Sending Sabers

As you may know, we are the support team for Beth Fuller, who works in the Aitape West Translation Project.  Over the last few months, this has involved sending medication, groceries and Sabers out to her.  "What's a Saber?", you may be asking.  It's a small audio player that is powered by a hand-crank mechanism, and includes an amplifier strong enough for a whole group to listen to at once.   Sabers are used here in Papua New Guinea for listening to vernacular scripture.

Beth and some colleagues are currently visiting villages where the languages being translated are spoken.  Mother-tongue speakers of these languages are teaching reading and Bible study skills during these visits and distributing printed copies of Luke, Acts and the Christmas and Easter stories.

This woman was first in line to purchase an AudiBible for her family to listen to.  Like the Sabers that were also sold in her village, the AudiBible allows listeners to hear the book of Luke read aloud in the language that speaks to their heart. (Photograph by Beth Fuller)

Here is what some other speakers of the Sissano language had to say about the Scripture distribution and teaching sessions:
      
                    

"God's talk was a long way from us before, but now it has come close to us."

"When we first started to read [Luke] in our language it was hard.  Now, look!  We practised two days and we are reading!"                
                               
                           "I am so happy, my happiness is overflowing..." (This comment was made by one of the translators, overjoyed at how well the reading and oral Bible study training went for the people who attended).

As always, we greatly value your prayers.  Here are some prayer suggestions:

*Praise God that people in the Aitape West area now have greater access to God's Word. Pray for stamina for Beth and her two colleagues, who will be spending two more weeks travelling between different villages, often on foot. 

*Please pray for us as we prepare to temporarily leave our work and life here and travel to the UK.  I (Clare) am now six months pregnant and not sleeping well, so would appreciate prayer for sleep, strength and patience.  Andrew has more work than he could possibly do in the next four weeks, but would like to at least get as much done as he can in that time.   Levi and Heidi are very excited about seeing family, but the next few months are also likely to be challenging as they adjust to living away from the surroundings, people and climate they are so familiar with.

*Please pray for uneventful travel and entry into the UK from 18-21 October, and that the extra paperwork involved with flying when 33 weeks pregnant would be processed easily.  (Look out for short updates at www.facebook.com/andrewandclare).