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This Christmas,
give the message
of hope through
Bible translation
E
W o r d s f r o m R o y
very year at this time we gather around our tables for Thanks-
giving Day and thank God for our many blessings in this great
nation. At The Seed Company, we give thanks for you and our
faithful partners around the world. And as we do, we also
are mindful to pray for people groups who are experiencing great turmoil.
One of the greatest and most urgent needs on my heart is for the Word
of God to penetrate and shatter the darkness and violence that has ripped
families apart, generated unspeakable atrocities toward women and
“Prayer is our children, and claimed more than 5 million lives in the eastern Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC).
lifeline to Having recently met with representatives of six partner organizations at
accomplish the American Bible Society in New York, it was clear that we share the
same concerns and want to do all we can to reach out to the affected
God’s will. people. Thank God, Wycliffe and SIL have made available Trauma Healing
Workshops to minister to devastated people. But we must do more. The
Scriptures say, “He sent his word and healed them, snatching them from
It’s our link to the door of death” (Psalm 107:20, NLT).
the throne.” With your partnership, The Seed Company is actively involved in helping
translate God’s healing Scripture for 10 people groups in the DRC.
But at least 25 groups in the Great Lakes region of the DRC and neigh-
boring countries affected by the fighting do not have any Scripture in their
heart language. We realize that for people to have a thriving relationship
with Jesus and experience His physical, emotional and spiritual healing,
they must know His Word in their heart language.
Prayer is our lifeline to accomplish God’s will. It’s our link to the throne.
The needs are urgent on many fronts. We are so thankful for our new Prayer
Director, Bill McCoy, who will be coordinating powerful prayer initiatives for
the DRC as well as expanding our prayer ministry in other areas. Bill will be
networking with existing prayer organizations and providing prayer requests
to mobilize strategic, effective and targeted prayer, which will do much to
destroy the works of darkness while making a powerful impact for God’s
kingdom. (Be sure to read Bill’s column in this issue — you’ll be encouraged!)
We are so thankful for the privilege of serving the Body of Christ through
focused prayer efforts. And, we are so very
thankful for your partnership with us.
I pray God’s richest blessing for you and
your family during this holiday season!
Cover: Lughulu mother holding
her baby close and treasuring the
newly translated Scripture she
received. Because of your gifts, Roy L. Peterson | PRESIDENT
her child can learn about Jesus and
know God’s Word! (Story page 8)
A M u l t i p l i c a t i o n
S t r a t e g y for
Reaching a NATION
A
n enthusiastic Mama Singi
had been serving as a local
church small-group leader when
families, through Bible translation.”
Mama Singi would focus her efforts
on translation work.
Working as a cluster, translators
and interns learn from and assist
one another. They share facilities,
she started working with the Ada Such commitment is the rule personnel and available resources.
translation team as part of the rather than the exception in this Kartidaya and The Seed Company
Basera Cluster in Southeast Asia. Southeast Asian cluster project. As have great hope that this training
Soon though, it became difficult mother-tongue speakers like Mama model will multiply to reach the
to carry out both jobs effectively. Singi gain translation training and remaining 200 people groups in
She would have to choose between experience, they will become valu- this nation.
the two. The decision was tough! able in helping neighboring groups. Your partnership in prayer and
While translating verses in Genesis, giving is helping the people of
Mama began to understand what to Translators from the Edo, Ada
and Ampere people groups are Southeast Asia receive God’s Word
do. She realized God had promised for the very first time! Thank you. x
Abraham he would be a blessing to working jointly on the New Testa-
all the families of the earth. After ment while the Hua team is com- ......................
much prayer and discussion with pleting their Old Testament. And
her family, Mama told church lead- five national consultant interns
ers, “I can only help a small group from Kartidaya, the National Bible Join the latest phase of translation
of families as a group leader. I can Translation Organization (NBTO) among the Hua at
help churches, even hundreds of also are in training. theseedcompany.org/project/hua-ot-im
seed links | 1
Timor Church
>>>
Equipped, Eager and Moving Forward
The G o s p e l
Finds Its
Vo ic e
2 | seed links
“The national-language Bible never
alighted [gripped, like a bird on a twig]
on my heart the way the Scriptures
in my own language do.”
— Senior leader, The Evangelical Protestant
Church of Timor
Mus currently is mentoring three preach from the Epistles because tongue Bible translators, Timorese
of the translation teams: Rikou, even Timorese theologians find this advisors and administrators like
Tii and Lole. Throughout his wife’s translation hard to understand. Mus and partners like you, the
long illness, she encouraged Mus A senior denominational leader eager church is moving into the
to continue the work that both of noted, “The national-language Bible future, stronger and better-equipped
them knew would change many never alighted [gripped, like a bird than ever. Thanks be to God! x
lives. Before her death in July on a twig] on my heart the way the ......................
2009, she saw volunteer transla- Scriptures in my own language do.”
tors from other Timorese languages Says Lole translator Albert Mus Zacharias (upper left). Congregation reading
heart-language Scripture (center & upper right).
coming to Mus with drafts in hand Zacharias (not related), “We’re Translators working (pictured above).
asking, “What do we do next?” thankful that people can easily
As a retired pastor, Mus under- understand the translation. God
stands the plight of clergymen is helping us to provide our people
who must build their ministries with a very precious gift — d irect The Pura project in Timor needs
around Scripture translated in the access to the Word of God.” prayer partners! Sign up at
national language. Many rarely Because of about 100 mother- theseedcompany.org/project/pura-nt
seed links | 3
W hat an honor! What a thrill it must have been for
Gabriel to announce that the Savior of the world had been born.
God’s messenger angel had waited 4,000 years to proclaim the
birth of Jesus — and he brought the host of heaven with him as
they praised God, blasting the Good News through the heavenlies.
Imagine the reaction of the shepherds tending sheep and half
asleep, when suddenly a bright flash shatters the darkness and
lights up the night sky with God’s dazzling glory.
A
Gift
you and your loved ones
continue to “announce
4 | seed links
Gift-A-Verse Cards for Christmas
A gift that will be remembered for eternity!
Go To
• www.OneVerse.org
• Click on the Gift-A-Verse link.
Select
• The number of Gift-A-Verse cards
you desire to give.
• People groups you want to bless.
• The Gift-A-Verse card design you prefer.
Sign Up
• Fill out information.
• Order your cards by
December 10, and we’ll print
and deliver them to you before
Christmas.
Or call toll free 866-663-8377!
Gift-a-Verse cards are mailed directly to the purchaser
with an extra envelope. You can hand-write a special
message inside the card before re-mailing it in the
envelope provided.
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N Y U N G W E D E D I C AT I O N
“So now there is
Translation Removes Sting no condemnation for
of Rejection
those who belong to
A translation of the Gospel in
the heart language of the people Christ Jesus.”
can remove a cultural stigma and
draw many to Jesus. – Romans 8:1 (NLT)
In Mozambique, one Nyungwe
woman — a Christian — felt the
sting of rejection when her friends B i b l e Tr a n s l a t i o n
referred to her church as “the is Evangelism
church of those Changana people,”
a nickname that has carried the — in Nyungwe!” The community
sting of rejection and a sense of even held a celebration for the
exclusion in the community. completion of the first transla-
Now this woman has hope tion of Scripture in their language.
that many will attend church and Translation work is ongoing so
hear the Good News because the the nearly half- million Nyungwe
translation team has completed speakers will have access to God’s
the Gospel of Mark in the “Nyun- Word. By 2016, the translation “Though I was a believer,
gwe” language. “Finally,” she cried, team anticipates completing the there was no change in
“my people will stop using the New Testament and portions of my inner life. I couldn’t forgive
nickname and come inside the the Old Testament. x others. I told lies and had all
church doors to hear God’s Word ...................... kinds of unspiritual thoughts in
my heart. Reading God’s Word,
my inner life began to change.
Celebrating The Word in Yawa My faith has grown. Now my
work, my talk and my deeds
Sefnat smiles, revealing rough, New Testament portion that he are changing.”
red teeth streaked from years of has carefully covered in brown – Manta translator-trainee,
chewing betel nut and lime. Shoul- paper. The Scripture he holds was South Asia
der-length hair frames his dark published in Yawa, his Southeast
face like a lion’s mane. Clutched Asian language, in 1990.
in his hand is a tattered copy of a “If the reading is from the dowen [right] for the
New Testament,” explains church wording of a pas-
elder Sefnat, “and that sage from Hebrews,
portion has been pub- which had not been
lished [in Yawa], I always published at the time.
read from it.” Soon Sefnat will have the
His fragile book bulges entire New Testament. The team
with bookmarks, sermon expects to get the entire manu-
notes and an order of worship script to the printer by the end
from last April, June 20, he’d read of this year. Next June’s planned
John 3:5 to open the service and dedication will be Christmas all
preached from 1 Timothy chapter 3. over again . . . when God’s Word
For that same service, Sefnat arrives in Yawa! x
[left] had asked translator Man- ......................
6 | seed links
DEAF OPPORTUNITY OUTREACH
Preaching Aglow
One Deaf congregation witnessed a marked
difference in their pastor as his preaching — in Kenyan Sign
Language — took on a special glow. George, a member of the
congregation, signed, “We started noticing that his stories were
clearer and had very strong lessons. How come? we wondered.”
“Later we discovered our pastor had been watching the
Kenyan Sign Language Bible on DVD in his free time. Sunday
services were never the same! They have become more moving,
interesting and touching.”
The Seed Company has a vital partnership with Deaf Opportu-
nity Outreach to support Deaf translators in Kenya. Since 2009
these gifted translators have produced translated Scriptures on
DVD to minister to 200,000 Kenyan Deaf people. Thank you
for your part in helping the Deaf community receive God’s Word
in a remarkable way! x
G O D’ S W O R D C H A N G I N G L I V E S
seed links | 7
Their First
brings
One Book
to the
SC R I P
Lugh ulu
people
8 | seed links
A Mountaintop
Experience
people. It was especially rewarding for Jill, Amanda visitors, this was a mountaintop experience.
and Kellen to accompany Lughulu translators to a local “The pastor’s daughter sang a song that almost
church, bringing the newly published Book of John. brought me to tears without even knowing the words,”
When they stepped inside the mud-brick church said Amanda. “The words to the song were simply,
where purple, green and blue cloth fanned out to cover You are able.” Kellen added, “Having the Word of God
the expanse of one wall, they sensed the presence of in their language meant the world to them. Bible
God. Woven strands of flowers hung across the fabric, translation is so important; we must make it a priority
lending an air of dignity and reverence to the simple in our offering to missions!” x
structure. The crowd of believers swayed to the beat ......................
of tall drums, a hand-made marimba and a variety of
shakers and rattles. While worshipping the Lord, the You can sponsor one verse for
the Lughulu people too! Visit
people began spontaneously synchronizing their oneverse.org/project/lughulu
bodies in a beautiful dance rhythm while their voices View the video online at:
were ringing out in clear harmony. For the OneVerse theseedcompany.org/lughulu-visit
seed links | 9
“GOD
T h e F u l l We i g h t o f P r a y e r
speaks
Recently I read a note from a missionary serving in a very sensitive region.
A member of the Persecuted Church, this man boldly shared the Gospel
and suffered greatly for it. I was amazed at how he took time to express his
O n iy an ”
heartfelt thanks for the financial and prayerful partnership from his friends
as he sought to share the Gospel with a hard-to-reach polytheistic people
group not open to Christianity.
As I read his words, I wondered if his friends appreciated the full weight
of their prayers on his behalf, or understood how they also were impacting
the advancement of God’s kingdom in that people group.
And, I would be surprised if the full impact of their prayers ended there.
What about the future evangelism efforts of the fledgling church God had
established in the region? What about other people groups that would hear
the Gospel as missionaries were sent forth from this church and their prayer SENEGAL, AFRICA
support networks were engaged in the mission? Speakers: 20,000
That’s when it occurred to me that we, like this missionary’s prayer Project goal: NT and
supporters, won’t realize the full weight of our prayers either – not until the OT portions
Lord returns. We pray fervently and faithfully for translation teams and people
Project start: 2010
groups. We ask God to impact people, communities and nations with His
Word in their heart language. Est. completion: 2015
He is faithful to do so and He will empower future generations to do the same.
How can I be so confident? I read the missionary’s letter. That’s exactly
Beliyan pastors are eager for the
what God did through him and his prayer partners. You can read his letter too.
New Testament in their Oniyan
There’s a copy stuck in your Bible between Ephesians and Colossians. It was language. They have a deep desire
written to a small group of Christians in a region now known as Greece. to make God’s Word understand-
The missionary was the Apostle Paul. able to their congregations. Prayer
The fact that you have a copy of his letter in your heart language is proof partners play an essential role in
that God answered their prayers. And He will answer ours. supporting the translation team as
they pursue this goal.
Let us pray,
Call 877-593-7333 or
visit theseedcompany.org/pray
to support this team in prayer.
B i l l M c C o y | Director of Prayer
ABOUT US
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