| Today is Christmas Eve! Yes, you read that correctly. At least according to the Eastern (Orthodox) calendar, Christmas is on January 7. Since most of the Roma in the two main villages in Croatia where we have children's outreach are Orthodox, this was the perfect opportunity for outreach. An energetic team of 7 from Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City came to Sisak, Croatia, to do Christmas outreach in the Roma village, in follow up to the team we had there this summer. They caroled, played with the kids, held UNA Bible clubs and Christmas parties and visited Roma families in their homes.
A highlight for me personally was visiting two families in their homes. Amid their poverty, in their one-room houses (where 7 or more live) with heat only from a small wooden stove, they smiled, shared their coffee, talked, and listened as I read a Bible story explaining why Jesus came at Christmas. (One family has 12 children, including a 10 day-old baby girl we got to hold; the father never finished elementary school and has no job. Even so, they were so friendly and said their doors are always open when we want to visit. The other family was actually 4 teenage girls with two babies, living with their parents and uncle.)
For two short videos and a few more pictures, go to https://toddlprice.com/2017/01/06/christmas-outreach-in-sisak-croatia/
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| | | | Delayed no longer
On this same trip to Croatia, I had the wonderful privilege of meeting with two "new-to-me" Roma Bible translators. You may recall from earlier letters that Roma Bible Union is translating the Bible into the language of the Bayash Roma of Croatia. Many years of work has gone into this translation by our team leader and his wife. I (Todd) was asked in 2011 to join RBU to help finish the translation through the editing and checking process. For various reasons, the New Testament translation has been waiting about 8 years to be checked and edited, and this week I was able to meet with two of the dear translators who were originally involved in the project. I was able to set them up on computer tablets with translation software and they will be starting the very important task of checking and editing. N., who has been out of the loop on the translation process for a long time, gave me a long hug as I met with them and I expressed how this was a dream come true to see progress on this translation.
When most people think of Bible translation, they often think of the "fun" stage where the initial draft of translation is made. But we estimate that that is only about 15% of the job; the other 85% is typing, formatting, editing, checking, editing again, testing it out in the field by reading it to people and getting feedback, editing again, etc. until it is ready for publishing. Please pray for these two dear translators as they begin the important stage of editing.
Merry Christmas (Eastern-style!) from Todd for all the Prices
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| | | Donations can be sent to:
Pioneers, 10123 William Carey Dr., Orlando, FL 32832
Or made online at:
http://www.pioneers.org/give
To give for our missionary support, please designate for account 110250 "Todd & Pamala Price".
To give for Roma Bible translation projects, please designate for account 150786 "Roma Bible Society".
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