Albert and Lynne Castelijn Working with the Banwaon people - Philippines Permutations and Combinations
Permutations and Combinations
One of the very few things I remember from high school maths was the study of permutations and combinations, maybe partly because the words have such a cool ring to them. (I always was more of an English person than maths.)
Here’s the basic idea of a permutation ….
…BY THE PERMUTATIONS of the letters abc we mean all of their possible arrangements:
abc
acb
bac
bca
cab
cba
There are 6 permutations of three different things. As the number of things (letters) increases, their permutations grow astronomically. For example, if twelve different things are permuted, then the number of their permutations is 479,001,600.
(themathpage.com)
Okay, by now you’re puzzled. What do permutations and combinations have to do with a missionary prayer letter?
Lately, as we have begun looking at our schedule and trying to plan our travels, deputation time and departure date for the Philippines, this mathematical concept has been chiming through our heads repeatedly.
We are keen to get back to the Banwaon tribe, and into Bible translation once again. But there seem to be so many things to consider as we plan.
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Tags: Prayer Requests
Prayer & Praise – September 2011
Phillip turns 16 and is still keen to be a missionary pilot
- Praise – Phillip had a fantastic time at the ACMA mission aviation camp down south in the July holidays. Praise the Lord he got there safely and back on his own. He is pursuing this as a potential future direction of service.
- Pray – For our Banwaon brothers and sisters in the tribe. Pray that no matter what they’re facing today, they will be staying true to the faith, growing in Christ and delighting in His care for them.
- Pray – For Sara as her final school exams start on Monday 17th October.
- Praise that work on our house here is coming along slowly but surely. Pray for continued perseverance, provision and a spirit of praise amidst the debris!
Tags: Prayer Requests
Life in Oz
Albert’s translation trip to the Philippines seems such a long time ago.
Since returning to Australia Albert has put the translation temporarily on hold while we work hard at finishing the renovation to our house in Australia. To save costs, although unfortunately not time, Albert is doing as much of the work as possible.
Next year we plan to return to the Philippines to continue full-time on the Banwaon translation. Until then, please pray with us …
- For the Banwaon tribal church – wisdom for the leadership, continued growth and faith for the believers
- For our co-workers Chris & Lynne Strange who still have intermittent contact with the people in the village
- For our children as they continue to settle into Australian culture after a lifetime in the Philippines
- For God’s provision (and patience) as we work on our house here – currently working on a garage/storage room for our belongings for when we return overseas
Enroute – 9 Nov!
ALBERT AND PHILLIP ARE EN-ROUTE TO THE PHILIPPINES!
They left yesterday (Tuesday 9 Nov). Drove the four hours to Sydney. Parked the car at a friend’s for the five weeks they’ll be away. A kind NTM co-worker drove them to the airport where they arrived in good time to catch their Singapore Airlines A380 flight.
Yes, you read right. An A380.
For anyone following the news, you’ll understand Albert’s sense of humour when he told me over the phone just prior to boarding …
“Hmm, saw a couple of guys banging around on one of the engines with a couple of wrenches and hammers”.
Ha, ha Albert very funny!
Oh, and yes, you also read right … that’s Albert AND Phillip who are enroute.
The Lord blessed in a special way enabling Phillip to go along too. Part of the funds for his trip were from Phillip’s mowing jobs. Things just worked out perfectly at the last minute for schooling, jobs, etc to fall into place enabling him to be gone for this time.
THANKS for praying, and please don’t stop!
We’re thankful for:
- Albert’s back is doing okay. Please pray it will hang in there with the long hours of sitting while travelling, and then sitting while translation checking.
- God’s provision for this trip. Thanks so much to those who partnered with us in this way. What a blessing! Albert made the comment just prior to leaving that as has happened time and again over the years, it wasn’t until we “put our feet in the water” so to speak – like the Israelite priests before crossing the Red Sea – that God provided the miracle of parting the waters. Or, in our case, the miracle of providing the funds needed for the trip.
- That Phillip can go along. The reasons are many. One way he’ll be a big help is simply all the carrying of luggage and lifting of things, as well as the running to and fro that will need to happen once they hit the village in the tribe and need to get things set up.
- Our co-workers, Chris & Lynne Strange – are such a blessing! They will go into the tribe a few days early and start getting the house set up, the hydro running, etc. Phillip will go in early too to help. Then Lynne Strange will stay on for the whole time Albert is there and take care of things like laundry and all the cooking for the translation helpers and for Albert. We are SO thankful for this.
Okay, all for now. Hmm, this was meant to be brief.
We appreciate you! Thanks for your friendship, love, prayers and partnership as we continue to work towards seeing the Banwaon have the New Testament in their own language.
Blessings!
Kisi
Please can you pray for our special friend Kisi.
Kisi
She is a good friend of Bec’s & Sara’s. When we were living in the tribe she and another tribal friend came each morning to help us in the house. Kisi is only 17 or 18.
Sara and Kisi last year
Not too long after we left the village last year, we heard that Kisi had run away with a fellow and married him, much against her parents’ wishes.
Last night we had an email from our co-workers, Chris & Lynne, who are living in town. They’d received a text from the village saying Kisi had given birth to a baby, but sadly it died not long after being born.
Will you please pray for Kisi – she’s such a beautiful vibrant girl, but oh so headstrong.
- Pray for Kisi and her husband, Tibun, as they mourn the loss of their little one.
- Pray for Kisi’s Dad, a gifted Bible teacher – we’ve heard he is very sick.
- Pray for Kisi’s Mum, also a feisty, beautiful woman – that she will forgive Kisi for running away in defiance, that she will support her daughter during this difficult time.
- Pray that Kisi and Tibun will turn their hearts fully to the Lord and desire to honour Him in their marriage and build a strong, godly family – despite their rocky start.
- Pray that the believers in the village will surround them with Christ’s love, compassion and support.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
“How astonishing it is that God wills to do His work through people.
It is doubly astonishing that He ordains to fulfil His plans by being asked to do so by us.
God loves to bless His people.
But even more He loves to do it in answer to prayer.”
John Piper
Tags: Prayer
Translating Romans
Looking through newly translated Scriptures
Thanks for standing with us in prayer and support while we are back in Australia for a couple of years to settle our older children into Aussie life after 17 years living in the Philippines.
While back, we are continuing as best we can with the Banwaon Bible translation …
- Albert is making good progress on the translation of Romans –he finished Chapter 4 this week!
- Things are looking good for a trip for Albert to the Philippines later this year to go over Romans with our Banwaon translation helpers. Albert will also be assisting in a translation check for another work as part of his on-going training as a translation consultant.
- Pray for Albert as he has a big load with the preparation for this added to the Romans translation as well as continuing work on our house renovations here in Australia.
New blog! How exciting …
Finally! Hello world … we’re online with our blog.
Missionary work is without a doubt a TEAM EFFORT. Our aim will be to keep YOU posted with the Castelijn and Banwaon news, prayer and praise points, photos, ministry and translation updates and many adventures … Stay tuned!
