Dear Prayer Partner

Thanks for continuing to pray into the amazing work that God is doing around the world through Bible Societies.

We hope you enjoy the new look Prayer News (formerly Prayer Circle). You will now receive this once a month to help you pray for Bible Society mission.

Above shows a new Bible being presented in India. Pray for this and more below. Thank you.
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Nigerian Sign Language Bible
 
When the Bible Society of Nigeria realised that so few people within the deaf community were able to access the Word of God in a way they could understand, they knew they had to do something. This is a group of one million people and it is reported that less than 2% of them have heard the Gospel.

Some of you have prayed for this project before as we have been supporting the team here for a while. We are encouraged to follow the progress and it was especially exciting last September when the Bible Society of Nigeria opened their brand new Deaf Bible Translation Centre. It was during the opening of the Centre that 110 Chronological Bible Stories in Nigerian Sign Language were dedicated and received with great enthusiasm and joy.

News has just reached us of 11 people coming to faith after ‘hearing’ the Gospel in Nigerian Sign Language. What a blessing to know that our prayers and funding have added to this ministry in the last few years.
 
Pray for Nigeria's Deaf Community
  • Praise God for the continued spread of His Word to deaf communities.
  • Please continue to pray that all who are part of the team will know God’s empowering presence as they faithfully serve him.
  • Pray that many more will respond to Jesus as they are able to understand his word.
  • Ask God that he would allow nothing to stand in the way of seeing the vision of a full Bible in Nigerian Sign Language fulfilled.
paiken martoredjo receives her Bible August 2018
Suriname’s Javanese Bible

Suriname is on the northeast coast of South America. Javanese people initially came as immigrants to work on plantations in the 19th century. Today, there are around 75,000 Surinamese Javanese speakers about 1/3 of which are Christians.

Until now, there has not been a full Bible in their own language. 1999 saw the first New Testament in Surinamese Javanese and since then, the Christian community has been eagerly awaiting the full Bible.

10 August 2018 was a significant day – the first full Bible was dedicated in Surinamese Javanese. Around 800 people gathered to welcome the Bible in their language.

The dedication of this Bible is the result of a vast amount of prayer and work. However, this is not the end, rather the beginning of the story. Much prayer is still needed as the Bible is shared read and taken into hearts.

Pray for Suriname's Javanese Church
  • Please pray that the Surinamese Javanese Bible will bear much fruit, that lives will indeed be changed as the Bible is read and heard for the first time by many.
  • Pray for a huge outpouring of the Spirit, that many will hear God’s heart as well as his Word! Pray that the Church will be strengthened and many will come to faith in Jesus.
  • Pray for the continuing work to make an audio recording of this new Bible.
  • Thank God for those who faithfully served in translation, some are now elderly. Ask for a special touch from the Lord on their lives today.
First Scripture for Kaipeng Christians in India

For the last six years, we have been partnering with the Bible Society in India in their huge vision to see the Bible translated in 25 new languages. So it was such joyous news to hear of one of these translations taking a huge step forward!

In July this year, hundreds of Kaipeng Christians in northeast India braved heavy downpours to celebrate the launch of the very first New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs in their language. Join us as we praise God and pray for the Kaipeng Church. If you would like to know more and see some great photos have a look at the story on our website .

One person voiced the challenge and the hope that now lies ahead, ‘Having the Word of God is a great achievement but living with the Word of God will be another, and I hope that now that we can read and understand the Bible in our language it will help us draw closer to God.’
 
Pray for Kaipeng Christians
  • Thank God that Kaipeng Christians now have access to the NT in words they can fully understand.
  • Please pray that the Kaipeng New Testament, Psalms & Proverbs will bring many blessings to the community.
  • At the moment the Bible Society of India is working on 24 other translation projects. Let’s pray that we’ll see many more photographs of celebration for all these different languages.
  • Huge numbers of people continue to leave Venezuela, in a migration never seen to this level in South America. Pray for the Bible Society there as they seek ways to remain actively serving their community.
  • Pray for Rev Dr Jae Min Ho who was welcomed as the new General Secretary of the Korean Bible Society in May.
  • Pray for the Bible Society in India as they work to support the victims of the Kerala flood disaster in the best way they are able.
  • Pray for the Bible Society in Indonesia as they minister to the people of Lombok following the earthquake that killed more than 100 people and left many without homes and work.
Our team here can be busy in the Autumn term as we visit churches and attend meetings of all kinds. We ask you to pray for Catherine and Leah especially as they have opportunities to present our work to groups and key individuals. Pray for a leading from God and a clear kingdom focus in all we do.

Speaking Engagements
Mon 17 Sept, 7.30pm - Leah is speaking at Lisnabreen Presbyterian Women.
Wed 26 Sept, 1pm - Leah is speaking at Lissan Parish Seniors' Meeting.
Wed 26 Sept, 8pm - Leah will be at Newington Presbyterian Women's Fellowship.
Mon 9 Oct, 12pm - Leah is visiting Belvoir Presbyterian Lunch Club.
Wed 10 Oct 8pm - Leah will be speaking at St Mary’s Ladies Fellowship, Ballybeen

Meetings & Events
Tues 18 Sept - Catherine is attending the Church of Ireland Armagh Diocesan Mission Focus Evening.
Fri 21 Sept - Catherine will be attending the Church of Ireland Council for Mission in Swords, Dublin.
Sat 22 Sept – Catherine will be at the Afternoon Tea Leaders Resource Fair in Armagh Diocese.
Tues 25 Sept - Catherine will be attending a MAP (Mission Agencies Partnership) meeting.

Bible Society Meetings
Thurs 20 Sept - Catherine is meeting with leaders from the other UK Bible Societies in London. Pray for encouraging conversation and partnership as we work together to make the Bible and the ministry of Bible Society known in our national settings.

The Bible Society NI Governance Committee and Finance Committees will both be meeting in the coming weeks. Please ask God to make His presence felt in these meetings and to give wisdom and guidance in all the proceedings.
BIBLE SOCIETY NI
www.biblesocietyni.co.uk
Charity Registration Number NIC102557