Otew Evangelical Fellowship

I stumbled across this article today.  It illustrates so well the power of the Word of God in the language of the heart.  The Word of God takes on a mission all on it's own and bears fruit.

Let us cherish the Word of God anew.

Article copied from http://www.wycliffe.net/stories/tabid/67/Default.aspx?id=3282

Otew Evangelical Fellowship: A Church with Heart

by Claire Alston

 

PHILIPPINES

Ruben Bulibol, a leader in the Otew congregation

Tucked in the mountainous Ifugao province of the Philippines, a small church participates in God’s mission and language preservation. Otew Evangelical Fellowship has no full-time staff or pastor, but it does have seventy church members who are dedicated to the Word and to each other. 

Bible study is fundamental to the Otew community. Ruben Bulibol, a lay leader in the congregation, explains, “Our vision is to be more rooted in the Word itself.” 

“Whatʼs true is not new, and whatʼs new is not true,” he adds, a twinkle in his eye. Ruben, a broad-shouldered man with an easy smile and iron streaks in his black hair, shares aphorisms as readily as he shares his strong belief in sola scriptura. He often invites speakers from other churches to share at Otew, with the stipulation that they teach from the Bible. 

All of the church members take part in the ministry. Ruben says, “We have no full-time pastor, but we have plenty of pastors in this church. Everybody is a pastor. We take turns, saying to each other, ʻYou have to study, so you can speak next week.ʼ Everyone is motivated to study. We listen so we can feed each other. Everyone is involved.” 

Even the youth are encouraged to lead. Every month, Otew has a youth Sunday for their younger members to share by planning Sunday School, preaching, teaching, and leading music. Furthermore, the church stewards a scholarship fund, which has enabled two students to graduate from Bible college, and currently supports another student, Eufemia Buccahi, elsewhere in the province. Eufemia,  a slight, serious girl, dreams of becoming an evangelist after she finishes her studies. “My passion is to share the Gospel with people who donʼt know Him,” Eufemia says. 

Rosa Bayninan by Ifugao rice terraces, a famous landmark in the community

Eufemiaʼs passion, evangelism, is a high value for the Otew church as a whole. The church stays strong in outreach because they feel the Word of God compels them to do so. Ruben acknowledges that there can be resistance to their efforts to reach their community, but that preparing for the challenge of evangelism boils down to one element: “Study,” Ruben emphasizes. “Study, study, study, study the Word of God.” 

In addition to their Bible studies and outreach, the Otew parishioners have been involved in checking the Central Ifugao Bible translation. The Ifugao New Testament has been available for over thirty years, but the Old Testament in Central Ifugao has yet to be published. “The Old Testament in Ifugao will be a big help,” Ruben states. 

Pedro Bayanan

“The Ifugao translation is very clear. It helps me to find the true meaning of the Scriptures. You can read the Ifugao Bible to people: they don't know Tagalog (a language of wider communication in the Philippines), they don't know English, they don't know Ilocano (a language of wider communication throughout the province). But they know Ifugao. We are very happy that now the Bible has been translated,” adds Rosa Bayninan, an Otew church member. 

The believers look at the Ifugao Bible translation as a way of preserving the Ifugao language. “Someday in the future, the Bible may be the only book in Ifugao,” says Ruben, acknowledging that Ifugao, like many languages in the Philippines, is changing rapidly with the influence of other languages of wider communication. 

“The Ifugao language will not be lost,” Pedro Bayanan, a patriarch in the community and former pagan priest, asserts firmly. He remembers that he was punished for using his own language when he was in school many years ago. At the time, lessons were conducted in English and Tagalog. Teachers taught the children to use those languages exclusively in school, often resorting to corporal discipline. Now, the Philippine Department of Education encourages mother- tongue literacy, so Ifugao children are being taught in Ifugao as well as in other languages. 

“You canʼt reach our whole community if you donʼt use the Ifugao Bible,” Ruben affirms. “Often, the response to the English Bible translation is, ʻThatʼs the foreignerʼs Bible.ʼ But the Ifugao Bible is ours.”

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than anytwo-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Hebrews 4:12

The Time is Drawing Near

73% - Praise the Lord! Yikes that means that we are that much closer to moving in January. With that brings a whole lot of things to do and feelings that are getting exposed.

Last week we found out that our work permits have been approved. Now we are working on getting our visa's. We have sent everything to PNG and are waiting for them to process our visa's. After that is done, we have to mail our passports to Washington and wait until they return them to us before we can leave. PNG is not known for doing things quickly so we will see how that goes!

We are also working on getting Candace's professional designation so that she can practise dental hygiene while we are there.

Emotions: excited, nervous, joyful, sad to name a few. We are so excited to make the move and start our lives in PNG. We are nervous and a bit anxious because we do not know what all to expect, especially when we will be living in the village! Joyful that God has been so faithful in providing for us so far. Sad that we will be leaving our family and friends so soon.

We also have other things to get ready and to get rid of! We have been purchasing clothes and shoes for the girls for the next 3 years and other things that we will not be able to buy when we are in PNG. And some things that we can buy there but is more expensive than here. We are also slowly selling and giving away our stuff that we have accumulated here. That is more work than we expected!

Please continue to pray for us as we make this transition. Also if you would like to help us get to 100% of our financial need or would like to partner with us in prayer please email us. (jonjagt at gmail.com)

"For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 6:32-34

Partnership Development

God has really revealed himself to us in the last few months. When we first became members of Wycliffe Canada and were going over our proposed budget we were a little apprehensive about how we were going to get all of our funds. Yes, deep in the back of our minds we knew that this is what God has planned for our lives, but our evil human nature kept rearing its ugly head putting doubts in our minds.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:6

We now have 54% of our budget pledged by many people who have come alongside our ministry. Praise the Lord! We have been doing many small group presentations. We have been so encouraged by the people that God has placed in our lives to pray for our ministry and to give financially towards it as well.

God has also been so faithful in our family lives. Our two little girls have given us so much joy! God really uses them to grow us in humbleness and patience! We are so thankful for that.

Please continue to hold us up in your prayers. Some prayer requests:

• that we will not lose sight of the plans God has for us while we are working on getting things in order
• that we will reach our financial goal of 100% support for our ministry budget
• our work permits will be successfully processed by the PNG government
• God will give us peace as we prepare our minds and hearts to leave our family and friends

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11