Twice Egged

P update

M&T Updates, News from Pretty Water

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Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. – Proverbs 25:25

We have been out of the loop here for a while as we have been traveling, sharing at different churches, seeing doctors and cornea specialists, visiting family, and also hanging out with many of you who have been partnering with us in the work. Thanks again for your partnership as we continue to work to provide all the spiritual resource material we can for the beloved P churches in the very deep south.

Proverbs 25:25 in the P language:

My “inner” is as if with great thirst, but when tasty words arrive from a land far away, it is as though cold water refreshingly wakes it up in such a way that it finds pleasant relief.

Câ tjo üdë ui jâbomî darî cjiadique mâê oa târëdëâ oaiä, jabo jachi ârêmê chiriri pio judiri mânâmê mâê goae üdë mânânârâ oaiä, jabechjî ui chjöchja üdë câ tjo oa mâ chjupî bagari bedü tänêmî darî japadique goaerî cjatäcjie jôrêtareâmî darî.

Good News From a Far Country

What a thrill last week to get good news from our country of ministry! Our coworkers, who we’ll call Jack and Roz, had just come out to town from the P community of Pretty Water. They had literally used up the very last of their food supplies, and so needed to get to town to replenish what they could. They hated to leave as they were seeing God do some pretty cool things.

Pretty Water is a bilingual community of P people located along a river system where multiple villages have been established with about 7000 inhabitants. For several years some of these P people have been exposed to Bible teaching in the national language that has pushed a message of salvation by good works. But most who attend have very little comprehension because the Word has not been taught in their heart language.

Then, two and a half years ago when we completed the Bible translation in the P language, some of these beloved bilinguals from Pretty Water also received copies. However, there were problems. The village chief, who had embraced a religion of works, was suspicious of the translation because he thought it had been written with an inferior dialect spoken only by the monolinguals! And others mistakenly thought the Word of God could only be taught in the Spanish language, that God wasn’t interested in their language. Plus they had only been taught to read and write in the national language which didn’t at all enable them to read the many foreign symbols in their own. So even though they now had a Bible in their heart language, they couldn’t read it, and were suspicious of it!

Well, ever since the translation was completed and the P Bibles were distributed, we have prayed daily that God’s Word would go forth powerfully and accomplish all that God had purposed it to do in this beloved people group. Now we hear that there has been a change of heart. While efforts have been made down through the last five years to teach them to read and write in their own language, the investment hasn’t seemed to bear much fruit. However, Roz told us in her text message to us just last week that 18 people came when they recently organized the reading club so that the people there could learn to read and write in their own language. The Scriptures are still being taught in the national language but now several key people have begun reading from the P Bible during their gatherings. They are getting a taste of how much better God’s Word communicates in their own heart language, and this is spurring them on to learn to read in their own tongue! So you can imagine the thrill this news has been to us who labored long hours, days, weeks, months and years to get God’s love letter into the P language and into the hands of the people! It truly is good news from a far away land!

Now just the other day, we were able to do a voice call with our coworkers and catch up on more of the news from the country there. Jack told us that it felt like they were living on the edge of a very high precipice, and that things there can suddenly change drastically from one day to the next. Grocery stores in their supply town have empty shelves. Instead of finding food, there are only rows of soda pop and cheap plastic dishes. Food and medical purchases as well as some of the required legal work must be done thru black market channels at inflated prices. The reports are that things are very bad but still continue to worsen. The whole country continues to spiral downward. Let’s continue to pray!

Teachers

Here below you see a picture of one of the many monoligual P pastors who continue to teach the Scriptures. (they will just hang their hammock up in the middle of a village and just share the Word with people seated all around them) Thanks so much for your continued prayers for them. With the country as it is, they continue to suffer many hardships, but PTL that clear teaching continues among these dear monolingual brethren.

Prayer Requests:

—Please pray the following for the P believers:
1. that they will have a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God
2. that they will be strengthened in their new being
3. that Christ will be totally at home in their hearts, being the captain of their lives
4. that they will know the width and depth and height and length of God’s love for them
5. that they will realize what is the mighty power that is at work within them
6. that they will think on those things that are lovely, excellent, and worthy of praise
7. that they will know what their hope is in Christ, and what Christ’s inheritance is in the saints

  • Pray for our national coworkers that they will be encouraged, have much wisdom, and push on with diligence and a sense of urgency. Pray that God will meet their every need in this context where most everything is no longer available
  • Pray much for Jack that he will really move ahead in the language. He has the gift of teaching but still lacks in the language to be able to clearly communicate….so thanks much for your prayers for him
  • Thanks in advance for your prayers for the people of Pretty Water. Pray that they really move ahead in their reading, and that they would continue to focus on the Scriptures in their own language. Pray too that the marvelous Gospel of grace would become clear to them as the move thru the Word.
  • Please continue to pray regarding a national family living close to one of the P villages that continues to be involved in theft, extortion, rape, and other preposterous things. They have manipulated and abused the P people for years and it only seems to be getting worse. Would you please pray that these people would either come to Christ, or fall into their own nets and traps that they set for others. Thanks so much!!
  • Please continue to pray for our Host Country. Things are increasingly difficult and there is much pain and tragedy. However we praise God that even in this bizarre context, God continues to build his church. Why, even in the last few months several people from a totally different Language Group in our host country have come to faith and have been added to the body of Christ!! So yes, thanks so much for praying for the work in this country.
  • Thanks for your ongoing prayers for Teresa and I as we work on behalf of the P brothers and sisters. I continue to work on the Bible curriculum and Teresa is doing the formatting. Your prayers for sharp minds, strong backs, and much wisdom is so needed!
  • Thanks for your many prayers regarding my eyes. I just saw the cornea specialist and he is very pleased on how the eye looks….and I am very pleased at being able to see so much better. And PTL that my other eye continues to do well, and even improve at times. So the only surgery that I have planned is for cataracts for they are the cause of some problems now. So thanks so much for your ongoing prayers. They are much appreciated!!
  • Please pray for wisdom on our part when to make the next trip to visit with the P pastors and connect with our team

And Thanks Again…..

….for your partnership with us, for your prayers, for your encouragement, for your notes, and for your fellowship in the Gospel. God is working and is building His church among the Unreached People Groups of the world. Thanks so much for being a part of the team!

Desiring to always be strong in His strength,

Merrill and Teresa

Rainy Season Means Hungry Times

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Palm fruit season is drawing to a close

Rainy Season for the P people is a difficult time because food is scarce. The plain truth is they are often hungry. Death, due to undernourishment, often happens during this time. Thanks for your prayers for the people that they will trust and rest in their sovereign Lord, even during these trying times, and that they will ever hope in the ONE who is truly worth hoping in.
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Rainy Season

Right now the P people are in the middle of their Rainy Season. Due to heavy rains and flooded bodies of water, most fish aren’t biting. The deer and other animals are finding lots of food in the woods and jungles, and so they aren’t roaming the plains where it is easier to shoot them. Garden produce ripens toward the end of this wet season, and the wild roots, fruits, and seeds are scarce. However, the P people have been enjoying their “tju” fruit, as they call it, from a particular palm tree. This kind of palm fruit doesn’t do a lot to fill them up, but they do enjoy the little bit of flesh on the outside of the large seed. They will take the scale-like skin off and then eat the flesh, or rub the soft flesh off in water to make a drink out of it. We have enjoyed this fruit with them on numerous occasions. It is a real treat….and we miss it!

The fruit is found on the ground or in the creeks and swamps that surround the palm groves. The ladies usually take their baskets to go out and gather it. It sort of ties them over until more options are available later on in rainy season, but what they are really waiting for is the produce from their gardens, as well as good fishing times.

Prayer Requests

  • Please pray for the people during this Rainy Season time when food can be very scarce. Pray that they will trust God with all their needs, and that they will rest in His loving care
  • Pray for them as their carry on without any external supplies at all. What they have they get from the creeks, rivers, lakes, woods, plains, and jungles. Pray that they would rest in the sufficiency of their great God
  • It is during this time that many deaths can take place. Please hold the people up in prayer that they will trust the great Sovereign Healer for all their physical needs, who heals and works according to His infinite wisdom and immeasurable love. Again, let me just mention that they are without any medical aid at all in their isolated area
  • Pray for an ever-growing love for the Scriptures, to learn more and to see the Word of God boldly proclaimed
  • I ask you once again to pray diligently with us for many more good readers of the Scriptures and the Bible lessons. There are about 150 people who can read, but only about 35 who can read well. Please pray for God to do a mighty work in this area
  • Praise the Lord that Teresa just finished updating the Literacy Teachers Guide. Pray that the teachers will continue to be motivated and encouraged to teach the next generation to read, so that the Word of God will continue to be passed on to their children and children’s children, etc
  • Thanks again for praying for the pastors and leaders, that they would be getting “fat” on the Word, and that they would continue to boldly proclaim the truths of God’s Word
  • Thanks for your ongoing prayers for me as I continue to revamp the Bible Lessons for the people, and as Teresa works on formatting and adding graphics to each lesson. This is a huge job but will be so worth it. The teachers have asked for it so that is like “gasoline in our tanks”!! But yeah, thanks for praying for wisdom, clarity, and diligence
  • Please continue to pray that the Word of God in the P language would go far and wide. We have heard many reports of bilingual P who know how to read in Spanish, but who are also wanting to learn to read the Bible in their own language. Pray that God would open the needed doors for His Word to go forth all through the P world which numbers about 11,000
  • Thanks for your ongoing prayers for our beloved country of ministry. It is falling apart. Multiplied thousands continue to flee. Innumerable families have suffered deaths, separations, hunger, severe deprivation, depression, and so much more. Please continue to pray for this land, and that God’s will be done
  • Pray for continued open doors for ministry. We hope to return when God gives us the green light
  • Pray for the growth of the P believers, that they will live in the joy and strength of the true Vine, and that walking in the Spirit would evermore become a constant way of life for them

Continuing to Gather as the Called Out Ones

Above you see our P brothers and sisters gathered together in the evening under the stars worshiping God. Some are singing. Some are praying. Teaching will happen later on in the evening. The singing and worshiping time can easily run an hour or more. Pray for these beloved brethren as they journey forward, looking for a city whose Builder and Maker is God. Pray for these special saints of the Most High as they seek to be light and salt in their world until Jesus comes to get them.

Thanks Again…..

….for your being part of the team as we push forward to cross the finish line in the P work for the brilliant glory of our Lord. We count it a huge privilege to invest our lives to see His church established among this beloved nation. So yes, thanks so much for praying and giving and encouraging and hanging with us down through the many years. We truly appreciate you all and thank God for you.

Continuing to count on the bigness of God,

Merrill and Teresa

Subscribing to our Email Updates

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Some of you are not getting the P. Updates!

I’m sending this brief note to insure that you all will receive the P. updates when we send them out. Many of you have mentioned that you used to get them, but now you are not. Let’s see if we can clear this up.

Our email address continues to be merrill.dyck@gmail.com. When you write us, please continue to send to that address.

However, for certain reasons, our techies have encouraged us to send our updates from a different address which is hey@mtupdates.com. So please make sure that this new address is in your address book, or else our letters may be dumped directly into your junk mail folder, and you’ll never see them!

Thanks again so very much….

…..for your prayers, encouragement, notes, and fellowship in the work of seeing many indigenous NT churches established and thriving among the P. nation. We continue to thank God for all of you!

News and Prayer Requests

  • Please pray for our team to be able to travel in to the bilingual communities during the rainy season there. Shortages and high prices of both oil and gasoline are making it difficult for them to find a way into the community by river. Pray that God opens a way for them to continue to minister in the village of Pretty Water, as well as in the surrounding communities
  • Things continue to worsen at an ever-increasing pace in our Host Country. Pray for God’s will to be done, and for His purposes to be accomplished. Pray for the many different ethnic churches that they will grow during these times up upheaval and be strengthened
  • Pray for continued open doors for all of us who seek to carry on ministry in an ever-changing context. Pray that Scripture portions will continue to be translated, that literacy materials will continue to be updated, that Bible curriculum will continue to be developed, and that the many different churches will continue to grow and multiply
  • Thanks again for your prayers for the many P. saints. Pray that God be hugely glorified in their lives, and that they live with Christ as their Head.

Here are just a few of the many saints for whom you can pray:

Thanking God for all of you,
Merrill and Teresa

 

Three Fighters, Three Runners and Three Finishers

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Finishing the Race that was set before them!

During this last year, three of the P brethren graduated and were promoted into GLORY!!  These three  beloved gentlemen loved their Lord-Owner-Boss Dad, and rested easy in the generous work of their Older Brother Jesus on the cross.  Look for them on the other side!!  They are covered with the righteousness of Christ!!

Here is an approximation of the P translation from:

2 Timothy 4:6,7:

“And look Timothy, after a little time passes, the ones living around here are going to kill me.  But its all right.  I’m going to give my body as a blood sacrifice in order to die.  For having lived on this land, now I am going to leave it behind. For I have lived with all my might as if running a long marked out path for me.  Even though many people have continually stood against me, I have worked as if countering them, finishing the work that the true God gave me to do.  I didn’t bail but finished all that was measured out for me to do, always believing strongly in the true God.”

When we recently were in our Host Country meeting with some of the P pastors, they shared with us about three beloved guys that left this planet for Glory!  Here below is a bit about each of them.  And here is an audio link to a full report of our trip down there, and some additional points about each of these three saints, and how they lived their lives.  Check it out!

Jun 3 – Three Finishers

Chjarapjai

This dear brother came to Christ when he was around 55 years of age.  He had been an esteemed shaman, but when he heard the important message of the All-Powerful One, then he bent his thinking in the other direction and came to believe.  His life was characterized by an easy and relaxed confidence in what Jesus did for him on Headbone Hill.  He reiterated numerous times how he was:

—a blood-bought one
—a paid-for-in-full one
—an in-the-safe-place one
—an out-from-under-the-anger one
—an untied and set free one

Yes, Chjarapjai hung his hammock of faith and rested easy in the Christ-truths.  And how amazing it was to see the major paradigm shift in his life as he totally embraced a Biblical Worldview, and put aside the previous one.  This dear brother really put on “new thinking.”  And yes, he ran the race, kept the faith, and finished his course.  You’ll see him there in Glory when you get there.  He’s probably still in that hammock!

Jaime

This dear brother came to Christ at around 35 years of age.  However, after a couple of years living in great victory and being an avid evangelist, he had a difficult quarrel with a brother in Christ.  Things went from bad to worse, and soon he turned his back on this guy.  Not only on him, but on all the other believers as well.  He also began to reject the Scriptures and then returned to the old ways.  He was an angry fellow and continued to let his bitterness fester and boil, even though people tried to help him.

Well it wasn’t long before he had some strange attack as he was hunting, and then suddenly came down with a severe case of arthritis.  Soon he couldn’t do anything but lie in his hammock.  However, as the believers continued to heap kindness and love on him, he came around.  His last two years were lived on the trail of truth, and he finished the race well.  Before he exited this fleeting world, he exhorted the other believers not to follow his bad example, but rather to fix things up and ‘brotherize’ with one another.  You’ll meet him on the other side as well.

Ramon

This dear brother was a shaman and also came to Christ around his mid forties.  He became a faithful coworker to me, and helped us as a team to understand much of the culture and language.  He also helped us determine what vocabulary to use to communicate the truths of the Bible.

When he was born again, He was always excited about the blood-bought truth of the believer, that we are purchased by Christ’s blood, and that we aren’t our own boss.  He could often be heard, saying something like this:
“No, Christ is our boss!  He owns us!  We don’t belong to ourselves!  And we are to live our lives only for Him, to make Him happy!   And since we are blood-bought and belong to Christ, what are we doing with his mouth?  Do we tell lies, gossip, and speak obscenities, or do we speak pretty talk about the true God.  And what are we longing for with God’s eyes?  Are we longing for what we can have or for that which is forbidden?  And where are we going with God’s feet, and what are we doing with God’s hands?”  Ramón loved to teach on these things.

Before he died, he exhorted the pastor who was present to keep on teaching the words that run straight and true, and not be sidetracked.  He encouraged him to teach like he used to when he was younger and stronger.  And then as those present began to sing a song of praise and worship to the Lord, Ramón’s spirit was lifted into the very presence of God Most High.  You will see this dear brother there who is blood-bought.

Prayer Requests:

  • Please continue to pray for our beloved Host Country.  Things are very difficult indeed and there is much death.  Multitudes continue to leave the country and many are separated from their loved ones.  Pray that God will be hugely glorified in this land, and that His will and purposes be accomplished.
  • One of the national families that work with us among the P people has temporarily left the country for medical help and some needed R&R.  Please pray for their strength and encouragement, as well as for the two remaining couples that continue to work to see things move ahead.  Things are getting increasingly difficult for them.
  • Thanks for your ongoing prayers for Teresa and I as we work on behalf of the P brethren.  Teresa is updating the Literacy Teacher’s Guide, and I’m working on Bible Curriculum.  Your prayers for sharp minds, strong backs, and much wisdom is so needed.  We PTL that even though we are out of the country, we can still continue to have input into the growth of the nine village churches down there.
  • And yes, thanks for praying for the believers in those nine village churches, for those who are shepherding the flocks, and giving leadership.  Pray the prayers of Ephesians 1 and 3 that the apostle Paul prayed as you intercede for the saints there as these are great prayers to pattern ours after.
  • Some of the school teachers in P land have been discouraged.  However, we PTL that there has been renewed encouragement and that they are back to teaching.  Please pray much that they will keep encouraged in spite of not receiving salaries, and that many more P believers would learn to read well.  Pray too for the ladies that they too will learn to read well, and that fear and embarrassment will be put aside.  This is all such a need!!
  • Thanks for your ongoing prayers for the people of Pretty Water where more and more bilingual P are reading the Scriptures.  Pray for the clear understanding of the Gospel.
  • There is a national family living close to one of the P villages that continues to be involved in theft, extortion, rape, and other preposterous things.  They have manipulated and abused the P for years and it only seems to be getting worse.  Would you please pray that these people would either come to Christ, or fall into their own nets and traps that they set for others.  Thanks so much!!

Thanks Again…..

….for your partnership with us, for your prayers, for your encouragement, for your notes, and for your fellowship in the Gospel.  God is working and is building His church among the Unreached People Groups of the world.  Thanks so much for being a part of the team!

Continuing to enjoy the adventure,
Merrill and Teresa

Behold, HE IS RISEN….and that message has touched the P nation, PTL!!

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If we believe in the one who raised the Lord Owner Boss Jesus from the dead, then we will be made acceptable, just like Abraham was.  For the true God gave His Son on our behalf in order to exchangingly die for us.  And in order that we might find acceptability before God, He raised Jesus from the dead.  Romans 4:22b-25

Christ is Risen!!

At this time of year, we celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!  How wonderful that many different People Groups around the world also know about and believe in the Risen Christ!!  And how sweet it was to see some of the P believers reveling in this amazing truth too.  Praise be to God for the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!!

Here is an approximation of Matthew’s account of this blessed event as written in the P translation:

And on the next day right after the resting day, early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene, as well as the other Mary, went to the hollow in the stone.  And suddenly the earth trembled severely.  It was surpassingly severe.   For when the servant of the Lord came down from heaven, the land severely trembled.  Its true!  Because he moved the heavy stone to the side, and because he sat on the shut closed-rock, well the earth trembled severely.  And the servant who came down from heaven, well he was exceedingly bright like extreme lightning, in such a way that the human eye couldn’t look on him.  And his clothing was surpassingly true white.  And when the soldiers saw him, they became very fearful, thinking with trembling.  And they fell over like dead ones to the ground, fainting.  But the servant from heaven said to the ladies:
“Don’t be afraid. I know regarding you.  I know that you are looking for Jesus, the one who died on the pole.  But look, he isn’t here.  He has risen, just as he said he would,” he said to them.  “Come see the place where he lay.  And after looking carefully, run over to Jesus’s companions to tell them.  Go tell them that Jesus, having died, has risen.  And look, precisely Jesus himself goes before you to Galilee land.  You will meet him over there.  You will see him over there.  For in order that you not be ignorant, I have told you”, he said to the ladies, the servant from heaven.
And because of what he said to them, they entered the rock hollow in order to see the place where Jesus had lain.  And after seeing it, they took off quickly.  And even though they were afraid, they ran thinking with surpassing joy, in order to inform Jesus’s companions.  And as they were running, Jesus himself suddenly appeared before them.  And greeting them he said to them:
“Are you still living?
And the ladies kneeled before him.  And grabbing his feet, they thought about him prettily.
Then Jesus said to them:
“Don’t be afraid but rather go to my brothers,” he said to them.  “Go tell them in order that they go to Galilee land.  For there you will see me.  Go!” he said to them.

A great trip!

Praise the Lord that we had a great trip down south!  The great Door Opener went before us and opened up the way to connect with some of the P pastors.  What a treat to hang out together again and fellowship around the Word and together with the resurrected Christ!  We missed their wives and some of the other church leaders, but we thank God for those who could come out.  Truly things have changed in huge ways in this land.  Thanks so much for your prayers during this stint.  God greatly undertook in multiple ways.  Truly this is His work, and He continues to lead and guide and build His glorious church among this beloved nation!

Bits and Pieces of This and That:

  • On one of the trips that our coworkers took to a remote location where the P believers live, a bunch of young guys suddenly ran up to the stopped vehicle.  What were they asking for?  Not for fishing hooks or garden seed or matches, but for Bibles!!
  • On that same visit into P-land by some of our V coworkers, they were amazed with what rapt attention the young people were sitting and listening to the Word of God being taught!
  • More and more P bilinguals are reading the Scriptures in their own language!
  • Three elderly men who were believers have died in P-land.  And before they passed on, they gave strong testimonies of their trust in the Payer, and the uselessness in believing in the old teachings.  They encouraged the teachers to continue to faithfully teach, and the young to follow the straight truths of written word
  • On the road trip to meet up with the P pastors, we passed through multiple check-points and PTL there were no difficulties whatsoever!  God opened all the doors!  God sent distractions to so many guards as we drove through the checkpoint.
  • Due to a total lack of matches and salt, the P people are back to lighting all their fires by rubbing sticks together, and eating all their food in a bland sort of way
  • It was exciting to hang out with two new pastors in training and see how well they are doing in their reading and spiritual understanding
  • We were thrilled to hear of the new freedom some of the pastors are experiencing as they live before the Lord and not before people
  • It really was surprising to suddenly see many of the P people looking much better physically than the nationals.  PTL that they have their gardens, wild roots and fruits and seeds, as well as their fishing and hunting to sustain them during this tough time in the country
  • Some of the P pastors are more committed than ever, others seem to be pulling back a bit.  They all need our prayers for growth, encouragement, and Spirit-filled living
  • An item of concern is that formal literacy classes have stopped.  Some teachers are discouraged, some are hungry and need to get out to fish or go to their gardens instead of sitting in a classroom, etc. etc.  Please make this a prayer priority as READING is key to the ongoing development and growth of the P churches
  • What a joy it was to meet with these three men during an eight-day period and talk about the bigness of God, life in the Vine-one, shepherding the flock, raising kids, and reviewing the first 24 chapters of Genesis.  Pray for continued growth for all those teaching and shepherding the flock
  • When the Scriptures are read in Spanish among the bilingual folks, the ladies don’t pay attention at all, but when they are read in the P language, they all listen and quickly hush their kids up, telling them to listen too.  Thanks for your ongoing prayers for the many bilingual communities
  • Some nationals have coerced several bilingual P to steal from the homes of our V coworkers, and are now threatening to kick them out of the area, that is out of Pretty Water.  Thanks so much for your prayers regarding that too

Thanks Again…..

….for your partnership with us, for your prayers, for your encouragement, and for your fellowship in the Gospel.  God is working and is building His church among the Unreached People Groups of the world.  Thanks so much for being a part of the team!

Rejoicing in the Resurrected Christ,

Merrill and Teresa