Joey Update Vol. 14

Sesigeh tarbema! Nugudi habar chigi? Man moho habar fassa wa man
shekarkisigeh at-shan sig sallaha te zig aye ma roh, man girni nash.

Greetings my family! What's new? I have good news and I thank you all
because you p'ay for us everyday, I know it.

It was a day that seemed sluggish in getting started, if you ask me. To tell
you the truth, I was getting discouraged toward the end of it. I'd had some
goals I wanted to see met and as far as I knew, there they were, sitting
right where I left them, untouched. But it so turned out that I was looking
in the wrong place!

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not lack." Whatever it was that I was
lacking, just yesterday the Shepherd knew it and met me in it. I went for a
walk and invited Him along with me. As usually happens when He comes, things
turned out for the better and best. When I returned home I met a friend who
invited us out to his village sometime soon. He first had to check with the
village chief to ask if it was alright we stop by (that's standard protocol
and it's best not to bypass the proper channels as it's a great snub to the
chief).

Then, as the time whiled down towards night, there comes a man who wants to
help us get a story crafted! I was only considering the time and how it was
slipping away, doubting if we had time enough to see this story properly
crafted, as it usually takes a few hours. In any case, flexibility is key to
our work and it is good because schedules are made and broken here all the
time. You have to jump at the opportunities that do come your way.
Well, we let our friend listen to the story a few times and he told it back
to us, but it was largely based on their Book. So, we let him listen again
and asked him, in a more roundabout, culturally appropriate way, if the
things from their Book were present in this particular recording. When he
heard, he acknowledged, "No, those things are not in this story". So, we had
him retell the story he heard in the N. language and we recorded him. This
means, we have our first story recorded! This we lift up as the firstfruits
offering of old (Deut.26:2).

It is a great adventure we live with G'd, even if some days take us through
valleys and it seems to us that not much is being accomplished outwardly.
While no excuse for lazy work or a chance to sigh, "This is His field, He
can do what He wants with it" as an excuse for our lacking, we can joyfully
acknowledge in truth, "This is His field, He can do what He wants with it."
We believe that He wants us in it, working hand in hand with Him. So let us
work with Him, invite Him into all our moments, and speak with His voice the
very words of G'd.

Hamdu's:
-The Firstfruits of our stories*
-The invite to another outside village
-We also had the chance to follow up with that village that was burned a few
months ago. It turns out that someone in town broadcasted over the radio the
people of the village's thanks to us for helping them in replacing some of
what they lost! May His goodness show in us!
-The water in town has been turned back on! This was a problem because we
had to, every few days get someone to bring water by donkey from a well to
our house. Now that the water tower has been fixed, just this morning, water
now flows through our pipes again.

*Just because we have this story recorded, does not mean we are done with
it. It is but the first step in a long process, but I find often the first
step is the hardest. And here it is, already taken! So, the remaining steps
(and they are considerable) must be lifted up for Du'as.

Du'as:
-The remaining steps of backtranslation, testing and retesting for this and
other stories.
-Stamina in seeking out testers and other people to help us in the process.
-That the wide nets we are casting will bring in some of every kind, and
that He will gather them together (Mt. 13:47-48)
-Continue to remain close to the Shepherd of our souls for the strength we
need on our team and singly.

Man shekarkisigeh kwi! Man kelisig mutuk.
Thanks again you guys! I love you all very much.

-Youssef