Answer to prayer: Steps for effective planning

I asked you to pray for our meetings with the Gbari program last weekend.

Here are some specific answers to prayer: 

We asked you to pray for all the stages of planning, that God would guide us as we work and pray together for the Gbari Scriptures to be used well.

Helen facilitates a discussion on language use

Thank God with us! The first stage of planning went well.  We were quite pleased with some of the steps of planning suggested, such as testing Scripture Engagement initiatives to see if they work.  We are hoping this will lead to time better spent in planning in October.   Also we set a date for our next stage of planning: October 12 and 13.  Please pray that these days will result in realistic plans with committed people responsible... and that the planned activities actually happen resulting in people reading, understanding, and following God's Word in Gbari language!

We asked you to pray for safe travel on Saturday for all those who are gathering (and for our return).  (And again in October when we get to the third "plan".) 

Thank God with us!  Our trip back from Abuja was safe and uneventful as well.  All the participants arrived safely and we assume they were able to return safely as well.  You can continue to pray for our travel on again on Oct 11 through 14.

We asked you to pray that all the participants would be able to come on time so that we could wrap up the meetings without skipping any steps.

Some of the items on display

Thank God!  Not only did we not skip any steps, but we actually had time to add in two steps.  We had a meaningful audio Bible study from John 10 (in Hausa and English since the Gbari don't have John translated yet) about the Good Shepherd.  One man shared how the verse about bringing other sheep into the fold touched him, and he felt called to keep sharing the Good news with Gbari people who are "not in the fold" yet. This also touched me!

Also, we went with lots of sample materials which we shared after the event was over.  We had all kinds of things: CDs, DVDs, paintings, radios, specialized audio players, children's Bible studies, Bible studies on Farming.  Thank God!  This generated a lot of interest in the many ways we can use Scriptures.