Rick & Betsy Chiesa
Kayleen, Scott, Theresa
329 Prairie Dune Way
Orlando, FL 32828
(321) 206-6463
Wycliffe Bible Translators
A lot has happened since then. God lead us to serve with Wycliffe Bible Translators in 2004; working to mobilize the church to help in the task of translating the Bible into more than 3,000 languages. Now, I am a Project Liaison overseeing the funds for translation and literacy projects in East Africa. For the first time, the number of translations needing to take place has dropped to just under 2,400. This year 109 languages were started; that’s the most translation starts ever in one year!
I want to let you know the real heroes in this effort are the dedicated people in each country that have overcome famine, war, poverty and diseases to see that the Bible is translated in their own heart language. God allowed Bennett, a translator for the Baka people, to escape an attack on his village and survive with the hope that God will help him complete the translation work. He plans to complete the work in just a few more years. James, the Daasanach translator, faces famine and drought but is steadfast in continuing the work that is remaining. He loves his people and trusts God to provide for his needs. In February of this year, I traveled to Tot, Kenya, to represent Wycliffe USA as a partner in the Marakwet Bible dedication. I experienced firsthand that through Bible translation, two warring people groups found peace through God’s Word. Further, the Marakwet Bible translation brought unity between two major church denominations in the region. On my trip to Uganda in April, I was able to see lives that were destroyed by AIDS transformed into hope and purpose through the teaching of Kande’s Story. I met many dedicated literacy teachers and translators for five major language groups in Uganda. Even a nine year old boy received a goat for teaching over 25 of his friends how to read in his own language. A few months later, I was asked to send a picture of Thomas, a literacy supervisor for the Lugungu people, and his family. I was told that the photo I took was the only picture of his 18 month old daughter, Hope, who just died of malaria.
The stories and experiences continue. God is mightily working in many communities around the world. We are so thankful to those who partner with us to help provide resources and encouragement for the world wide work of Bible translation.
~ Rick Chiesa
Chiesa Prayer Guide for March 2010
Rick leaves for 3 weeks to Ethiopia and Kenya on March 13. Please pray for travel mercies, health, and wisdom to evaluate and encourage the people working on the literacy translation projects for several people groups. We thank you for your prayers for our family; we continue to see God's faithfulness through your participation in this ministry.
Day | Date | Prayer Requests |
Saturday | 13-Mar | Rick travels from Orlando to JFK (change of plans – going to Boston), then on to Amsterdam. Pray he will find his luggage from the last trip and the luggage from this trip will catch up to him. Theresa is visiting two colleges in Upstate New York that she has been accepted to; Morrisville State University and Houghton College. Please pray for wisdom as she makes this decision. She will attend an Open house at Morrisville today. |
Sunday | 14-Mar | Rick travels to Nairobi and arrives in the evening. (He is 7 hours ahead). Pray for Marilyn (Betsy’s sister) to have travel mercies as she takes Theresa to Houghton (south of Rochester). Scott asked for prayer as he continues to seek part time employement. |
Monday | 15-Mar | Rick travels to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Pray that he will adjust quickly, he has a rigorous schedule. Meeting with Fere, Project Funding Coordinator for SIL (sister organization of Wycliffe) in Ethiopia; address questions about project funding proposal for FY 11. Betsy has a software spec deadline for a company in California on Tuesday; pray she will complete the spec by tomorrow. Theresa will be visiting the Houghton campus today. |
Tuesday | 16-Mar | Rick and Andreas Neudorf of SIL fly to Assosa by the western border of Ethiopia to visit the Benishangul and Gumuz Projects. Please pray for effective meetings with the people working on the translation and literacy work for the Gumuz people group. Pray Theresa will have a safe flight home from Syracuse. |
Wednesday | 17-Mar | Pray for safe food and good rest at night, as conditions are quite rustic. Pray for good health and travel mercies as Rick’s mom returns home to New York after her snowbird visit. Pray for hospitality as I host the evening Bible study while Rick’s absent. |
Thursday | 18-Mar | Rick continues his visit with the Gumuz people. Pray for his visit will encourage and motive the team. Pray Theresa catches up with school work after missing a week of school. |
Friday | 19-Mar | Pray Rick will have travel mercies as they work their way back to Addis Ababa by road. Pray for Scott and he continues his semester at Winter Park Tech in Computer Systems Technology. He is doing well and enjoying what he is learning. |
Saturday | 20-Mar | Rick plans to return to Addis Ababa today. Pray Rick will get back in time to get cleaned up and prepared for another week of rural travel. Pray Scott and Theresa are helpful around the house while Rick is away. |
Sunday | 21-Mar | Rick travels by land to Awassa in southwest Ethiopia. Pray Betsy will be encouraged and renewed spiritually during Sunday service and evening marriage class. |
Monday | 22-Mar | Pray for travel mercies as Rick flies by helicopter in a mountainous region to visit the Basketo people. Will be briefed on Basketo Literacy & Jesus Film projects. Pray Theresa will be able to juggle her school work, Flag Football, and band rehearsals. Tonight is her first Flag football game. |
Tuesday | 23-Mar | Another helicopter flight over the mountains to visit the Me’en literacy project. Pray Rick will continue to develop good relationships and be a good listener. Theresa has a band rehearsal for their concert in Washington, DC, next week. |
Wednesday | 24-Mar | Fly by helicopter to the Bench people for a New Testament translation celebration. Theresa has another Flag football game. Pray we all maintain spiritual strength through times of Bible reading and prayer. |
Thursday | 25-Mar | Helicopter flight back to Awassa and drive back to Addis. (There’s no grass growing under Rick’s feet on this trip.) Pray Betsy meets another programming deadline before leaving for DC as well as packing. |
Friday | 26-Mar | Rick will meet with leadership to discuss the purchase of land for an SIL Center; review project funding proposals. Fly back to Nairobi, Kenya. Theresa and Betsy leave at 7AM by bus to Washington, DC, with 110 students and chaperones from her high school band. Scott will be home alone during his spring break. L |
Saturday | 27-Mar | Rick will finally have a day to rest, do laundry, etc. Pray Theresa and Betsy keep up with the very busy yet wonderful tour planned for the next three days. Pray Scott stays safe and will make good choices while we are away. |
Sunday | 28-Mar | Good time of worship at a local church. Rick starts attending a forum in the evening for how to use Community Development to impact Bible translation. Pray the tour in DC is enjoyable and no one gets separated from the group. The band will have a clinic with military band musicians, reviewing the music they will play at their State Music Performance Assessment at the end of April. |
Monday | 29-Mar | Forum continues; pray that God would create a bond of unity and good working relationships. The workshop goals are to experience collaboration as a group (between various disciplines within SIL and with other organizations) in the process of working on a practical project and to develop a manual that could be used in workshops with local church leaders on using good community development principles as they carry out their ministries. Theresa and her high school band will be playing a concert by the reflecting pool at the Lincoln Memorial! Pray they won’t be nervous, the weather is good, and all the setup and performance goes well. |
Tuesday | 30-Mar | Forum continues; Rick will be presenting the sewer system work he developed in Niger. Pray he can effectively communicate how this project impacted the community physically and spiritually. Theresa and Betsy leave DC at 9am and return home by bus (16 hours). Planned arrival is 1am. |
Wednesday | 31-Mar | Forum continues, pray for community development vision that would promote the use of scriptures in remote locations. Pray Betsy and Theresa recover quickly from the DC tour. |
Thursday | 1-Apr | Forum concludes; pray for accomplishment of goals. Rick starts home in the late evening. Pray Betsy gets the home back in order for Rick’s return home. |
Friday | 2-Apr | Pray for travel mercies as Rick flies back home today, back through Amsterdam, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and then Orlando. Pray that his entire luggage will arrive home with him. Pray our family adjusts to being all together again, Rick recovers from jet lag before Easter. |
