Pray for Bangladesh

One woman enjoyed praying and reading the Bible during her childhood. As she grew older, she attended her home church less, had an unexplained emptiness, and felt distant from God. She agreed to host a women's Bible study group in her home, despite her busy life. Now, she says, "I encountered the truth of the Bible in a life-changing way while our group studied the book of Matthew. The Bible verses struck my heart and I was able to let go of past hurts and could go back to the church I hadn't attended for years." Currently, she uses her dental practice as a form of outreach by holding Bible studies with patients. 

A class of eighth-grade students served their community by preparing a program addressing the issue of how domestic abuse affects children. The class prepared by researching the community, studying the related passages in the Bible and creating a drama, games and discussion questions. On the day of the program, a few women and children finally arrived. They seemed to grasp the message, and some participated vigorously in the discussions. The students do not yet know the impact in the village, but they had practice in addressing relevant issues. Pray that more people like these teenagers will connect Scripture to real contexts, and communicate it in relevant ways to others.

The Marma remain the largest minority language group in Bangladesh without the Bible. In the population of 150,000 there are very few believers. A partnership of organizations in Bangladesh is beginning discussions with several Marma pastors about starting a Bible translation with the goal of seeing their community transformed by the Word of God. Pray that the Marma church leaders will understand and embrace this vision and participate with a sense of commitment and ownership. Pray that they will identify several possible candidates as mother-tongue translators and members of the Translation Impact Committee.

A New Testament is nearing completion in a local language. Over the next several months, the team of translators and consultants will revise and check the final books. In addition to preparing the New Testament for printing, the team is preparing Scripture-based media products for the largely oral community. Ask God to guard the team's time, health and technical equipment as they pursue their goal to prepare the New Testament for printing late in the year. Pray that God will prepare the hearts of the people to receive and experience the fullness of God through the translated Word.

To encourage Bangladeshi believers to engage with God's Word, a partner organization is showing a promotional video and giving away 2013 calendars. These products introduce a variety of ways to use God's Word and challenge people to take steps to encounter the Bible more meaningfully. Some of the ways of engagement, like Oral Bible Storying, may be new ideas. Pray for clear understanding and opportunities for follow-up. Pray that believers will desire to use God's Word and experience transformation in their lives. Pray that seeds will be planted among Bangladeshi believers for a Scripture Engagement movement to grow through local initiatives.

Youna, the Korean Wycliffe member in Bangladesh who was suffering from cancer, has gone to be with the Lord. A few months ago, one of her colleagues wrote, “Even though I’m not the one with cancer, I’m questioning. Youna is radiating grace.” Pray for her family and friends in Korea, and the language communities in Bangladesh, where she was teaching children to read, write and improve their chances in life. “Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” (Rom 14:8)

Youna, a member of Global Bible Translators, was teaching children from minority language groups in Bangladesh to read until a few months ago, when she needed major surgery for cancer. One of her colleagues writes, “From the start, her contagious joy made this a happier place. We are trusting God for healing. She believes that, whether she dies now or lives another 50 years, the pain is just ‘a passing thing’. Youna is living in the peace that passes understanding.”