Praise God for Progress

We finished the consultant check of Genesis in the Kafa language on
Wednesday, April 7th. Praise God! The team did a wonderful job of
translating, so the checking went very well.

I am headed back to Alduba among the Banna people, leaving Friday, April
9th, and arriving in Alduba Saturday afternoon, April 10th, Lord willing.

We also finished recording the script for the Jesus video in the Banna
language mid-March and look forward to receiving the finished product in
about six months.

Next week I am hoping we can continue with the consultant check of Acts in
the Banna language.

Praise God for the encouragement of His Word and the privilege of helping
get it into the heart languages of the peoples of Ethiopia.

March Prayer Letter

Carolyn's latest prayer letter is available as a PDF download here: March 2010 Prayer Letter.

January Prayer Letter

Carolyn's latest prayer letter is available as a PDF download here: January 2010 Prayer Letter.

November Prayer Letter

Carolyn's latest prayer letter is available as a PDF download here: November 2009 Prayer Letter.

Visit with Pastor Mattewos

On Sunday, September 6th, I visited the church I attended regularly in the late 1970s. At that time Pastor Mattewos was single, and few people attended the church. Mattewos spent many hours in prayer and many hours visiting in homes to build up trust so that he could effectively share the Good News about Jesus. In 1982, he married Etaferahu. Through the years they have remained among my closest friends. This photo was taken of them, their three sons, and me in their home, where I enjoyed a lovely meal and visit after the church service. That church has since added several extensions to the original building and has planted many other churches in Addis Ababa and throughout Ethiopia. Mattewos now administers educational centers in several places where needy youngsters are fed, cared for and educated. May God give each of us perseverance in prayer, relationships, and service so that we may enjoy the fruit He will bring in His time for His glory.

In Addis Ababa

Donna and I are still in Addis Ababa. Two of our Ethiopian colleagues plan to drive up here from Alduba (Banna area) September 15th to renew insurance on a pickup truck. They will take Donna and me, along with as much of our stuff as we can fit in, back to Alduba. It will be much less expensive for them and for us than if we hired a truck to take us down. Meanwhile Kafa translators Mattewos and Gezahegn, who lost their advisor to leukemia last year, have given me their translation of the book of Ruth to look over. I hope to meet with them toward the end of next week to do a consultant check on that book. Please pray for the Lord's enabling as this will be my first formal work as a consultant. I feel very inadequate. They have given me a back translation (i.e., they have written the Amharic equivalent of each word or phrase under the Kafa word or phrase). This helps me know what they have said, since I don't know the Kafa language.

God has been so gracious to me. I never would have chosen to stay in Addis Ababa for a whole month, but I see that it was His plan so that I could adjust to the time change and all the changes that have taken place in SIM Ethiopia since I was last here. Please continue to pray for a close walk with the Lord for me, and that I will be an open channel for the expression of His love. Thank youǃ

Banna Literacy

Praise:

1) David (Dawit), the very capable Banna Christian who used to be on our translation team, has been chosen as Literacy Coordinator for the Banna churches. Praise God for this. David is well-qualified for this responsibility, and it means that the church leaders’ confidence in him as a spiritual leader has been restored.

2) Gideon Kiongo, with Partners in Literacy Ministry based in Kenya, has helped us with tutor training several times. He will spend another 10 or 12 days in Alduba toward the end of October to help get a literacy program started.

3) A meeting has been scheduled for October 12th with the tutors and church leaders in order to finalize which people each tutor will teach to read. They will agree on times and locations for the lessons. Then each tutor will receive the needed primers, flashcards and gelboards.

Prayer Needs:

1) That the tutors will enthusiastically carry out their responsibilities, and that those whom they are to teach will be motivated and consistent in receiving the tutoring.

2) That the tutors will teach a few lessons prior to Gideon’s arrival so that they can ask for help with the questions that come up.

3) That David will faithfully carry out his responsibilities as Literacy Coordinator, maintaining a close walk with the Lord and good relationships with His people.

4) That all of the Banna church leaders will grow in their vision for a reading church – one whose members daily commune with God through prayer and Bible study in their heart language.

Hope for Literacy ... and Some Good Photos

The Banna Christians in Alduba are holding special meetings this weekend. One of the Banna church leaders who has a vision for Banna literacy will be sharing that vision with those who are gathered. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will speak through him, moving those who have received tutor training to truly want to teach others to read.

We missionaries realize that God has to put the desire and the burden in their hearts. IF the church as a whole is willing to choose and hire a literacy coordinator, Gideon, the Kenyan believer who has helped us with the tutor trainings, is willing to come and work with that person to get a Banna literacy program going. Since money is always an issue, we will help with the salary of the coordinator at least for the first year - and also provide what is needed for Gideon to come and work with him.

Prayer Requests:

1. That the reviewers (chosen and trained to read our Banna Scripture translation and offer suggestions for improvement) will actually have read the whole of Matthew's Gospel in Banna in time for these meetings;
2. That the reviewers will make good, clear suggestions for improvement of the translation;
3. That God will direct the church leaders in choosing the right person to be Banna literacy coordinator;
4. That the discussions about literacy at the meetings will make a difference and result in cooperation by those who have received tutor training;
5. That the timing and logistics for Gideon's coming will be worked out, and his family's needs will be met while he is away from them;
6. That any problems with the primers will become evident and be worked out so that the tools for teaching literacy are adequate.

Praise:
1. That there is still hope for Banna literacy, and that the team has not given up;
2. That Gideon is willing to come and stay for several months to help us get a literacy program going;
3. That some of the church leaders have a vision for Banna literacy;
4. That God is bigger than the obstacles;
5. That God has provided gel boards for the people to use in learning to read and write - and for the young people in Peoples Church of Fresno who raised the funds for them, and the people who gave;
6. That I am working on the CARLA draft of Revelation, the last book I need to do for the Banna New Testament. (But please remember that this is only a very rough draft. We still have several years of editing and revising to do before the New Testament can be published.)

I was feeling sad that I had forgotten to take my camera on my last trip to Ethiopia, but a friend directed me to a website that has much better pictures of the people groups I work among than I could take. There are some good photos of wild animals, too. Check it out at http://www.gabrielopenshaw.com/EthiopiaMain.html

Off to Ethiopia

Praise:

1) FOR GOD'S PROVISION: Tickets are in hand for my travel to Ethiopia March 1st. Donna, Ayke and Getu will come to Addis Ababa from Alduba (Banna area) so that we can check our translation of Matthew and 1 Corinthians with Consultant Mary Breeze.

2) FOR HELPFUL FRIENDS: Hans Schaumberger, a Wycliffe missionary from Germany, has agreed to train Ayke and me in using the program "Adapt It". We will use the CARLA drafts I've done as our source texts, and "Adapt It" will help us get an even better (more idiomatic) draft that will be easier for Getu and Ayke to revise.

Gideon Kiongo, with Literacy Evangelism Fellowship in Kenya, was in Alduba last week to lead another training using our primers with the new spelling. Now we have several Banna people who are equipped to teach others to read using the primers.

The young people in Peoples Church of Fresno have raised enough money to buy another 100 gel boards (These can be used by literacy students to practice writing. They can write and erase many times over.) and to help pay for printing of more primers.

So many of you continue to partner with me by your prayers and support. I thank God for each one of you.

Prayer Needs: (The first 4 are the same as for my last trip. The last one is more personal.)

1) FOR MY TRAVEL: Please pray for safety, and that I will be a good representative of Jesus Christ in all my travels and relationships with people.

2) FOR GOOD TEAMWORK: Please pray that I will be a blessing to the rest of the Banna translation team. Pray that we will communicate clearly with each other and enjoy the unity that only God's Spirit can give.

3) FOR MY MOTHER: Pray that she will sense God's presence and have all of her needs met.

4) FOR BANNA LITERACY: Please continue to pray for the Banna church leaders to have a vision for teaching their people to read in their heart language.

5) FOR MY SPIRITUAL GROWTH: Pray that I grow in faith so that I am responsible without being anxious, and that I walk in intimacy with the living God.

Update from Ethiopia

I am writing from Alduba, among the Banna people in Ethiopia. Heavy rain kept me from getting here on Saturday, Oct. 26th, as originally planned. I was able to fly to Jinka (the capital city of the area) on Sunday, Oct. 27th, and reached Alduba on Monday, Oct. 28th, despite another day of heavy rain. Praise God that the Banna had good crops this year after several years of inadequate rain.

Praise God for enabling Donna, Getu, Ayke and me to finish going through our translation of Matthew's Gospel together. We now have that ready for a consultant check, which is planned for February.

We are currently working on 2 Corinthians. It is more difficult for us than Matthew, but we are having some good discussions along the way. I count it a privilege whenever the opportunity comes for spiritual input into the lives of our Banna translators. They seem eager to grow in their understanding of God's Word. I am pleased that Ayke frequently refers to some of the translation principles he learned at the training course he attended in September-October.

Thank you for your continued prayers for our health, unity and Holy Spirit-inspired wisdom as we work on the translation of God's Word for the Banna people.