{"id":162,"date":"2015-10-26T04:31:50","date_gmt":"2015-10-26T10:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/moretruthandlife.org\/?p=162"},"modified":"2015-10-26T04:31:50","modified_gmt":"2015-10-26T10:31:50","slug":"midpoint-update-clarifying-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moretruthandlife.org\/?p=162","title":{"rendered":"Midpoint Update – Clarifying Need"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the past few months, Lydia and I have been really struggling with the concept of living by faith\u2014and finances are only the tip of the iceberg with this topic.\u00a0 The varied intersections of life and faith seem to be more like a four-interstate exchange than a four-way stop (of which I\u2019ve seen zero in Africa\u2026why have with stop signs when the public transport busses simply flash their brights and plow through any and every intersection).\u00a0\u00a0 Faith is a bigger concept than belief, and life decisions are rarely straight-forward.\u00a0 God uses dreams to help us traverse these roads, both the images born at night and the vision we have for the future, but more on this later, I want to keep this update short and to the point.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_20151025_152446310\"<\/a>The girl sitting next to me in the picture is named Tswara.\u00a0 She and her friend Poncho (hidden at the back of the bus) have been working to translate the Bible into their native tongue.\u00a0 Poncho, a single mother, started translating the Gospel of Mark with no training or support; no computer or internet connection at home; no idea of what it would take to finish.\u00a0 She simply knew that Jesus had changed her life and she wanted to bring life to her own people.\u00a0 Now, Poncho and Tswara are a part of an organization (Lutheran Bible Translators), have an office with computers, and are both working on obtaining an accredited Diploma in Bible Translation through The Word for the World.\u00a0 They are both helping to bring the transformational\u00a0gift of God\u2019s word to their people, and will have done so before their children are grown.<\/p>\n

Faith–that beautiful and difficult meeting place of evidence, obedience, and power\u2014drives people like Tswara and Poncho to reach for seemingly impossible goals to bring life to their families and their communities. \u00a0These training events held by The Word for the World are making valuable cross-organizational and cross-cultural improvements to ongoing work all across Africa.\u00a0 It has been amazing and eye-opening to be both a student and a teacher at this event.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been here for three weeks now and the vast need for help in a variety of ways is becoming incredibly clear.\u00a0 People at home have questioned why Lydia and I are doing \u201ctwo different things\u201d as we start to work with Bible translation and women\u2019s empowerment.\u00a0 More and more, we see that the work God is putting before us is intrinsically tied together.\u00a0 Our blurry vision is clarifying.\u00a0 Communities need the truth of God in a reliable and understandable form which can be used a reference for teaching, a source of inspiration, and a tool for preserving language and culture.\u00a0 As a community is changed, the women need to be literate, trained, equipped to care for children, and empowered to stand up for the truths revealed in Scripture.\u00a0 God is sanctifying families by revealing His truth and empowering these precious people of His kingdom.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_20151011_093832868\"<\/a>At this point, my training is going well.\u00a0 The specific needs of the projects within the World for the World are becoming clear.\u00a0 Lydia\u2019s opening lectures and initial interviews with women leaders are going fantastic.\u00a0 God is giving us the evidence of His working here with us; and it is amazing to feel the arms of a loving father gently, but firmly, guiding us in His will.\u00a0 We are learning to live by faith, because He is faithful.<\/p>\n

Prayer Requests<\/h2>\n