Literature Translation Project
Report for July, 2003
A New Way of Life
Rita
and I are beginning to adjust to the new life of deputation in our efforts to
raise funds to purchase computers, train translators and publish literature in
the language of the people of Romania, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and other
countries where we have been asked to help. This life will be quite different
from what we have grown accustomed to for the past twenty-three years as we
served the Lord’s churches in the publications ministry in Texarkana! But God’s
grace is sufficient to enable us to do this work also!
A New Missions Team and New Materials for
Romanian Children
For
three weeks in July we worked with the Discovery Missions Team in Romania.
There we visited seven churches and missions, fellowshipped with missionaries
Jim Black, Doug Wiersema, Steve Rutherford and Jerry Chandler. The missions
team members helped in VBS at three churches and missions and witnessed
forty-one professions of faith.
It
was a tremendous blessing to watch the VBS teachers and workers as they
presented the “S Files” VBS lessons translated into the language of the
children. The children were obviously excited to have study materials in their
own language. It was also exciting to see a young man who was saved in VBS one
morning bring his mother to view the “Jesus film” that evening. She made a
profession of faith following the film.
Missionary
Jerry Chandler and all the other missionaries are doing an outstanding work in
reaching out to the people of that former Communist country. It is a blessing
to have a part in providing materials which they can use to help the children
and adults understand the Scriptures. With God’s help we plan to begin printing
the material which has already been translated. The material will be printed in
full color and will cost less that if it were printed in the United States.
A New Presentation of a Tremendous Need
We
have found during our travels to other countries the conspicuous absence of any
literature to use in Sunday School or other Bible training classes for
children. Our Lord’s instructions to let the children come surely included
helping them understand the simple message of repentance and faith for
salvation! Thank you pastors and churches for responding to the call to help in
this great ministry! Here are some of those who have responded during the month
of July.
We
commend the Donaldson Missionary Baptist Church and Pastor J. C. James for
their generous offering. It was also a blessing to receive the VBS offerings
from Bethlehem Baptist Church of Kirby, Arkansas and Glazier Peau Missionary
Baptist Church of Hot Springs, Arkansas. How precious it is to see children of
America helping the children of other countries learn to understand the Word of
God! It was also a great blessing to be with Alvin Missionary Baptist Church
and Pastor Darrell Streeter, Heritage Baptist Church of 
Missouri City, Texas, Pastor Charles Murphy and Angleton Missionary
Baptist Church, Angleton, Texas, and Pastor Ben Pomales. Their generous
offerings brought the total collected on the field during July to $2,754. This
will help finance the printing of the first Sunday School book in Romania.
A New Opportunity for Your Church to
Minister
The
month of August we will continue to visit among the churches in Maryland,
Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama and Florida. If the Lord leads you to have a part
in this ministry, please contact me at the telephone number or email address
below, or contact the pastor of our endorsing church, Brother Joel Meredith and
Calvary Baptist Church, Hamburg, Arkansas.
Would You Like to Go Along?
The
people of the Philippines will welcome you to come with us to visit them in the
beautiful island of Luzon during the last week in January and first week in
February, 2004. Rita and I will be working with the translators there to
prepare materials for the printing press. If you would like to go, please get
in touch with us before the end of October. It will give you an opportunity to
see the Lord’s work among a people who are truly humble, gracious and very much
aware of their spiritual need.
A New Thank You!
On
behalf of the children and adults who benefit from the publishing of the
message of Christ in their own language, let me say “Thank you very much for
caring!” May the Lord bless every
effort you make to advance the gospel message into all the world!
Bill & Rita Johnson
P. O. Box 2587
Texarkana, TX 75504
Home: 870 773 8969
Cell: 903 278 2648
Email: billjohnson@intlchristianpublishers.org
