More Than Rice

by El­yse Patten      Photo: Andy Kris­t­ian Agaba

Happy kids pose on a small rice farm in Uganda. While west­ern me­dia of­ten fo­cuses on this na­tion’s strug­gles, Ugan­dans are per­se­ver­ing, gen­tle and strong in faith. Over 82% of Ugan­dans call them­selves Chris­t­ian. Al­though many Ugan­dans have ac­cess to the Scrip­tures in the na­tional lan­guage, that doesn’t en­able the same level of un­der­stand­ing as a heart lan­guage. For ex­am­ple, af­ter at­tend­ing a ba­sic Bible teach­ing sem­i­nar, Mr. Za­ve­rio, 97, said, “I was not ex­pect­ing to wit­ness the Word of God be­ing read in Bwisi while I was still alive. This week I have learned the true mean­ing of sal­va­tion, and I have ac­cepted Jesus as my Savior. I will die in the Lord. They used to tell us that a true Chris­t­ian is the one who at­tends church all the time, gives gifts, does good works and prays every evening. But now through these teach­ings in my lan­guage of Bwisi, I am un­der­stand­ing that God for­gives our sins through Christ!”

This is what ScriptureEarth.org is all about. Helping individuals who want to know God, learn the true mean­ing of sal­va­tion, in their heart language, through His Word.

It’s just a couple of weeks till Oct 1. That is our faith goal for having our Wycliffe ministry budget fully met. We are so grateful to God for all of his faithful sons and daughters who have come alongside us in this ministry. If you are still praying about joining our finance team, the un-Xed colored tiles represent the amount of shortfall in our monthly Wycliffe ministry budget. Pick one or a part of one or more than one. Please keep praying.                                                                         Click here to partner.

The above article was from the Wycliffe Global Alliance website, and was used with permission. https://www.wycliffe.net/inspiringimage?id=3750
P.S. Bwisi language resources are found on Scriptureearth.org but under another name, Lubwisi.

Click to partner  https://www.wycliffe.org/partner/JimandJudyMcCabe

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Tools… 

Everyone uses them for their jobs. IT people use computers, auto mechanics use wrenches, and carpenter uses saws and hammers.

Missionaries use tools of all kinds in their work too!  The Bible has been a primary tool for centuries helping introduce people to God. One of our newest tools is ScriptureEarth.org. This is a website created to house scripture resources in thousands of languages. We have had a blast showing people the website. So many are amazed at all the information that is found there.

What will you find?  That depends on what has been completed in a specific language. In some languages, you’ll find the whole Bible, or perhaps just the New Testament, or Scripture portions in text form, audio, and video. Often there are multiple versions of Scripture, study aids, and children’s material. Even if the scriptures are not linked to it yet, one will often find the Jesus Film, which is a great introduction to the life of Christ through the eyes of the apostle Luke.

How is it used?  With a smartphone, you can quickly access the web page. The opening or splash page shows a list of all the countries of the world. Choose one. The next page shows all the languages spoken in that country. Choose one. The next page shows Scripture and other resources that have been completed in that language. If you don’t have a smartphone you can always find it on your computer!

We used it to show Philip, a store employee who was helping us find something. We could hear by his accent that he was from Africa. We told about our time serving there. We asked him what country he was from, he said Uganda. We told him about scriptureearth.org and showed it to him on his phone. The Scripture Earth website showed 31 different languages spoken in Uganda. After a few swipes, he found his language, Luganda. He was so excited he couldn’t wait to check it out after work.  A quick internet search showed us there are about 9,000 Ugandans in the USA right now with the largest concentration being in Chicago.

This ScriptureEarth.org tool is for everyone to use. Those who find it will love it because someone honored their language enough to develop it into a written form and translate materials into it. Because it is their language they will read, listen and watch whatever is published in it. Then they will forward it to family and friends.

Pray with us that God will provide the team to meet our Wycliffe budget requirements and prayer support that will allow us to get started on this important assignment. Click here.to partner with our Wycliffe ministry.

The un-Xed tiles are open for claiming! Pick one or a part of one or more than one. God is our provider and He is faithfully taking care of us. Thank you, partners, for all you do!

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The following link is a good look at a missionaries life. Judy and I experience this. While on earth we will always be the odd ducks. I have been calling us, “American Nomads”, our real home is waiting for us. Enjoy the read.

https://omf.org/us/missionaries-can-never-go-home/

We need to make some Scripture Earth videos and radio ads explaining how Scripture helps in natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and in the premeditated disasters like school shootings, hijackings, bombings, sex slave trade, civil wars, terrorism, child abuse, animal abuse, etc. When a disaster hits, no matter where in the world it happens, and it gets in the USA media, people want answers. TV and radio talk shows want to give answers and will be scrambling to find people who can give answers. If we can provide some plausible helpful answers, they will air it. Why did it happen, how can it be stopped before it starts, how can people heal from this, how can people help, etc.?

80% of the world has a belief system that includes God. 50% of that group are Christian leaning. We the followers of Christ have answers from Scripture the world needs to hear. If we properly position ourselves and confidently project the answers we already have, it will help people stop and think. It will help slow down the premeditated disaster situations. It will help heal in all the disasters.

I know Scripture has answers. I know Scripture in the heart language has more answers. I think we should pre-make some short 30 and 60 sec videos and audio recordings explaining why and how Scripture can help stop some of the premeditated disaster situations. Specific video scripts for specific situations; “It’s not guns that kill, its people using guns that kill. Why are people wanting to kill? How can they be stopped or changed before they act?” We need to point out that Scripture can bring peace and calm to people before they commit a disaster, thereby possibly averting the disaster and bring peace and calm to those affected by a disaster situation. The simple act of giving people Scripture in their heart language can bring calm and be healing to many difficult situations.

The premade 30 or 60-second videos and audio sent to TV and radio news stations or talk shows right when the disaster is first made known will give a narrow window of time to be invited to do a live interview expanding on how we know Scripture and specifically Scripture in the heart language can help curb and or heal in these situations. We will have an opportunity to give examples of why we think the way we do. Remember, all the world is entitled to our opinion. (We have the right answer)

Yes, this goes way beyond just Scripture Earth, but we can take the lead in getting the ball rolling, showing exactly how this website can help. Others may follow and do a better job. Or, by God’s grace, our presentation may be all that is needed to start the change.

I honestly think if we came up with a solid script we could get any number of Christian media presenters to do the videos for us. I could see Franklin Graham or Michael W Smith saying this, doing this for us.

Pray for a good script,  Pray for access to a video production company, Pray for the right person to narrate or present this.

Jim

The Keliko homeland is in South Sudan, but due to unrest, many community members now live as refugees in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and as far away as Houston, Texas. The translators, including Bishop Seme, the Episcopal bishop of the diocese where the Keliko live, had labored through 20 years of civil war and unrest to complete this translation.

They all converged on a small town in northwest Uganda called Koboko to celebrate the dedication of the Keliko New Testament. They came from all directions. Many lived in the local refugee camps. They walked, rode bicycles, public transport or hitched rides from South Sudan, the DRC and by air from all parts of the globe.

God is not a foreigner anymore
Photo by Elaine Bombay

The speeches at the August 11 dedication had a common theme: Peace. Just the week before the warring parties in South Sudan had signed a peace agreement. Pray that having the words of peace will bring long-lasting peace to this region. This is one of the many displaced people groups located in Houston, TX. They all need access to Gods Word in their heart language. We hope to visit one hundred plus churches in the area over the next few years. We will teach them ways of reaching out to these displaced people by using Scripture in their heart language.

We are greatly encouraged to receive three new partners and one promise to increase their financial partnership and many who promised to pray with us.

The colored tiles represent the amount of shortfall in our monthly Wycliffe ministry budget. A partnership can be accomplished by a monthly, quarterly or annual gift of any amount. Each tile represents a person, family, or group committed to seeing God’s Word accessible to all! Like the Keliko people. Before we can be released by Wycliffe to work full time on our assignment we need all the tiles promised. Please keep praying.

 

Thousands of people are already finding ScriptureEarth.org and the Word of God in their heart language. A comment to one of the Facebook ads from Jerry Yellowhawk, translator for Lakota, “We have been working on this translation project for years, I’m glad someone put it out there. Thank you.”   A pastor on our prayer team shared today “We have shared it through our little mission church several times–a high school freshmen enrolled in German 1–with plans for 3 years–was so excited she shared it with her friends.  At Smyrna/Atlanta, at Bethel Bible (Re)Training Seminar–I shared the address with other students and the staff.  The folks who have been on Bethel Training trips to Africa were very excited-thankful.  My fellow student Lalitha P is a former Hindu Tamil speaker from India who latched on to it!!  Send more cards as we can surely use them”

People ask us, “What is this new assignment going to look like for us?  What is the proposed day to day activities? 

We will be visiting cities across the US that have significant refugee or Native American populations.

• • Introducing church and refugee ministry staff to ScriptureEarth.org, and how to use it.
  • Help them discover which people groups are living within 3 – 5 miles of their church.
  • We will help them build a vision for bringing people to Christ by using Scripture in the people’s heart language.
  • Our plan also includes visiting Native American schools, cultural and visitor centers, cultural radio and TV stations and local ethnic community stores. We will be stopping at University and public libraries, Christian schools, Christian radio and TV stations, local newspapers, and more as God leads.

Our visits will coincide with Scripture Earth Facebook advertising to people groups who do not use English at home. Our team’s Facebook advertising has been extremely successful. After only two months there have been nearly 80,000 views of the ScriptureEarth.org ads on Facebook!

We are excited and passionate about what God is doing with ScriptureEarth.org. 75 years of Bible Translation; the scriptures in text form, audio, and video in thousands of languages accessible on one website. It’s all FREE, no cost, registration or subscription. It’s hard to believe that God chose Judy and me to do this work. And, He has also chosen you to partner with us in this ministry. The people we are hoping to reach will be forever grateful.

I, Jim, still have a 20% Wycliffe assignment to take teams to Chad for special facility maintenance projects. The next project is tentatively planned for April / May 2019, replumbing an 8 unit guest house apartment complex. Let me know if you’d like to join me. I also have a 10% assignment teaching motorcycle and 4X4 driving safety and maintenance to national and expatriate Bible translators and literacy workers around the world. The next trip is tentatively planned for early December 2018 to Papua New Guinea.

Scripture once understood, always impacts hearts!                                                                 Call or email if you have any questions.

Jim and Judy McCabe

520 599-2470

jim_mccabe@sil.org

We’d be grateful for you sharing this page on any of the locations below.

We have heard people say…        

“We’re planning to partner with you, but we haven’t decided on an amount yet.” If you have said that, or have been thinking and praying about it, NOW is the time! Choose your tile!

The colored tiles represent the amount of shortfall in our monthly Wycliffe ministry budget. The partnership can be accomplished by a monthly, quarterly or annual financial investment.  Each tile represents a person, family, or group committed to seeing God’s word accessible to all! Before we can be released by Wycliffe to work full time on our assignment promoting ScriptureEarth.org, we must be at 100% of our Wycliffe budget.  If God is leading you to choose a tile amount or your own amount, go online here and enter how God is leading you to partner with our Wycliffe ministry. You can also send in what God is leading you to Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862. Make your check out to Wycliffe and do not place our name on the memo line. Rather include a separate note “Preference for the Wycliffe ministry of Jim and Judy McCabe, account # 221793.”

X = Even before we published this we received two new monthly partnerships! Our Faithful Father is building this Team!

Our faith goal is to be at 100% of our Wycliffe budget by Oct. 1. 

Each time we step out in faith, He is more faithful. I Thess. 5:24- Faithful is He who calls you and He also will bring it to pass.

Thank you for praying with us and investing in our Wycliffe ministry. 

Jim and Judy McCabe 

520 599-2470 – Feel free to call if you have any questions or need help with the partner process