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Sailing4Him.org

Vessel Name: Sweet Dreams
Vessel Make/Model: Irwin 54
Hailing Port: Hayden Bay, Portland, Oregon, USA
Crew: Jim, Gina Colton, & Niki
About: We are a family on a mission. Working with Wycliffe Bible Translators, we will sail across the Pacific Ocean to Papua New Guinea where we will serve as Boating Operations Managers. Please join us as God unfolds this wonderful adventure before us!
Extra:
Did you know that nearly one-third of the existing languages do not have a single verse of Scripture? That’s over 200 million people with NO opportunity to see scripture in their own heart language. In 1999, Wycliffe committed to the mission of seeing a Bible translation program started in [...]
Home Page: http://sailing4him.org
15 November 2015
18 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Near GIzo
16 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Near GIzo
10 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Kolombangara Island
02 August 2015 | Gizo, Solomon Islands
13 July 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Kolombangara Island
01 July 2015 | 9 05.67'S:160 08.65'E, Tulaghi Harbour
25 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
25 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
23 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
21 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
21 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
21 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
20 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
20 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
20 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
19 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
14 June 2015 | 09 01.05'S:160 07.52'E, Roderick Bay, Nggela Islands
12 June 2015 | 09 24.11'S:160 00.62'E, Honiara
02 June 2015 | 07 43.75'S:160 03.68'E, Heading to Honiara
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15 November 2015

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18 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Near GIzo

A Fish Story_Part 2

Now that you are hooked on this story, you need to know there is more. But first the answer to the popular question: Did you get the lure back?

16 August 2015 | 8 05.87'S:157 00.63'E, Near GIzo

A Fish Story

A huge rift in the family occurred last week. In other words it was real dissention.

Trust

25 June 2015 | 8 54.173'S:161 04.421'E, Malaita Island
Our trip to work with David and assist his transportation and bible deliveries to local communities has finished. Now we are making our way back to Honiara for re-provisioning, repairs, and the next assignment which is to deliver a missionary family to the western region near a place called Gizo. They will support translation work for a local language group.

Here is a photo of David, Catherine, Stubart, Prima, and Bresford. The older son, Ishmael, is at trade school in Honiara. The oldest daughter is married and living with her husbands village. Their story is of perseverance, faith, and love and is nothing short of amazing. They live on the east side of Malaita Island in place named Sinalake Bay, which is the open ocean side from the central area of the Solomon Islands. The village consists of about 200 people, with other villages nearby reachable by boat or rugged single track trails.

Like most of us, as youngsters they heard stories of Christ. But they heard them as just stories. The church has been active here on the Solomons for well over 100 years. This came about when locals were taken to Queensland to �"work�" in the sugar cane fields. Under the care of some true Christians while there, some came to faith in Christ through the Gospel. When finished, these people returned to the Solomons and created the South Seas Evangelical Church.

At that time, the church only had English or Tok Pigeon bibles. Image yourself hearing all this information about a one true God and His son in only Latin, or Greek, or Hebrew. Thankfully, King James commanded the history captured in the old and new testaments to be completely translated into English, to allow the common person to read it for themselves, or hear it in the language they most readily understood. After all, your language is your culture.

In his early adult life, David was doing what most people do - chased work, money, and the stuff the world has to offer. Then the uprising occurred around 1999. The Guadalcanal locals in the capital of Honiara wanted to expel all the people from the Malaita Island (and other Solomon Islands) that had moved to Guadalcanal for work. David, who was from Malaita, was there with his new wife, Catherine and their small children. David knew about God and had been baptized years ago, as did Catherine. David had attended Yamaha Engine repair trade school and had secured a good job in Honiara; he spent much of his time away from home working, drinking, and smoking.

Then one day, David was offered a proposal by his cousin who wanted him to join a band of others to rob a gun armory and join the civil unrest brewing on Guadalcanal. He considered this for several days. A voice inside was saying �"don�'t do it, go back home to keep your family safe!�" Fortunately, he listened.

Back at home in Malaita, he was approached by the Local Pastor....�"David, join us in an effort to translate the bible into our language!�" QUITE A DIFFERENT OFFER THAN BACK IN HONIARA. Again, he listened to the voice inside. He acted! He told the pastor, �"Yes, I can do that.�"

After several Wycliffe training courses back in Honiara (known as SITAG: Solomon Islands Translation Advisory Group), the project was underway. Around 2003, David became the leader of the project with several assistants and a SITAG advisor named Julie, who was assigned to the project. Julie moved to David�'s village and began to work with David and others to create the New Testament in the Kwaio language.

As mentioned previously, the New Testament was finished and then dedicated in late 2014. Now, David is on fire to continue translating the Old Testament. Why? Because the information written in there points to the coming of Christ and exactly who He is.

Why is this amazing? Translation work does not generate much of an income. Nor did David have time to make gardens for his family to tend. Being a coastal area, fishing is important. No time for that. There are a few small markets here. Others have little income to provide support for the Old Testament translation effort. Most survive on what comes from gardens and fishing. As you can imagine, most people are not Christian, nor is culture accepting of those who do not work to support their family. In their thinking, translation is not really considered work. He and Catherine knew these things and agreed that their call to complete this work was from God and they must continue, no matter the cost.

They continue to face struggles. They have run out of both food and money, been ridiculed, persecuted, stolen from and ignored by family.....just like Christ. BUT, God is good; Catherine and David continue to pray and have faith in God. Without being asked, neighbors bring food and encouragement at the right times. David sometimes is able to use his engine repair skills to make money to buy food.

This past January Catherine was asked by some local elders to lead an effort to start a Youth Program. She has no training in this, believed she lacked the skills, and was afraid of failure. BUT, Catherine prayed...for a month, taking long walks in the hills around the village. She clearly heard �"Do this for Me�". After saying yes, she had around 20 kids in attendance at first. Now, however, they are up to 60 school age kids attending regularly. The core group meets nightly for prayer and worship. From our boat in the bay, we could hear their singing, laughter and a chorus of prayers rolling down onto the bay and our ears.

And again, �"I will put my trust in him.�" Hebrews 2:13

If you feel called to support David in his work or Catherine in the youth program ask me how at james_nie@wycliffe.org
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