Posts Tagged ‘changed lives’
Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Monday, May 21st, 2012
topical index in Kuna
After our normal work on correspondence from missionaries and literacy consultants, we’ve also been working on a couple of very interesting projects. One of Jerry’s projects was formatting a book for Bible translators in Portuguese and getting it ready for printing. The book uses many ancient Greek and Russian examples, so it’s been tedious getting the right fonts in the right place.
And Joyce has been working on the topical index to be included in the Kuna Old Testament. Now that can hardly be described as “work.” It is such a joy to look through the Old Testament and pick your favorites verses dealing with all kinds of topics, realizing that our friends will go to the list as a guide to find encouragement and direction! One of the recent topics was “how should you act and speak when you are being persecuted because of your faith in Jesus.” Quite applicable to our Kuna friends as they stand against the village pressures. Just imagine how Jeremiah 1:17 & 19 will encourage them: “Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them…They will fight you, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
Tags: changed lives, God's Word, Kuna, prayer, read
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Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Thursday, February 23rd, 2012
Joyce & Norma
We have to tell you the story of two Kuna ladies, Yeli and Norma with whom we were just re-connected while in Panama. Many years ago when we had to leave the Kuna village where we had been living because of safety issues, we resettled in a community outside of Panama City where there was a large Kuna population. Joyce began a Bible study and literacy classes with 4 Kuna ladies from that neighborhood. The group quickly outgrew the facility and was moved to a large Kuna church where it touched hundreds of ladies. Well, Yeli and Norma were in that original group of ladies! They heard the Gospel, trusted Christ, learned to read in Kuna and fell in love with His Word! (more…)
Tags: changed lives, Kuna, literacy, prayer, read, training
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Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Tuesday, December 6th, 2011
reading Psalms for the FIRST time!
We had the most wonderful time in Panama for the Kuna leadership conference. It’s always a thrill to be able to reconnect with our Kuna friends, study God’s Word together, sing and hear reports of how God is working in the churches. But the thing that touched our hearts the most was something that they carried back to their villages.
Our Kuna friends received the first copies of the newly translated books of Psalms, Proverbs and Exodus. Let that soak into your mind for a moment…Makes us want to shout each time we think about it!!!
Most of us grew up hearing “the Lord is my Shepherd…” We have had free access to God’s whole Word through multiple translations in our language (often sitting in dust on our bookshelves), digital copies if we prefer, and even apps that go wherever we are. Praise God that by 2013 the Kunas will have the whole Bible in their language! Pray for the final steps necessary to get things finished up and off to the printers. (more…)
Tags: changed lives, God's Word, Kuna, literacy, prayer, read, travel, tribal, write
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Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Wednesday, October 12th, 2011
Ever wish that you could somehow invest in strengthening the Kuna churches of Panama?
As you’ve gotten to know some of our dear Kuna friends, have you ever wanted a tangible way to reach out to them, to spiritually encourage them and their families?
If so, we’ve got an opportunity for you! (more…)
Tags: changed lives, God's Word, Kuna, literacy, prayer, read, training, travel, write
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Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Tuesday, October 4th, 2011
Abraham Lincoln is quoted as saying, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
There is great value in taking time to be sharpened, equipped, and refocused for the tasks God has called us to do. This guards us from becoming dull and ineffective. The annual Kuna leadership conference in Panama, held early in November is a “sharpening” time for the church leaders and their wives. (more…)
Tags: changed lives, church planting, God's Word, Kuna, literacy, prayer, training, travel, tribal, write
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Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011
Anelio & Silverixia
We have such a great respect for so many of our Kuna brothers and sisters in Panama! Anelio & Silverixia are a young couple that were sent out as missionaries by their church to a village upriver. You may remember that in 2009, while returning to the village where they minister, they lost their 3 year old son in the flooded river. God has used their faithfulness in spite of many hardships to win many to Christ.
A church has been established in the village. Every Saturday Anelio has also been traveling upriver with some of the new believers to the next Kuna village to teach “God’s Book.” (more…)
Tags: changed lives, church planting, God's Word, Kuna, literacy, prayer, read, training, village
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Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Saturday, June 18th, 2011
Edelfonso & Jerry
Hello from Panama! The checking of the Kuna literacy materials has gone very well. The Lord’s timing is so perfect! The Kuna Bible translation team has recently made some significant changes in the spelling of certain words and hyphenation. Since the literacy program’s main focus is to equip people to read the Kuna Bible, we want to make sure it completely follows the spelling and punctuation used in the Bible. Had we finalized the literacy books sooner, they would not have been correct. So we just have to smile at God’s amazing timing. (more…)
Tags: changed lives, God's Word, Kuna, literacy, prayer, tribal, write
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Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Friday, April 8th, 2011
We trust this finds you well and enjoying Spring! There’s just something about being able to open up the windows and let in the sunshine. Our jasmine is blooming on the fence and it smells incredible. (And for you poor souls who are still up in the cold, hang on it shouldn’t be much longer!)
We’ve been explaining our ministry focus on literacy and some of the key elements that keep us busy. In our last post we looked at the importance of missionaries finding a good orthography and how alphabets are not simply “one size fits all.” (more…)
Tags: changed lives, literacy, read, write
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Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Tuesday, February 15th, 2011
We wanted to give an update on the devastation from the flooding of many Kuna villages in Panama. A big “thank you” to all who responded in such a generous way, contributing to the flood relief fund.
To give you a glimpse of the caliber of our Kuna friends, we recently heard from one of the small churches. They were concerned for the 7 widows with children in their village and another 5 in the village upriver who completely lost their crops in the flood. Not all of these ladies are part of the church, but the believers felt God would want them to care for these widows in both villages. Isn’t that what true religion is all about – putting actions to our faith (James 1:27)? (more…)
Tags: changed lives, Kuna, prayer, village
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Posted by Jerry and Joyce McDaniels on Thursday, January 20th, 2011
…a practical way for you to help
sisters in Christ
Recently Panama experienced some of the heaviest rains and flooding on record. Many Kuna villages were affected, including the village where we lived and served for many years. The believers report that 41 homes suffered damage and most of the villagers’ gardens were washed away. This was the food for their daily life as well as cash crops for next year. All the coffee plants were washed away, the corn, rice, fruit trees, and avocados. Much of the platano was lost (and this is the main staple of their diet). Many faithful Kuna brothers and sisters are faced with nearly a total loss. (more…)
Tags: changed lives, Kuna, prayer, tribal, village
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Jerry & Joyce McDaniels opening God's Word through literacy 
