Introducing...

Our first Pal literacy class graduates!

The 14 men and women standing here with Nate and our coworker Chris H. are the very first literate people in the Pal language.

Graduation was yesterday and was celebrated by a ceremony and a huge community meal attended by most of the Pal speakers in a 10-mile radius. 

Men and women read aloud stories that they had written and demonstrated their newfound abilities.

What a joy to look forward to the day when they will read God's Word themselves when they hold it in their hands.

Praise Him with us!

• for faithful men and women who came every day for 4 1/2 months, barefoot, over miles of steep jungle trails in order to learn to read and write.

• for God sustaining the teachers and our families as well over a crazy last 6 weeks of conference, a visiting team from one of our home churches (yea Living Hope!), medical emergencies among Pal people and the near death of 2 of our closest Pal friends.  (THANK YOU to those of you who have continued to pray for us even when we weren't writing...if Nate's blog drops off, you can normally pray all the harder for him as he is barely keeping his head above water!)

Pray with us:

• Nate is currently right in the middle of his first 'translation check'.  A consultant is working with Nate and 2 Pal men to go through every single verse Nate translated, checked and checked again.   The last 6 months of work are under the scope!  Pray that the men helping Nate will tell her exactly what it says in the trade language, not what they think the consultant *wants* to hear.

• our family is currently separated for a month - I (Elizabeth) am in the US with our youngest, Elias, so that he can visit with grandparents and so that I could have some health issues checked out.  So far I have a clean bill of health...which means that I can put up with some annoying symptoms without concern that there is some deeper problem causing them!  Time with our family in the US has been wonderful for Elias and I, but being apart as a smaller family has been hard.

• For HIS name to be lifted up in and through work in Pal and our team.

"...so is My word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."  Isaiah 55:11