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Dear Prayer Partner,

Happy New Year!

Welcome to our new-look Extra Insight update email.

In this monthly email we'll be keeping you up to date with our Bible-a-Month project as well as other project updates and prayer requests.

This month we have an update on our Malawi Bible-a-Month project and a look at some of the other projects we're supporting in 2021.

Thank you for joining us as we pray for our brothers and sisters around the world.

BIBLE-A-MONTH PROJECT:
Family Scripture Engagement Packs - Malawi
In Malawi many local churches realised that there was very little interaction with the Bible at a family level. Many families cannot afford a Bible, let alone a children's Bible or study materials.

Wanting to change this, local churches came together and reached out to the Bible society of Malawi, asking them to create a resource which would help the whole family engaged with God's Word.

As a result of this, the Bible Society of Malawi came up with the Family Scripture Engagement Packs project. These free packs contain a Bible, children’s Bible and a Bible reading guide. These packs are specially tailored so that members of the family of all ages are able to engage more with God's Word.

This project has been a real blessing throughout 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic meant churches had to close and that home became the only place for people to worship. Having these packs has been a real encouragement to Christian families all over Malawi, allowing them to continue to study the Bible despite not being able to meet in a church setting.

There are still many families waiting to receive a Scripture Engagement Pack through this project. Please join us in praying for this project as they work throughout 2021 to provide families with Scripture. 
Pray for this Project:

  • Pray for the families who have received a Scripture Engagement Pack through this project. Pray that they would be blessed and that every member of the family would be able to continue to grow in their faith as a result of studying God’s Word for themselves.

  • Pray for those families who are still waiting for a pack. Pray that God would provide the resources to be able to provide these people with Scripture access.

  • Pray for the staff and volunteers who are involved in this project. Pray that God would protect them from the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2021, and that they would be able to carry this project out as safely as possible. 
Give:

Every £5 donated to this project will help the Bible Society of Malawi to provide Scripture Engagement Packs to families in need.
This project is our Bible-a-Month project for January. By becoming a Bible-a-Month partner you will help to provide Scripture to people all over the world every month. You will receive a free calendar with information about this and 11 other Bible Society projects. Commit to giving just £5 each month and you will ensure that the Word of God is shared across the world. Sign up here.
A LOOK AT 2021
Projects we're supporting in 2021
The United Bible Society fellowship has been blessed over the last year in that God has provided many ways for projects to still continue, despite restrictions being imposed in nearly every country. It has been so encouraging to hear reports of people discovering God for the first time during this difficult year.

In 2021 we are excited to continue supporting 51 projects in 46 different countries. We are supporting 12 new projects within this number and look forward to sharing reports and prayer requests from these projects throughout 2021. We are supporting projects all over the globe, from South America to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Every project we support is Bible based, with the aim of reaching everyone with God's Word.

Although we do support these projects financially, it is most important that we support these projects prayerfully; asking our Almighty God to watch over these projects as He uses us to reach people with the message of the Gospel. Please join us as we pray for 2021 and all that it will bring.
Pray for these Projects:

  • Pray for Christians who are in countries where it is difficult to practise their faith. Pray that God would grant them protection against persecution and that they would be bold and courageous in their faith.

  • Pray that God would bless Bible work in 2021 and that many more people would come to faith in Jesus Christ.

  • Pray for those Christians who are still waiting for their own copy of the Bible. Pray that in 2021 God would provide many more people with His Word.

  • Pray for the staff and volunteers of Bible Societies around the world. Pray that 2021 would be an encouraging year and that God would watch over and protect them in all circumstances. 
The West Toba Translation
Argentina

The Toba are indigenous people that occupy a territory in the provinces of Salta and Formosa, in the north of Argentina. The New Testament has been available in West Toba for 10 years and it is regularly used by Christians who speak this language. However, since the New Testament’s completion, requests have never stopped coming for the Old Testament to also be available too. The Toba people are eagerly awaiting the complete Bible in their language.

We recently heard from one of the translators on the West Toba translation, Taiko, pictured above. Taiko Was key in securing support for the Old Testament translation. He understood that they needed the support of the elders of the church and the whole community in order to get the translation completed. He knows that The Bible is a life changing book, and he wants his people to have full access to God’s Word.

Taiko told us about how important it is for his people to have the full Bible in their heart language:

"It is very important for us to have the Bible in our language. I want to thank the Bible Societies of Argentina and the world, because we are going to have a Bible and we are going to see God speaking like a Toba... God will speak our language, in this language that we speak among us". 
Pray for this Project:

  • Praise God for the support that the West Toba translation has already received, which has already made the New Testament translation possible.

  • Pray for the team of translators who are working on this project. Pray that God would encourage them and that they would have wisdom as they translate the Old Testament.

  • Pray that this translation would help many Christians to grow in their faith as they can read God’s Word in their heart language. Pray that it would also be an evangelistic tool and that many would come to know God through reading the Bible. 
LOCAL NEWS
Prayer Requests from Bible Society NI

  • Praise God for the great year that we have had in 2020. Although many things did not turnout the way that we wanted them to, God has provided for us throughout everything. Praise him for his provisions for Bible work throughout the year.

  • Please pray for the team as we continue to work from home. It is often a challenge working on projects, such as our magazine, remotely as a team. Ask God that he would continue to give us patience with technology and working remotely.

  • Please continue to pray for our politicians, Christian leaders and church leaders as they navigate the COVID-19 situation. Pray that God would bring unity to the Christian community and that we would be able to be a good witness within our society. 
More from Bible Society NI:
BIBLE SOCIETY NI
27 Howard Street, Belfast, BT1 6NB
028 9032 6577 Charity Reg. No. NIC102557

Header image shows a family who have received a Family Scripture Engagement Pack in Malawi.
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