Jerry & Joyce McDaniels opening God's Word through literacy
A very happy “Iguana Month” to you! That is February in Kuna-land. This month the Kuna literacy teaching teams in Panama are beginning their classes.
Recently we received word from Hernan, the Kuna brother who is coordinating the literacy effort that he has been training literacy teachers from several more Kuna communities who didn’t participate in the workshop last November. (more…)
practice teaching the literacy class
Last year at this time we were looking ahead to the Kuna literacy training as a huge step of faith with a whole lot of work needing to be accomplished. Here we are looking back on the pictures of the literacy training held in Panama a few weeks ago, thanking God for His provision and wisdom! Many of you were part of the team through your prayers and gifts toward the project.
More than 110 people from 42 different Kuna villages or churches attended the literacy training. The joy and energy was fueled by their enthusiasm for teaching people to read in preparation for the whole Bible in Kuna! Who can’t get hyped to think that soon the Kuna people will be able to read the Psalms, Proverbs, and all those beloved Old Testament stories? (more…)
Landuma lady with baby
What a special time we had in Guinea! Thanks so much for your prayers. We met so many dear servants of the Lord, investing their lives in difficult locations. The majority of our time was spent with the team among the Landuma people. After learning about the situation there and looking over their literacy materials, we were able to make some suggestions that will strengthen their literacy outreach into the community. Pray that God’s Word will break through the cultural and religious barriers among the people groups of Guinea. (more…)
A group of nine from our church here in FL will be traveling to Panama to organize all the newly printed Kuna literacy materials for the upcoming training of literacy teachers in November. We are thrilled to be able to introduce these friends to some of our dear Kuna friends! (more…)
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. (more…)
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…)
Newly designed mola for book covers.
If you’ve ever worked on a huge project for a LONG time, you know how wonderful it is to see things coming together! That’s how we are feeling about the Kuna literacy project.
Years ago we began developing a whole literacy program using all the things we’ve been learning about successful literacy training. Since it has not been our “full-time” ministry, we’ve worked on it here and there between other projects as we could.
Well, we are in the very final stages of editing and formatting in order to take it down to Panama in a few weeks to check a few questions we have, get some artwork done, and then turn the whole Kuna primer series into the printers! Woo-hoo!
Would you pray for us as we finish up the last details on this huge project? We are thrilled with the financial gifts that have come in toward the project. The Kuna literacy fund has received 77% of the total cost.
To follow the progress, please go to: usa.ntm.org/projects/kuna-literacy
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…)
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…)
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…)