We are busy preparing for a special event tonight, a Night at the Museum.  We have invited friends and supporters to invite friends to come to the International Museum of Cultures.  There will be a tour of the museum, including a new Solomon Islands display which we just put up and a special exhibit with old testament scrolls.

We will have a short program as well where we will be sharing about our ministry and sharing about our need for additional financial and prayer partners.  It’s kind of a crazy outside-the-box idea, but we are trusting God to use it for His glory.

Out of the blue this morning we got an email from missionary friends who are preparing to go to Africa.  Maria said, I just read the most incredible verses and thought of you–this is so amazing, especially the last verse!  God bless you today!!”
Isaiah 30:18-21 (New International Version)

19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

These words were especially comforting this morning and I am so thankful for Maria sending them on the day that we are stepping out to do something new!

Then later we got an email from a new friend that Tim met through a men’s Bible study.  This man gave said they wouldn’t be able to join us tonight, but wanted to know how to be a part of our ministry.  Tim directed him to the Wycliffe website and we have a new partner in ministry.  We are very encouraged!

Today, Thursday September 2, 2010, the first day of issue and launch of the “Celebrating Bible Translation” commemorative stamp block was held.  His Excellency the Governor General Sir Frank Kabui was the guest of honor and unveiled the stamp during the ceremony.  The stamp was approved by the Governor General during the process by the Philatelic Bureau to produce the stamp.

The event was held at the newly constructed Bible translation center in the Solomon Islands which belongs to the Solomon Islands Bible Translation and Literacy Partnership and attended by members of the Solomon Islands Christian Association.  Following the stamp launch, the Governor General was given a tour of the new facilities.

We thank God for the news that a renter is moving into our house in the Solomon Islands today! Whew. We were beginning to think it wasn’t going to happen, but it has.

We thank our many friends who have been praying with us about this need. And for colleagues who live next door to our house who are baking a batch of welcome cookies for the new tenant and her young daughters. Sweet!

As a teenager, my Uncle Jim introduced me to the world of stamp collecting and first day of issue covers.  I still have two albums of first day of issue covers from US stamps that I collected during that time.

Years later when we were living in the Solomon Islands, I started dreaming of a stamp to commemorate Bible translation in the country.  I wanted stamps that would honor the work of Bible translation and the language groups who have been blessed with a completed New Testament or Bible.  In 2004 I visted in to the Solomon Islands Philatelic Bureau and began dialoguing with the director about the process of getting a stamp(s) approved.

It’s been a long process and it has taken the help of a number of colleagues to make it happen, but the stamps are now printed and ready for a release in early September. Thanks, Uncle Jim for getting me started on this journey so many years ago!

Celebrating Bible Translation 2010 Solomon Islands Commemorative Stamps

Here is a description of the stamp block:

Celebrating Bible Translation:

In recognition of the declaration of 2008 as the Year of the Bible, the Solomon Islands Philatelic Bureau proudly issues this stamp “Celebrating Bible Translation.” In the words of Prime Minister Dr. Derek Sikua, “There is no greater place to build the character of our people than from Biblical foundations and values.”

These beautiful watercolour illustrations tell the story of the arduous task of translating the Word of God (upper right) and after many years of hard work, the arrival of the printed Bibles.

Symbolically representing the arrival of the Gospel to the islands (upper left), the Bible is carried into the church on a ceremonial canoe.  Following a thanksgiving service, the people rush to purchase the treasured Bibles (lower left).  As the people read the Word of God in their heart language, it brings understanding and joy and refreshment (lower right).

The open Bible in the center of the stamp block features two Bible verses, Hebrews 4:12 (The Word of God is alive) and John 17:17 (Your Word is true), taken from the Solomon Islands Pijin Bible which was launched in 2008.

A Pijin Bible on a ceremonial canoe was presented to Prime Minister Dr. Derek Sikua on the 30^th Anniversary of Independence.  It is now part of a Solomon Islands Bible Display and is housed permanently at the National Parliament in Honiara.

From Varisi in Choiseul Province to Natqgu in Temotu Province, Solomon Islanders rejoice in having God’s Word in their heart language.  The names on the perimeter of these stamps represent the languages which now have a New Testament or Bible.  With more than 65 languages spoken in the Solomon Islands, church and government leaders are committed to seeing translations completed in each one.

Night at the Museum

On September 10, 2010, we are hosting a Night at the Museum at the International Museum of Cultures.  The evening will give people a chance to look around the museum (FREE of charge!), enjoy light refreshments and hear a short presentation about Bible translation and literacy around the world.  We will be sharing about our new job assignments with Wycliffe.  If you are in the Dallas area and are free, we would love to have you attend and bring a friend!

We hope that we will be able to meet some new friends that evening and that would lead to further opportunities to share about our ministry and in turn we will be able to see an increase in our support team.

Wycliffe requires that we have 100% of our support pledged before we can start our new assignments.  Please pray that we will be effective in sharing the vision of our ministry and that the people will be responsive to joining our team.  You can view/download a flyer about the event here:  Night at the Museum

We have a special houseguest staying with us at the moment – Lizzie Humbu from Papua New Guinea.  Lizzie is here in the USA with YWAM (Youth with a Mission) and we met her a few months ago at a workshop.  She needed a place to stay and we needed someone to stay in our house while we were on a trip so she is staying with us.

After years of living in the Pacific – both Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, and being on the receiving end of gracious Melanesian hospitality, it is indeed a pleasure to be able to extend a bit of hospitality to Lizzie.  In a few weeks, Lizzie is hoping to move to Arkansas to attend college there.  She is praying and trusting God to provide the money she needs for tuition.

It’s fun to see Emily enjoying making music with Lizzie.  Playing guitar and singing with her Solomon Islands friends, was one of Emily’s favorite activities.

For the past week, I have been reminding myself that the girls and I need a haircut.  Last Saturday as I was driving down Main Street here in Duncanville, I saw that there was a new hair salon that was advertising $8 haircuts.  Being one that likes to save money and support local businesses, I decided to try them out.  I stopped by one day this week and found the salon door locked.  There are other places to get haircuts, but I felt compelled somehow to try this new one.

This afternoon the girls and I went into the new salon.  We were welcomed with a warm smile by the new owner and some of her friends who were visiting. A sign on the wall with a Christian theme gave me a hint that maybe the owner was a Christian.

I told her that I had seen the $8 sign last weekend and wondered if the special was still going on.  “Well, no.  That special is finished,” she said slowly.  “But, there is a new special going today – $5.99.” Some how I think she might have dreamed up the new special on the spot! Emily sat in the chair and the trimming began.

As we chatted about her business and why she had chosen to start a business here, it soon became evident that she is a strong Christian.  She shared with us how she left a hair salon chain so she could open this shop and have more of a chance to share her faith and have a ministry.  She also shared with us that this morning she had prayed with her friends asking God to send some customers her way.

We left her shop with nice hair cuts and feeling blessed by her heart for ministry and the Lord’s leading in her life.  Yesterday I was wondering why I felt pulled to this new salon, but this afternoon I knew that it was a divine appointment.  Sweet.

Sarah, Martha and Emily

(Apparently Emily is spending a little too much time with her dog, Duke and is starting to look a bit like him…)

Yesterday afternoon the girls and I were blessed to be able to visit a church in North Dallas where I spoke to a group of mothers who meet regularly for Bible study.  Emily and Sarah worked with the kids while I was with the adults.

During the prayer request time, one of the women shared about how she has had the opportunity to share her faith with a Muslim woman.  They talk about various topics and the Christian woman points out various Bible references to explain what the Bible teaches.  The Muslim woman has a Hindi Bible and she goes home and looks up the verses and reads them in her mother tongue.  She also reads her Koran.

It was exciting to hear about the opportunities that this Christian woman is having to share with her Muslim friend and exciting that this woman is reading the Bible.  I was reminded again that the Bible has power to change lives, it’s alive and it can speak to this woman.  The Koran is not God’s living word.

I needed that reminder yesterday.  I’m excited to be a part of helping to bring God’s living Word to all the language groups around the world.  There are those like this Muslim woman who are searching for the truth and others who haven’t heard the truth yet.

It’s our heart’s desire that we have our financial support up to a sufficient level soon so we can begin our new assignments with Wycliffe.   We appreciate prayers for that need.

By the way, there is a new ‘button’ (Give Online) at the top of our website which is linked to a page on the Wycliffe site and makes it easy to make a financial donation if the Lord leads you.

Tim meeting with the International Literacy Office staff

Last week as I was at a prayer meeting with my ladies’ Bible study group, I prayed that Tim would find just the right place to plug in and use his skills within Wycliffe.  When I returned home I learned that Tim had received a phone call from Dr. Susan Malone, the International Literacy Coordinator, who asked him to meet with her at the literacy office.

Susan has a residence in Bangkok but more often than not, she is traveling to many parts of the world where she serves as a literacy consultant to governments and various organizations.  Often her travels take her places where there is poor internet connection, making it hard to keep up with emails and running the office in Dallas.

Susan has asked Tim to serve at the Assistant International Literacy Coordinator here in Dallas.  This will involve managing the office, answering emails and interacting with people who call or visit the literacy office.  In addition Tim will work on editing and organizing many of the papers and other documents that Susan has written on the subject of multi-lingual education and organize them for a website.

We are excited about this new position for Tim which suits his gifts, abilities and interests.  Tim will be able to begin this assignment as soon as we reach 100% of our financial support.

Literacy Course staff and students

Tim helped teach the Literacy Megacourse – a course for preparing people to work in literacy overseas.  He enjoyed being in the classroom and sharing his knowledge and experience.  The students are heading for West Africa and Brazil.  At the end of the course, these are some of the nice things the students said about Tim:
“You’ve been a great blessing of insight and wisdom.  Thank you for investing in our lives and the Gospel.”

“Thank you for sharing your expertise with us.  I was blessed by your insights and discussions!”

“Your openesss and teaching have been packed with experience and insight.  I am so thankful for your part in this course.  You are sensitive, patient and encouraging.”

“Tim, thanks for all of your input and wisdom that you were able to bring to the table.”