Reaching the unreached of the world is a team effort, with many people using the unique and various gifts God has given them. This is the “body” principle, as described in 1 Corinthians, in action.

We just returned from several weeks in Thailand. While there, Bill fulfilled his responsibilities as the chairman of a conference focused on helping language learners and those who help language learning. He was also able to attend another workshop called the “Language Coach Workshop.”

The trouble is, of course, that learning another language to a high level of fluency is one of the most demanding tasks that can be undertaken. So learner need as much help as possible. This is where “coaches” (language consultants, teachers, tutors, school directors, etc.), along with those giving oversight to new missionaries, come in.

But it’s not easy to “coach” or help others learn a new language, either! So the workshops are to help those who must help others.

Praise the Lord we had a very profitable couple of weeks where language coaches, etc., from a wide range of evangelical organizations, could interact, discuss issues, ask questions, listen to presentations by others with more experience, and look at each other’s materials.

Bill has handed over the chairmanship of the next Asian conference to someone else, so we can continue to focus on the Palawano translation.

It was a good feeling to head home from these workshops knowing that literally hundreds of missionaries will be helped to learn to communicate God’s truth… learning more quickly, and communicating more effectively.

After a nice Christmas visit from Donna’s sister and family, we’re headed back to the tribe.

Bill will dive back into translation, which is now his full-time activity (much to his delight) at last!

He has set up a Translation Committee of about 6 or 7 Palawano men, all believers, most of whom are teachers in the church here. They range in ages from 26 to 45, so bring a variety of perspectives to the translation process.

The youngest man, Arnel, is the “youth pastor” in the church here. He was a member of our “Emmanuel” youth group in the village back in 2000, along with Arlyn, his wife-to-be at the time. He has a keen mind, a love for the Scriptures, and he gives good insight into how certain words and expression might (or might not!) be understood by the younger generation of Palawanos, as the language is changing.

The other men are older and help Bill to access a broad range of vocabulary. Bill is so thrilled to them all helping, quite a change from working with one 22 year-old guy back in the mid 80’s (although that young man, Arturo, is on the committee now, at age 45!) All the guys have a good grasp of what the Scriptures are trying to say and that is a help in discussing how to render that meaning in Palawano.

Many others will be used to check, revise and confirm comprehension of the translation… and they are ready to roll! Right now, Bill is working on Acts, Luke and Ephesians.

Donna will resume her role of helping with some of the translation process, while continuing her language study, which will enable her to have a more extensive role in a wide range of the steps involved in the translation process.

Please pray with us as we labor to see God’s Word translated and published for the Palawanos!

We’re sorry to have to be offline for such a long stretch and unable to post updates due to email problems. But God is good, and he is working. Here’s a brief synopsis of things since late August.

Donna is going full-tilt in her ongoing CLA (“Culture/Language Acquisition”) as she pursues her goal of increased fluency in Palawano. This will give her an expanded role in the translation project, which in turn, will mean a sooner completion of the Palawano New Testament. She’s having fun along the way visiting Palawano women (many of them are young moms who were our daughters’ childhood friends), and working with several language helpers in her office.

Bill is VERY glad to let go of the title “construction supervisor” and go full time with ministry related activity (although the construction work itself allowed many good hours of reconnection, conversation, language re-immersion, and relationship building.) He is adding to what we already know about Palawano by doing further discourse analysis… i.e. figuring out how large sections of the language (longer narratives, rebukes, preaching, etc.) are organized, how themes are stressed, and so on. He’s having fun at this (it’s his thing, for sure!) He is also beginning to work on the book of Acts, which is in the final stages of translation before preliminary printing. Then he will resume translation full-time, most likely starting with Luke.

Bill’s asthma has also taken a rather significant surge for the better!! We are thankful for this… keep praying.

The Palawano church is steady and the men God has raised up are taking the initiative in leadership, teaching and shepherding the flock. Please pray for them. They are under many pressures and face dangers as well as potential of spiritual attacks.

Our email has been offline for a month now. Bill is in town for some other business and while there, he’s trying to get the problem fixed, but he has just one day now before he returns to the village. It’s hard to be without email now after having gotten used to it!

We been blessed to see the believers meeting on their own, and the men sharing good teaching. But recently it has been thrilling to hear Abil and others discuss on their own about plans to reach several areas (both near and far) with the gospel. There are also some isolated groups where someone preached the gospel then left and people are either confused, or else new Christians wanting to be taught… the church here is looking at how to shepherd these groups, as well.

Well time flies and soon, so do we. But first, to catch you up a bit.

Donna arrived back in the Philippines on Mother’s Day. We had a little time away together and then headed down to Palawan. Since then we’ve been shopping like mad, getting ready to move (at last?) into the tribe again, gathering months of supplies and any additional building supplies we will need to finish off the work on the house.

Somewhere in there Donna has been working on recovery from jet lag, the loss of her mom and the whirlwind of her frenetically busy last days in the USA.