide: a Bible translator gives praise for a church visit to strengthen their partnership; a church provided funds for the recording of HIV/AIDS songs* in a local language; a Bible translator ministered God's Word among the youth of a church in a capital city. Pray these young people will receive a burden for missions. Pray too for one organization looking to the Lord for new facilities.

* Such educational principles may be more easily remembered when set to music than merely being written in prose.

Care of workers' spiritual vitality Asia, Global. Praise God that in one Bible translation organization, a member has completed a ministerial master's degree. Pray that God will grant the ability, wisdom and understanding to help her care for her fellow members. She wants to see each one able to minister well in the local language groups in which they serve. Some cross-cultural workers thrive, worshiping in a second language, or keeping their faith strong even when isolated from other believers. Others benefit from pastoral care. Pray that the Lord will keep strong and spiritually resilient the workers you know.

Big step into Bible translation ministry Asia. Pray for a worker training others in linguistic analysis. The materials are not easy. He asks prayer for strength and wisdom. After participating in training, he will move to another location for four years to join a team serving a minority language community. Pray that God will be with him each step of the way. Ask God to bless the preparations for his commissioning service at his church. May the church understand clearly how much he needs their backing. Praise God for his coming assignment. Pray the people group will be receptive to God's Word.