Everything is Possible

"Everything is possible with God."
Mark 10:27 (NLT)

Going to a foreign country and learning a unwritten language that nobody has ever studied before seems difficult enough. But translating the Bible into that language and communicating the same meaning that was communicated to the original audience thousands of years ago seems impossible. How do you talk about the "Good Shepherd" among people that have never seen a sheep? What is the "Bread of Life" for people whose primary staple is not bread but sweet potatoes? How do you communicate what Jesus did on the cross for a people group with no concept of forgiveness? The task seems impossible and opportunities for error abound. But Jesus tells us that "everything is possible with God." It is only by God's grace as he guides and directs us that we can hope to succeed as Bible translators.

Trusting God for the Impossible
In 1945, Cameron Townsend, the founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators went to Peru with a tremendous vision and little else. But God provided all he needed to do what seemed impossible. Watch Adam tell the story below.

Why Sociolinguistics Matters
One of the classes Martha is taking this summer is Sociolinguistics, which is how language is used in society. As Bible translators we have to be aware of how language can vary based on things like social status and geography. Can you imagine if the translators of the Bible into English mistakenly chose a regional dialect of English and translated Matthew 5:13 as "Y'all are the salt of the earth" or "Youse guys are the salt of the earth" or "Yinz is the salt of the earth"? It sounds funny, but that is exactly what can happen if Bible translators aren't aware of how language is used in society.


Prayer Requests
Please pray for energy as we enter the second half of our ten week linguistics program at the University of North Dakota. Please also pray for favor as we share our story and mission at various churches in August.

By The Numbers
Months to Departure: 6
Words for 'carry' in Tzeltal: 26

Calendar
Jul 14 - Adam & Martha's Anniversary
Aug 5 - Last Day of Classes
Aug 7 - Greeley First Assembly
Aug 14 - Crossroads Victory
Aug 17 - Radiant Church
Aug 21 - Oxnard Bible Church
Aug 24 - Colton First Assembly
Aug 28 - Bethany Chapel
Aug 31 - Crossroads Church


Snapshot

Visiting Grand Teton National Park
on our way to North Dakota.

In Their Own Language

"We all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done."
Acts 2:11 (NLT)

As you read this, we are somewhere along our 1,941 mile journey to Grand Forks, North Dakota, where we will be studying linguistics for the next ten weeks. Our linguistics studies will give us the tools we need to learn a language that has never been written down and that nobody has ever really studied before. We won't know what language group we will be working with until after our arrival in Papua New Guinea, but our studies this summer will prepare us for whatever we encounter. Our goal is that one day soon, one of the nearly 300 Bibleless people groups in Papua New Guinea will hear, in their own language, "about the wonderful things God has done."

Why Not Just Teach Them English?
One of the first questions that people have when they hear about our work as Bible translators is, "Why go through all the trouble of learning a language that has never been written down? Why not just teach people English so they can read the Bible in English? Wouldn't that be easier?" That's a good question! And to answer that question, we've prepared a video so that you can see for yourself what it's like to hear the Bible in a second language. Then you can judge for yourself how effective such an approach would be. Watch the video below.

Prayer Requests
Please ask God to help us learn the linguistic concepts we need to know as we prepare to learn a language that nobody has ever studied in depth. Please also pray that we would make time for rest and recreation together as a family during a very busy summer.

By The Numbers
Months to Departure: 7
Miles to Grand Forks: 1,941

Calendar
Jun 4 - Arrival in North Dakota
Jun 4 - Martha's Birthday
Jun 7 - First Day of Classes
Jun 12 - Valley Christian Center

What If You Couldn't Read This?

Nearly one billion people in the world cannot read or write. The result is a continuous cycle of illness and poverty. Bible translation programs break this cycle by teaching people how to read and write in their own language.

Imagine a world where the language that you speak – the language that reaches into your heart and soul, your hopes and dreams, your laughter and your tears – has never been written down. Imagine starting school, only to find that all instruction and teaching materials are in a language that you do not speak or understand. Imagine picking up a booklet that contains vital information on the prevention of deadly diseases prevalent in your homeland and having no idea what it is telling you to do to protect yourself. Imagine seeing a jumble of symbols that make absolutely no sense to you, but for privileged others they hold the very words of God.

Teaching Numanggang primary
school students to read in their
own language.

Literacy changes the way people think about themselves. It gives new value to their language and culture, and by implication, to their own person as well. Literacy also opens the door for education and growth. Readers can learn how to improve their family’s health, run a business, defend themselves from fraud, seek justice and, above all, grow closer to God by reading the Scriptures.

The issue of literacy is near and dear to our hearts. Martha’s mother grew up in Mexico, where she was put to work at the age of ten. She never went to school or learned how to read or write. Martha was fortunate, however, to receive the education that her mother never received, and it is no surprise that Martha has such a strong desire to help others learn how to read. As we receive a Bible translation assignment in Papua New Guinea, it is our desire to have Martha work closely with native speakers to establish a literacy program and help others break the cycle of illness, poverty, and illiteracy.

God is Faithful 
Jesus said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Mt 6:33). We have been amazed at how God has provided for us above and beyond our expectations as we have been faithful to pursue his call on our lives. We are so thankful for our many faithful partners, who are truly sharing in the work of bringing God’s Word to people who have never before heard it in their own language.

Bella, Asher, and Jacob at the park.

Light for the Lost 
In March, we were privileged to participate in nine Light for the Lost events in eleven days. Light for the Lost is a ministry of the Assemblies of God to provide Bibles and gospel literature in multiple languages all around the world. We were blessed to receive tremendous favor as our ministry of Bible translation was highlighted at each event. We gave away nearly 150 of our DVDs to people who committed to pray for us, and we made connections with many wonderful people who believe in the work of Bible translation.

The Kimyal People 
At many of the Light for the Lost events, the organizers showed a video of the Kimyal people of West Papua, Indonesia receiving the New Testament for the very first time in their own language (see below). Our vision is to participate in a celebration just like the one in this video when one of the nearly 300 Bibleless people groups in Papua New Guinea receives the Word of God in their own language for the very first time in history. Our goal is to see it happen in seven to ten years.

What’s Next?
In June, we head to the University of North Dakota for ten weeks to complete our pre-field linguistics training. Adam will take classes in Phonology, Ethnography, Writing Systems, and Field Methods, while Martha will complete the courses Adam took last summer including Second Language Acquisition, Syntax & Morphology, and Socio-linguistics. In August we will share at churches in Colorado before returning to California, where we will continue sharing at churches while also making our final preparations to depart for the field in January.

Alive and Powerful

"For the word of God is alive and powerful."
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)



In March 2010, the Kimyal people of West Papua, Indonesia (which is located on the same island as Papau New Guinea) received the New Testament in their own language after more than 25 years of translation work. An incredibly powerful video was made documenting the day the Kimyals finally received the completed New Testament, which was delivered by an airplane landing on a grass landing strip. Watch the video below to see for yourself just how alive and powerful the Word of God is. Our vision is to one day participate in a celebration just like this one as one of the nearly 300 Bibleless people groups in Papua New Guinea receives the Word of God in their own language for the very first time in history.





March Madness
Our schedule for the month of March was about as full as the NCAA college basketball tournament schedule. We were blessed to receive tremendous favor at nine Light for the Lost banquets that we attended in the span of eleven days. After Light for the Lost, we had the opportunity to share for a seven-minute window at Victorville First Assembly, a full service at the South Coast Assembly missions banquet, a special event for elementary girls in La Palma, a local ministers meeting, and an appointment at Shepherd of the Hills church in Porter Ranch. We also managed to squeeze in a trip to the zoo just for fun.

Prayer Requests

Asher thoroughly enjoying himself at a trip to

the zoo in March.

Please pray that we would receive favor as we make connections at the Southern California Assemblies of God District Council. Please also join with us in thanking God for his faithful provision.

By The Numbers
Months to Departure: 9
Languages in Papua New Guinea: 830

Calendar
Apr 7         NewBreak Church (meeting)
Apr 9         Carson First Samoan AG
Apr 10       Full Life Christian Assembly
Apr 25-27  SoCal AG District Council

Don't Worry About Anything

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand." - Philippians 4:6-7



 (NLT)

I (Adam) knew this day would come. I had been dreading it for the past year. It was January 14, and it was time to start calling pastors to schedule appointments and services. I had a sick feeling in my stomach as I forced myself to pick up that phone and make that first call. I had asked our prayer group the night before to ask God to give me courage as I started making calls. The first four calls resulted in four voicemail messages. I was about to stop, but I made one last call. Within a minute I was scheduled to speak at a missions banquet for one of the largest churches in our district. Later that day I got an unsolicited call and scheduled Martha to speak at a women's event. Since that day, we've been able to schedule many more appointments and services. My small group's prayers were answered, and I give thanks to God. The fear and worry are now gone, and God really has given me a peace that exceeds anything I can understand.


3 Minute Testimony
Check out our 3 Minute Testimony video for a quick overview of our call to Bible translation and how God has led us past many obstacles along the way. This is a great video to share with friends or people at your church that might be interested in partnering with us.

Passing through Mammoth Lakes on our
way to speak at Valley View Christian
Fellowship in Reno.

Prayer Requests
Please pray for continued favor as we contact churches for appointments and services. Please also ask the Lord to continue providing financial and prayer partners.

By the Numbers
Months to Departure: 10
Languages in the World: 6,860

Calendar
Mar 7-17  Light for the Lost Banquets
Mar 20     Victorville First Assembly
Mar 23     South Coast Assembly
Mar 26     Girls Ministries (La Palma)

The Baibai of Papua New Guinea

Even though we will not be assigned to work with a specific people group until after our arrival in Papua New Guinea, we thought you might enjoy learning about one of the many groups that still need a translation of the Bible.

Deep in the sago swamps of the Sandaun Province in northwest Papua New Guinea, the Baibai people live in three small villages. They are isolated from the outside world and must hike for two days, over mountains, across log bridges, and through swampland to get to the nearest government station.

Although they now use metal dishes and axes in place of clay and stone, the Baibai continue to make their homes from bush materials, carve some traditional drums and flutes, weave baskets from palm fronds, and make string bags from tree bark.

Fear of sorcery permeates the lives of the Baibai people. Though they claim to have discontinued the practice themselves, deaths are attributed to magic, and shooting stars are thought to be evil spirits coming to earth. Crocodiles are thought to be the instrument of death, or in some cases, the embodiment of the sorcerer himself.

During a visit from language surveyors a local pastor asked, “Is the resurrection for everyone or just for white skins?” Church services where the Scriptures are read in the national language of Tok Pisin do little to reach the women and children who speak only a few words of this trade language. But the hunger for God’s Word is evident. In each village, churches made from simple bush materials are packed with people who repeatedly told the survey team, “We need God’s Word in our language so that we can understand it.”

We’ve Hit The Ground Running
One week after becoming official Wycliffe employees, we spoke nine times in eight days as part of Covina Assembly of God’s Missions Convention. We culminated the week with an emotional retelling of our journey toward Bible translation, which you can watch at www.vimeo.com/17017498. The initial response has been tremendous, and we are grateful for the outpouring of support.

We Want To Share With You
The single most important thing we must do in order to develop our partnership team is make connections with people. We can’t do that without your help. Please consider inviting us to share at your church, small group, Sunday school class, or at your home with friends who might be interested in supporting the work of Bible translation. Or if you live outside of California, request a copy of our DVD and play it in one of the settings mentioned above and invite your group to consider how they can support our work.

Send Us Your Email
If you haven’t been receiving our monthly prayer update, it is probably because we don’t have your email address. Please send an email to adam_boyd@wycliffe.org so that we can add you to our email list.

2010 Boyd Family Video

Our princess is now four years old.

Each year we put together a video of all the fun and memorable moments from the past year. Highlights from this year’s video include our trip cross-country to North Dakota, Asher’s first steps, and pictures from Bella’s Princess Party on December 18 celebrating her fourth birthday. Watch online at www.vimeo.com/18277455.

One-Time or Monthly?
Some of you have asked whether it is better to give a one-time donation or a monthly gift. Any gifts are greatly appreciated, but we are required to have monthly financial commitments equal to our needed budget before we can go to the field. So a commitment to give monthly will help us get to the field by our January 2012 goal.

What’s next?
In June we return to North Dakota for ten weeks to complete our pre-field linguistics training.

He Will Give You Everything You Need

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." - Matthew 6:33 (NLT)



When we started out on this journey just over a year ago, we didn't know how we would make it financially when January 2011 arrived, and we certainly didn't know how we would pay for our further linguistics training this summer. But we clung to the promise that God would take care of all of our needs if we put Him first and were obedient to follow His will. Through the love and generosity of partners like you, God has made a way. God has even provided a vehicle for us to use through a couple at our church after our Honda Civic was stolen on Thanksgiving morning. When we think about all that God has done for us, we have confidence that God will continue to provide for all of our needs as we are faithful to pursue His calling to translate the Bible for people in Papua New Guinea.

2010 Boyd Family Video
Each year we put together a video of all the fun and memorable moments from the past year. We invite you to watch the 2010 Boyd Family Video Highlights, including our trip cross-country to North Dakota, Asher's first steps, and many other fun memories.

Prayer Requests
Praise God for the provision of a vehicle. Please pray for favor as we contact churches and individuals for opportunities to share.

By the Numbers
Months to Departure: 12
Bibleless groups in PNG: 300

Thank You!
It is impossible to say thank you enough in response to the overwhelming generosity of our financial partners. We are also extremely blessed by those who have committed to pray for us. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!