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“This is a story about God's servant Elisha who lived many hundreds of years before the birth of our Lord Jesus. Now, one time, there was a famine at his place. During that time, Elijah got a bunch of visitors. Even with the famine going on, Elijah said to his servants, ‘Get a large pot and prepare food for all the guests.’ OK. Strange instruction at the time of famine… but, anyway, the servant started to do what Elisha told him. One of the guests went out into the fields to look for food as well. He found a plant that he didn't know, but it looked nice, and it had large fruits. So, he picked a lot of these fruits, and he carried home as much as he could. He chopped them into pieces, and he added them to the stew that Elijah's servant was making. When the meal was ready everybody sat down to eat. But as soon as they took one bite… Oh, it was horrible! It was so bitter it was impossible to eat! They spat it out again, and they cried to Elisha, ‘There is death in this food!’ Elijah said, ‘Get me some flour.’ He poured some flour in the pot, and he stirred it. And then all the bitterness was gone and everybody could eat the nice food. And this is the story which you can read in 2 Kings 4:38-41.” Irene began the session with this story. She went on to describe how a typical storytelling session would be carried out: telling the story at least twice, sometimes accompanied by drawing pictures, or having the listeners act out the parts. Some details might need more explanation. Then some questions would be discussed: Why did Elisha ask his servant to prepare food during a famine? What was the motivation of the different people in the story? What were their feelings? Why is it that actions made with good intentions can result in bitterness? What can God do when we make mistakes? Irene also explained the difference between storytelling to children and to adults – for children, there might be more embellishments such as drama and descriptions to make the story interesting. For adults, the content of the stories is kept close to the Bible text, and they go through a process of checking similar to translating the Bible to make sure that the stories are accurate. However, stories intended for oral retelling use clear and natural language, just as people would use in normal speech. The stories should be easily remembered and be retellable. For many people, stories told in their heart language can be more powerful than sermons as stories have characters that listeners can relate to, and which engage their emotions. Irene shared about the impact of Bible storytelling that she and her team have witnessed: Created in God’s image R and his wife, S, had found it hard to follow the preaching in church as it was in the national language. They knew very little about what was in the Bible. At a Bible storytelling group, they heard the story of God creating the first man and woman. S said that before hearing the story, she had not realised that both men and women were created in God’s image; R said that he had not realised that God intended men and women to fellowship with each other and with God. R resolved to treat his wife better in future! They learned to tell Bible stories, and started a storytelling group in their house, sharing stories with neighbours and relatives. Some of these listeners have become believers. Intimidated by the big book SH, an itinerant evangelist, found that the villagers would avoid him when he carried a big book (the Bible) because they were afraid. After he learned to tell oral Bible stories, he could “carry them in his heart” and didn’t need to bring the book when he went to the villages. People started becoming interested in the stories and would welcome him to tell them more. Especially effective for women In that traditional culture, women were not permitted to preach or teach. But when they learned to tell Bible stories, they found that storytelling was very effective for evangelism. Many women also found that Bible stories combined with trauma healing were very effective – it enabled them to talk about the heart wounds they had experienced, and the topics discussed encouraged them share their pain and receive healing. In the country where Irene and her team work, more than 120 language communities have participated in learning Bible storytelling. Some workshops are for crafting the Bible stories in an easily retellable form, and some are for people to learn stories that have already been crafted and checked. In one programme, people learn 24 Bible stories over 3 years, and up to 50 stories by the end of the 6th year. After learning each story, they practise telling them in their communities. Stories are chosen to give a panorama of the Bible from Creation to Jesus, with a few chosen to address specific issues depending on the culture and worldview of that community. In some of these languages, Bible translation is already ongoing or about to begin. However, many people will always find learning by reading a hurdle because it is not their learning style. Even the more educated find that stories speak to their hearts better than a written text. For many, concepts learned from the Bible text gives head knowledge, but telling stories touches their hearts. Bible storytelling is truly a powerful and effective way to share gospel and learn about God. About the speaker Irene has worked in South Asia for over 25 years in Bible translation, the last 14 of them focusing on Bible storytelling. As an Oral Bible Storying consultant, she trains and mentors people to tell stories in their own languages, and also checks their stories for biblical accuracy, naturalness, and clear understanding. S is a Bible Storying Consultant, and especially focuses on training women as storytellers. L is a pastor who is also a consultant in training, trains storytellers in several language groups, and uses storytelling in his own church.

Stories from the Field, 5 Mar 2024 Speaker: Jim Moore Who are the “mobile masses”? Just about everyone these days! Even in the most remote of villages, someone will have a mobile phone. In 2023, there were an estimated 6.7 billion mobile phone subscriptions worldwide, and this is projected to increase to 7.7 billion by 2028! Many people, even if they are literate, prefer to access Scripture in audio and/or video formats. In language communities where literacy is low, digital publishing meets a heartfelt need. Kalaam Media Kalaam Media was set up in 2008 to distribute translated Scripture in digital formats in countries where distributing printed Bibles was not practicable. Their vision is for people in every language community to experience abundant life through receiving digital scriptures expressed in their language and culture. Their first website was launched in 2010, and since then, they have launched 1,252 websites, developed 4,031 apps and trained 1,965 website managers across 100 countries. Teams from Kalaam Media go to language communities to hold face-to-face workshops to teach locals to create and maintain the websites and apps. Some recent workshops were held in Guinea Bissau, Papua New Guinea and Cameroon. They also run a helpdesk which provides support by email or video calls. Other services provided include social media integration, cloud hosting and domain name management. Funding and Staff Kalaam Media does not charge the language communities for their services. Many communities may not be able to pay for continual upgrades and maintenance, which would make the websites and apps unusable after a while. Instead, Kalaam Media’s full-time staff raise their own support as missionaries, while unpaid volunteers serve part-time. Donations are also received from organisations and individuals. Costs are kept low – about US$50 per year to maintain a website. Kalaam Media staff and volunteers work remotely from wherever they are based. They hail from all over – US, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, Singapore… Currently, the greatest needs are for a Software Development Manager, Digital Publishing Manager, Funding Manager, and a trainer for Social Media Promotion. There is always a need of volunteers to serve regularly, or for shorter durations on specific projects or workshops. If you are interested in getting a taste of what Kalaam Media does, come along to a half-day workshop on 1 June 2024. An example of a website: SuaraHakka (Voice of Hakka) Kalamm Media   About the speaker: Jim is the Managing Director of the Kalaam Media team which participates in the global effort to assist language communities to have their own internet presence.

Good Friday and Easter Sunday is the time of year when we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is an invitation to the  Risen life  in Jesus! This invitation is given to all, which includes all people groups who are not able to read, see or hear the salvation message in a language they understand best . To date, 99.8 million people, speaking 1,268 languages, are still waiting for God's Word in their own language. May the words of Christ be a reminder and an encouragement to you. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17) Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) Let us we go forth to proclaim to the world that Christ is the Resurrection and the Life!  Join us, as we serve together to translate the Word into the heart languages of the people and testify the transformational power of the Gospel.

I am a few decades too old to have grown up with Taylor Swift’s music, but who could have missed hearing that she was performing in Singapore? Especially since a daughter managed to snag a ticket to a show. What grabbed my attention after the first night was the fact that she and her backup dancer, Kameron Saunders, had incorporated a Singlish phrase into the performance! As the days went on, it became clear that Saunders was going to say a different Singlish phrase each night. I began to ask my daughter each morning, as she scrolled through her Instagram feed, “So what Singlish phrase came up last night?” Singlish, that local variant of English so dear to our hearts, is the language that almost all Singaporeans use when we can be informal and unguarded, usually with our family and friends. It is also the language we use to form an instant connection when we meet a fellow Singaporean overseas. In each performance, the Singlish phrase occurred at the same point, after Swift said the line: “We are never ever getting back together”. The usual response was “Like ever”, but in the six performances in Singapore, Saunders responded with: No lah! Siao ah! Walao eh! Alamak! Wah piang eh! Hanor, abuden? Watch a video compilation of the 6 Singlish phrases Read an explanation of the 6 Singlish phases From the screams that greeted each night’s Singlish phrase, it was clear that the crowds much appreciated the efforts to connect with them using their colloquial language. Even without the star power of Taylor Swift, those who share God’s Word will likewise receive a warmer welcome if they use the language that resonates with the hearers’ hearts.

What are the hallmarks of a woman of noble character? Proverbs 31:30-31 – A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. In Proverbs 31, King Lemuel remembers what his mother told him about a “wife of noble character”. While the details may not be exactly applicable in the 21st century, the qualities are enduring! So, to mark International Women’s Day (3 March), here is a summary: She fears God. She supports her husband. She is hardworking. She is wise and responsible in the home as well as outside. She ministers to the needy and cares for her employees. She is respected by her husband and children. And while she may be worth more than rubies, her reward is the appreciation from her family: Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her, saying: “Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.” (Proverbs 30:28-29)

Stories from the Field, 6 Feb 2024 Speaker: Mary Beth Saurman Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. How does arts play a part in the process of trauma healing? Does using arts actually help in the trauma-healing process? In 2020, as part of Wycliffe Singapore’s Stories from the Field series  , Mary Beth, an Arts Master Facilitator and experienced Consultant, shared her experience of using ethno-arts to help others heal from the pain that results from experiencing trauma. Her talk was so well-received that Wycliffe Singapore invited her to share again this year. What are traumas? What are “traumas”? When a person suffers intense physical or emotional pain, he will experience grief at the losses he suffers. These could be the loss of something (like an arm or a house), or the loss of an ability or opportunity. If the grief is not processed and dealt with, it can settle or “stick”, and the feelings can reignite in future. These are “traumas” or “heart wounds”. In 1990, two scripture engagement specialists (Harriet S. Hill and Margaret Hill) and two psychologists (Richard Bagge and Pat Miersma) in Africa produced the book, Healing the Wounds of Trauma. This was a response to the need they saw to educate people in the churches to understand trauma and how to help those who were suffering. The methods taught in the book bring together scripture and prayer, integrated with current mental health expertise. They are also community-based, experiential and participatory, and present a sustainable process which the community can continue to apply. However, over time, it was found that these methods did not work in some contexts, and in 2010, Mary Beth was invited to work on a programme that integrated Arts in the Trauma Healing process. It was recognised that suffering trauma affected the cognitive and analytical functions of the brain, and inhibited a person’s self-regulation. How Arts worked in the Trauma Healing process was to help integrate the instinctive and emotional parts of the brain with the cognitive and analytical parts of the brain, so that the person could achieve better self-regulation. This programme focused on incorporating expressive arts as a means of self-expression and self-reflection. It recognised that the artistic expressions had to be contextualised to the culture of the group involved, and had to be meaningful and communicative. Depending on the group’s culture, meaningful arts might involve music, poetry, embroidery, and even food! There was also a strong emphasis on facilitation skills and co-journeying with the people. Although trauma healing was first developed in the mission field, it has been recognised that there is a need for Trauma Healing in all societies. The aim is to raise up trauma-informed churches with trauma teams that can provide care and support for all those who are suffering trauma in their midst.   About the speaker: Mary Beth Saurman is an Arts Master Facilitator with the Bible Society’s Trauma Healing Institute. She teaches MA courses in Arts and Trauma Healing and also offers shorter training in Arts in the Healing Process. She has worked with SIL International for the last 30 years as an advocate for the music and arts of ethnic minority groups. She has years of experience working as a Creative Arts Therapist and Music Therapist in clinical settings, including mental health care, geriatric care, and special needs. Her training and expertise focus on Music and Dance/Movement Therapy. She has also used other forms of Creative Arts as therapy such as drama, visual arts, and verbal arts. Images: © Mary Beth Saurman It's Happening: Arts in the Trauma Healing Process Basic Training May 20 - 25, 2024, 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM This basic training course (Cycle 1) teaches a holistic and interactive approach to engaging Scripture and expressive arts (e.g. music, dance, drama, visual, and oral arts) in the healing process for people who suffer from the mental, emotional, and spiritual effects of trauma. The course combines biblical truths with basic mental health principles. Participants learn to address beliefs and emotions damaged by trauma in their own and others' lives through participatory learning methods and in small groups. Come and learn how to promote emotional and spiritual healing in traumatised communities through the use of local expressive arts existing in those communities. Get on our mailing list to be notified when details are released! Or watch our Events page .

by Wycliffe US How do finance professionals impact Bible translation work around the world? At Wycliffe, we connect organizations and communities with the resources they need to get the Bible and thrive under the influence of God’s Word. God is at work around the world today, and we strive to join what He is doing through local churches and communities. In 1985, God led Tim and Jan Stoker to begin serving with Wycliffe, and Tim has served in a variety of roles since then. Now as a financial analyst and special projects coordinator, his contributions are making an eternal impact as he stewards financial resources. He shared three ways he impacts Bible translation work around the world by serving in finance. 1. Connecting Global Teams God is using the global Church to impact the Bible translation movement in ways we’ve never seen before. Wycliffe USA partners with over 100 organizations around the world and our staff has opportunities to work alongside local communities. Not only does Tim work as part of a team that spans the globe, he manages the financial reports for about 40 projects in Central Africa! As part of his role, Tim is responsible for understanding translation project needs and ensuring resources are stewarded well. It can be a challenge to keep everything organized and on track. And when working in multicultural environments, numbers don’t always tell the full story. As he works with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds, Tim has to ask questions, stay flexible and be open to looking at situations from different viewpoints. But bringing together different cultures, generations and backgrounds to make an eternal impact is worth the challenges. Tim said: “God is doing amazing things. He really is on the move. … I see this especially in what I’m doing now where I work pretty closely with projects in Central Africa. I have a front-row seat to see what God is doing. It’s exciting.” 2. Ensuring Excellent Stewardship At Wycliffe, we steward resources and build capacity so local translation teams and churches can move forward with well-planned, high-quality, sustainable and community-engaged Bible translation programs. Finance mentors like Tim are critical; they come alongside teams and ensure that the teams follow best practices to steward resources. For example, a project budget is an important agreement between organizations and teams, and accountability is key to moving work forward. Tim analyzes and reviews budgets to ensure teams are on track to reach their goals. Tim said, “I can usually provide helpful information just by looking at the budget. I’m good at asking questions [that] help develop the budgets better. … That’s important too for the donors [so] that we can ensure that the resources they’re giving are being used the way they intended.” As part of his role, Tim also has the opportunity to read quarterly reports from the projects he oversees. He directly sees how more lives are being transformed as people encounter Jesus in a language and format they clearly understand. He said, “The way Scripture speaks to people’s lives … is just so concrete sometimes. … It makes a big difference in their lives. And that keeps me going.” 3. Keeping Up With How God Is Moving We’re living in a day and age where the global Church is expanding at an unprecedented rate and Bible translation is accelerating. As Tim works with teams in Africa, he is motivated and inspired by what he sees happening. He said: “This is a once in eternity thing, what we’re seeing right now as far as the opportunities that are available, as far as the way things are just exploding. They’re outside of our control, which is a good thing, because this tells us God is orchestrating it — not us.” In his own journey, Tim has had to face change as God opened doors for him. Before joining Wycliffe, Tim was working in the atmospheric science field. When he became a missionary, Tim had to use the skills he had developed to try new things, go above and beyond in his work and grow professionally. He served in roles with linguistics, desktop publishing and information technology before finding his fit in accounting and finance. He said, “I got a lot of on-the-job experience here in Wycliffe and on-the-job knowledge.” For Tim, Bible translation goes even deeper than simply words on a page. We want God’s Word to transform other people through Bible translation, but we believe transformation starts on an individual level at Wycliffe as each person treasures His Word and commits to growing in their faith. Tim said, “There have been so many times, all along the way, where one thing or another from God’s Word has spoken to me. … It is fulfilling to see God’s Word being used, being spread wider and wider, touching lives [and] making changes.” God is changing people and communities worldwide through the transformational power of the Bible as it is used for evangelism, discipleship, church planting and spiritual growth. As a finance professional, Tim impacts Bible translation by connecting global teams, ensuring excellent stewardship and keeping up with how God is moving. As he relies on and learns from others, he has forged intercultural relationships and developed a meaningful community. We’re looking for more people who are passionate about the global Church expanding through the work of Bible translation. God is on the move, and you could join in what He is doing! Are you ready to do your part? Reproduced with permission from Wycliffe US

Harum Mission Trip by Covenant Presbyterian Church 27 Nov to 4 Dec 2023 Covenant Presbyterian Church (CPC) first visited the Harum* Bible Translation (BT) project in 2018, when they got to know the local project managers H & E, and then again in 2019. Although all visits stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic, they kept in touch regularly via Zoom. Finally, they were able to resume visiting in 2023. With much rejoicing, the team of 17 from CPC made the trip with ages ranging from 6 to 74 years old! The trip was co-led by a couple from Wycliffe Singapore. The Harum people group is an unreached people group numbering about 360,000 in Indonesia. Their heart language is not the national language. As the Harum believers desired to know more about their God in their heart language, in 2011, Wycliffe Singapore and Kartidaya Indonesia began partnering in a BT project to translate the Harum New Testament (NT). CPC came to know about the needs of the Harum BT project through Wycliffe Singapore in 2018. To date, the NT translation has been completed and is being prepared for printing, and the dedication of the NT is scheduled for April 2024. The next phase of the project will focus on scripture engagement – this will involve using the translated scripture, films, songs and other materials in the Harum language to share the Word of God in the local churches and in the wider community. CPC was warmly welcomed by the local people who were very friendly and hospitable. The project managers H & E arranged a full and varied schedule for the CPC team. They visited families in the BT team, prayed for the sick, conducted a Pastors’ Workshop on divine healing, and enjoyed fellowship with Harum believers and pre-believers. They also encouraged the BT team to focus on scripture engagement with the local churches after the Bible dedication. They heard an elderly man’s testimony about how he came to know Jesus through reading the Bible and brought his whole family to Christ. Others came to know God through their involvement in BT and the dubbing of the Jesus Film. Activities were also held to reach out to the younger members of the community: teaching English in a kindergarten, visiting a Christian school, and spending time with children in the community. The CPC team also participated in a Christmas Celebration in the local church, presenting songs, a dance and a skit with a gospel message. The CPC team came home praising the Lord for a wonderful visit to the Harum people. They are now looking forward to partnering with Wycliffe Singapore to support the scripture engagement phase, and see the Word of God transform the lives of those who turn to God. * Not the real name

Who killed an army commander with a tent peg? Judges 4:21 – [Jael] drove the peg through [Sisera’s] temple into the ground, and he died. Sisera, commander of the Canaanite army, fled on foot from Mount Tabor after the Canaanites’ attempt to conquer Israel failed. He arrived at the tent of Heber the Kenite, and was offered hospitality by Jael, Heber’s wife. The Kenites were a nomadic tribe that were related to the Israelites, but also had an alliance with the Canaanites. As Sisera slept, Jael killed him by driving a tent peg through his head. Jael was lauded as a hero (Judges 5:24–27) because she acted in defence of the Israelites.

Wycliffe Singapore wishes everyone a joyous Lunar New Year filled with abundant blessings! 🍊🧧 May your year be filled with joy and love. This festive season, let's spread kindness and share the love of Christ with those around us.