Wait Patiently

"Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised." - Hebrews 6:15 (NLT)

In Genesis 12:2 God promised Abraham that he would make him "into a great nation." This promise, of course, implied that Abraham would have a son. After ten years, Abraham decided to appoint his servant Eliezer as his heir since the Lord had not given him any children. But the Lord promised Abraham that he would have a son of his own. Fifteen years later, when Abraham was one hundred years old, his son Isaac was born. Abraham waited twenty-five years for the promise of God to be fulfilled.

It has been eleven years since God placed the vision of Bible translation on our hearts, and it has been nearly two years since we started the process of becoming Bible translators. Now with our pre-field training complete, it is difficult to wait another four and a half months until our departure to Papua New Guinea in January. But we know that we must wait patiently and continue what God has for us here until the time comes for us to leave. That includes sharing our message at churches, saying goodbye to friends and family, going through all of our possessions to figure out what to sell, store, or ship overseas, and preparing ourselves mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually for what lies ahead.

Please pray that we would be able to wait patiently so that we too can receive what God has promised and that God would bless us so that we (like Abraham) may be a blessing to others.

Prayer Requests
Praise God for the approval of our work permit in August, and pray that our visas will also be approved. Pray that God will help us begin our final preparations to move to Papua New Guinea in January.

Bella and her friend Lila having fun
at the University of North Dakota.

By The Numbers
Months to Departure: 4
Days Away from Home This Summer: 80

Calendar
Sep 4 - Newhall Church of the Nazarene
Sep 7 - Faith Chapel
Sep 11 - Calvary Assembly of God
Sep 18 - Calvary Christian Center
Sep 18 - Walnut Grove (evening service)
Sep 25 - Ingomar Church
Sep 27 - Brooklyn Tabernacle

Judas Iscariot, A Cultural Hero?

When Don Richardson shared the story of Jesus with the Sawi people of West Papua, Indonesia, they considered Judas to be the hero of the story. Find out how they changed their minds and adopted the gospel of peace.

In 1962, Don Richardson went to live with the Sawi people of what was then Dutch New Guinea. The Sawi culture held to an ideal called 'tuwi asonai man', which means 'to fatten with friendship for unexpected slaughter'. According to this ideal, a man who could trick an enemy into thinking they were friends only to kill him unexpectedly was called a ‘legend maker’, which was a term of high honor and praise among the Sawi.

After Richardson had learned enough of the Sawi language, he shared the story of Jesus. The Sawi were impressed by how well Judas Iscariot earned the trust of Jesus only to betray him to his death. Judas, in their minds, was a great ‘legend maker’.

Frustrated by his inability to explain the gospel as well as by the fact that his presence had escalated violence by causing different groups to live closer together, Richardson told the Sawi that he was going to leave. Worried about losing their only source of medicine and steel axes, the Sawi told Richardson that they would make peace. Richardson doubted the possibility of peace, but they explained a custom of exchanging infants between warring villages. Each infant was known as a ‘Peace Child’, and they assured Richardson that as long as the Peace Child was alive, there would be no more war.

Richarson telling the Sawi about God's Peace Child

Richardson stayed with the Sawi and told them that Jesus is God’s Peace Child and God’s guarantee of eternal peace since Jesus lives forever. Many of the Sawi were transformed by this message, receiving God’s forgiveness and abandoning their treacherous ways.

How powerful it is to hear God’s Word in your own language and from your own cultural perspective!

Where We’ve Been
We’ve spent the last ten weeks at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks studying linguistics. This is the final pre-field training that we need to complete before leaving for Papua New Guinea. We will be back in California at the end of August.

What We Studied 
Because there is no real documentation of the languages that still need a Bible translation in Papua New Guinea, our preparation consists of linguistics training specifically geared to help us create alphabets, analyze grammar, understand culture, and learn to speak a a language that nobody has ever really studied in depth. For Adam, this consisted of Phonology (the sound systems of language), Writing Systems (how to develop an alphabet for an unwritten language), Ethnographic Methods (how language and culture relate), and Field Methods (practice in putting it all together). Martha finished the course set that Adam took last summer including Syntax & Morphology (sentence diagramming to the extreme), Sociolinguistics (how language is used in society), and Second Language Acquisition (how to learn language without classes or textbooks).

Sharing our story and

mission at a church

Adam Shares His Heart 
We’ve added four short videos of Adam sharing powerful stories and illustrations about the need and effectiveness of Bible translation. We invite you to watch them by clicking on the video tab at the top of this page. Don’t miss your chance to hear Adam read John 3:16 in Hawaiian Pidgin and in Tok Pisin, the national language of Papua New Guinea (see below).

What’s Next? 
As we finish our classes in North Dakota in early August, we will travel through Colorado to visit friends and family and share at churches before returning home in late August. This fall, we will be sharing at a different church nearly every Sunday as we begin our final preparations to leave for the field. Our goal is to arrive in Madang, Papua New Guinea on January 22, 2012, to begin the Pacific Orientation, a 14-week course designed to help us adjust to Melanesian culture and learn how to live in a village setting.

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)