Andy is going back to Nigeria on September 10th for a month to work in a setting similar to the Translation Workshop he helped with in June and July. This new venture is an exciting step in helping to train mother tongue ,for 12 newly written languages.

On Wednesday, the 10th of September, Andy will fly to the capital city of Nigeria - Abuja - and then travel 15 hours to the east by road into Adamawa State. For three weeks the translation teams will learn the princiles of translation and practice using them on portions of the Gospel of Luke.

Please pray for safety on the roads and good health for all the participants. Andy returns on October 5th.

Other important Prayer Dates for Andy & Kate:

October 10th - Celebration of 4 NTs at Wycliffe-Orlando.

Oct. 12-15 – Meetings in Dallas for The Seed Company

Oct. 19 through Nov. 7 – Wycliffe Associate Speaking Tour in Northern California

And how are the four new translations impacting the communities of Ghana’s Volta Region? We've had reports of a locally organized evangelistic program among the Selee from Michael Serchie, the Project Manager:

"People from the communities came in their number to hear the word of God being read aloud through the microphone in the local language and public preaching being done in the local language... This can be attributed to the availability of the Scriptures in the mother tongue which has generated a great desire in people to share the word of God with others in their communities."

How grateful we are for your partnership and prayer! Some family news for your prayers:

Mary (13) is looking forward to starting eighth grade at the middle school. She'll continue with dance six days a week. She's asking for prayer to be an influence for Christ among her classmates.

Alisha (16) is now BACK from Slovakia. She will have a demanding schedule in her senior year of high school. She's applying to college and would appreciate prayer for the Lord's leading in her educational choices.

Seth and Heidi are in Grove City, PA, where Heidi is doing her final student teaching. Seth is exploring returning to college for theological studies.

Jon (19) has started his second year at Penn State’s main campus in the College of Information Science and Technology. He asks for prayer for a wise use of time.

Hiram (26) is applying to Wycliffe Bible Translators and Mission to the World. Pray for the Lord to give him partners in prayer and financial support.

The Married Rings are still "supervising" seven (and soon to be 8) grandchildren!

We, Andy & Kate, need your prayers for grace to stay close through frequent separations and reconnecting.

Love in Jesus,

Andy & Kate Ring

Shalom and good evening or good afternoon, depending on where you live. This week’s Torah Portion is Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

The Word of God is the divine instructions for life in communion with God. We have to remember that these laws, judgments and statutes were given in order to create a nation that serves the living God. God in His word is commanding us to maintain a holy and spiritual life in all life’s conditions. For example, the rights of a captive woman, the rights of the first-born, the responsibility of the community over the life of the individual, life of purity, a life of harmony with creation.

“When you go out to war against your enemies, and the Lord your God delivers them into your hand, and you take them captive,…” Deuteronomy 21:10

From the first verse in our portion, we learn that although the promise of God is a blessing in its fullness, there will be times that you will go out to war. The Hebrew reads like this: “When you go out to war against your enemies and the Lord your God delivered him into your hand…” We are to learn that in the face of things there are many enemies, but in truth, there is only one. Another thing that God is teaching the children of Israel is that the battle is already won. The verse is saying that the Lord “delivered” – it is done. The victory is ours. I believe that the same idea is expressed by Rabbi Saul (Paul) of Tarsus, when he is saying, “We are now sitting in the heavens with Christ.” The fact that the battle is already won is to motivate us to a life of purity and holiness as is commanded in the coming verses of the Portion. Ignoring God’s standards of holiness and purity by relying on the fact that we are “sitting in the heavens” is self deception that will lead to one’s destruction.

“and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her for your wife,…” 21:11

We have to remember that this commandment was given in a time when it was legitimate to treat your captives as your property and it is a revolutionary viewpoint that rape is not to be included when receiving the victory of God. The Torah is to be like a shock absorber that stops us from following our desires.

If we are following our desires we will find ourselves in a position that is described in verse 14, “And it shall be, if you have no delight in her, then you shall set her free, but you certainly shall not sell her for money: you shall not treat her brutally, because you have humbled her.” For the word “delight” the Hebrew uses the word “chefetz,” which also means “object.” Every relationship in our lives that will be motivated by lust or desire will bring us to treat our fellow man as an object, someone that we don’t want, and someone that we do not delight in. The perfect example for this kind of relationship is Amnon and Tamar. Once he fulfilled his lust, he hated her. We see these kinds of relationships that are based on the flesh in the world and in church. Spiritually, a captive woman is a woman that is bound to her flesh and soul. Women are being taken captive by men because of their intellect, looks or skills. Men are being taken captive by their own lust and the look of a woman. The consequences of these kinds of relationships are pain, separation, divorce.

“You shall not see your brother’s ox or his sheep going astray, and hide yourself from them: you shall certainly bring them back to your brother.” Deuteronomy 22:1

For the phrase “and hide yourself,” the Hebrew uses the word “Lehitalem” – “to ignore” which comes from the root word “olam” which means “world.” The way of the world is to ignore, to overlook or hide and the way of God is to see (re’eh) and to be delayed (ekev) for showing grace. “Re’eh” and “ekev” – “to see” and “to be delayed” are the names of the Torah Portions three and two weeks ago. The only way to follow God and his Anointed One, Yeshua, is by living a life that us motivated by forgiveness, grace, kindness, mercy. Everything of the opposite of these qualities is not of God. When these qualities are found in an individual or a group, God is being praised. We have adjusted ourselves to the standards of man while compromising on God’s standards. The true and honest disciples will always be known by their love to one another and to humanity. A faithful disciple of God is not to be judged by his money, education, social status, etc… Sacrificial love is the ultimate revelation of God through his Son.

May you be surrounded by the light of the Lord as you seek to do His will.

Ronen Shalom

You can now see where we went and whom we met during the 4 New Testament dedications last month in Ghana.

Mary 13), Kate and I rejoiced to have seen our friends, colleagues and all those impacted by the Word of God as it became available for the first time in the Selee, Sekpele, Siwu and Tuwuli languages.

All this came about through your partnership and prayer. And all we can say is, "Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the Earth hear His voice!"

Please visit our website below, sign-in and click the blue page-title on the left side that says: Dedication Photos.

www.wysite.org/sites/ring_notes

Love in Jesus,

Andy, for Kate & all

From tomorrow we have three days to read through Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs. Please pray us through. We hope to average 350 verses a day. The translation is very good, but there are little things in unexpected places that need adjustment. I will leave Thursday evening for the five hour drive to the Capital. Then I've got a mattress on the floor in the office of the Guest house that night, waiting for me, because months ago another mission has booked a week-long conference. What a blessing to have a place to rest my head! I fly back to the USA on Friday morning.

Kate should be home Thursday after four days with our dear friend and translation colleague, Penny, whose body is dying of cancer in Atlanta. Kate has gone with Mary to hold Penny in hands of love with her family. The Leonhards have a daughter Mary's age.

Today we drew up plans to start three new language translations here in Ghana's Volta Region, joining them with a fourth already started. We also want to send this Lelemi Old Testament we are working on for typesetting by the middle of next year. And we've sketched a plan for some of the Lelemi OT team members to help the four NT teams who've just finished the dedications go ahead with their Old Testaments, too! Looks like I'll still be traveling!

Thank you for being our dear partners in these efforts. We're excited to get God's Word, this precious treasure, into the hands of those still without it.

Rejoicing in these opportunities,

Andy
www.wysite.org/sites/ring_notes

Two days previously, the Selee New Testament was dedicated with rejoicing, dancing and the firing of muskets to show the formal acceptance of the New Testament by the Selee chiefs. Thanks, everyone, for your prayers. We hope to have pictures once Andy gets back in mid-May! (Kate & Mary fly home on Monday, the 20th of April.)

Still in Ghana,

Andy, Kate & Mary Lois Ring

Our retreat was wonderful!

The messages on grace renewed our spirits and reminded us that nothing ruffles the peace and joy and goodness of God. Nothing deserves His grace. He gives it to all who come unworthy and thirsty.

The camp was a wonderful place with a river curving around it. Rapids and birds and jungle. Very refreshing after our concrete world in the big city.

It was over too soon, but we are back in the battle renewed and rejuvenated.

I'll send you a group picture when I get it.

When you are reminded ask the Father to send us another lady to live in the girl's house with Hedi. She is there alone still at night. Ask and we shall receive.

Love in Jesus.

Thomas G Smoak III
São Paulo

The mantle of humidity enveloped us as we descended the steps outside the airplane. Thanks to your prayers Kate, Andy & Mary arrived safely in Ghana yesterday.

We will be driving upcountry tomorrow (Friday) morning. Many others will be travelling early Saturday morning from around the country to celebrate the joint, 4 language Dedication.

Please pray for safety on the roads. Already Mary (who turns 13 yrs-old on the 17th) has found friends to teach her African dance steps, and we're all enjoying the spice of red pepper stew served on rice!

Our love in the Lord,

Andy (for All)

Where you live winter is probably making its last stand. But here in Honduras the dry season (in contrast to our two other seasons, rainy and really rainy) is hitting hard. The temperatures don't drop below 80 at night and stay up in the upper nineties during the day. So just think of us drenched with sweat and maybe you will feel a little warmer.

Short Term Mission Teams
In the month of March we participated with various mission groups from North America: two water project teams and an educational group of high schoolers from Toronto. While Allison continued leading the Toronto youth and kept things going at Campus Adullam, I joined the Wheaton College Honduras Project, a group of 24 students and one professor, for ten days of ditch digging and sharing the good news of Jesus with a remote village in southern Honduras. It is fun to join this group since my brothers, sister and I all participated in this project as students at Wheaton. I find that each year the Lord graciously uses me to encourage the students to choose to follow Jesus in his life of humble love as I work among them and then lead the debriefing sessions. And the good news was clearly presented to the people of the community of San Ramon where some of them made new decisions of faith in Christ.

After the Wheaton project Allison, Joel, Erick and Kevin (two Discipleship Group members) drove from Las Mangas to Tegucigalpa (thank the Lord for a reliable vehicle and a safe trip) to join me and the Agua Viva team (fifteen adults from Allison's home church in Minnesota led by Jay and Susie Substad) for the second water project. Then we all traveled for about five hours, literally to the end of the road; not just the paved road but the last inch of the rocky, steep dirt road, to arrive in the community of Las Chilcas. Imagine a community of about 36 homes (most made of adobe brick or sticks packed with mud) where people barely survive off the land growing corn, sorghum, beans and bananas. For six months there is no rain, during which their former water source supplied only two five-gallon bucket fulls per household per day, both of which had to be carried up and down mountain slopes to their homes. It was here that three months ago the Agua Viva technical team (Gustavo [community organizer], Adolfo [engineer] and Enemecio [mason]) joined the people to facilitate the construction of a gravity-fed water system. It was beautiful to see the good news of Jesus demonstrated by the loving relationships between these three men lived among the people of Las Chilcas. And the warm welcome by the community proved that the people had noticed something beautiful as well.

For a week we all worked alongside the people (the men digging ditches and the women washing clothes and preparing food), slept on the floor in their homes, ate food that they so sacrificially provided for us, visited their families, played soccer on their field, etc. Joel played with the children during the day, or being the extrovert that he is, he visited homes. Several times we overheard him talking about how Jesus gives joy and saves us. By the end of the trip he had many new friends. In the afternoons Mari, another Honduran member of the Agua Viva team, led game and story times with the children, and afterwards we all met with the whole community. We talked about the experiences of the day and talked about Jesus and his good news for the poor. There were many good discussions with the people, and several made decisions of faith in Christ. I am pleased that God used me to give two messages which communicated the good news in a powerful way. Kevin and Erick spoke with great sincerity and enthusiasm as well. We were all overjoyed to see their maturity, love for Jesus and joy to serve during the trip. We also held team meetings where Allison and I shared about our lives and what God has been teaching us about his heart of compassion and mission on the earth. It was fun for us to participate as a married couple this time. And I think we were all encouraged by a fresh vision for loving and following Jesus in his life of compassion.

Discipleship Group Begins Meeting
On Saturday, April 4th we hold our first Discipleship Group meeting for the year. We are enthusiastic about Elvis and Walter, two new members from the community of Las Mangas who are pursuing the Lord with great desire. Please pray for Allison and I as we prepare our hearts to set the tone for the group, the tone of the grace and truth of Jesus. Pray for the Spirit's inspiration as we prepare the Bible Study and activities. And pray for the eleven young people to have fertile hearts for the Truth, peace to grow relationships with each other and hunger to know Jesus.

Praise the Lord for:
1. the joy that comes from serving Jesus
2. the opportunity demonstrate and share the good news to San Ramon and Las Chilcas
3. Eric and Kevin's obedience to Christ's call
4. the Discipleship Group young people who are hungry to know Christ intimately

Pray to the Lord for:
1. Allison and I to health and strength after a physically hard month
2. his continued work among the people of San Ramon and Las Chilcas
3. his inspiration for Allison and I to lead the Discipleship Group
4. funding and rapid processing of Allison's residency visa

Thank you for your prayers and support for us. As you do, you truly participate with us. We need each other and we are all one body in Christ.

Looking to Jesus, running the race,

Larry (and Allison)

"Love never fails."

We are much lighter of spirit last night and this morning. It's like the storm is passing. I have not talked to the ladies at Casa Nova Esperança (New Hope House) but that is probably good news. Every time the phone rings my heart rate goes up thinking it might be trouble. I think things have settled down a bit.

Thank you for praying with us. Keep us in your prayers as we wait on the Lord.

This morning I read Romans 5 which encouraged me in verses 3-5 with "Not only so but we also rejoice in our tribulations knowing that suffering produces perseverance, Perseverance character and character HOPE. The New Hope House is gaining new hope through suffering. Haleluia!

Believe Him with us for these precious girls.

Dear praying team.

It's so comforting to know you are with us in this battle for the lives of the girls.

It seems like things have settled down today. I'm trying to stay away because they do better without too many extraneous people around.

The trouble started on Sunday because some of the girls are really against going to church. One of them was forced to go every night to a little pentecostal church in the slum that is mostly kneeling and praying. Her mother has regected her because she refused to go. Now church has become a bad thing for her...understandably.

We decided to make church a privilege instead of a requirement to see how that goes.

Thank you for encouraging us by adding your name to this prayer list. It is a pleasure to be your partners in these Bible translations. And thank you for keeping up with us on our website!

We have a bit more traveling before we head off to Ghana, three trips of 4 to 6 hours within the next three weeks. Please remember us as we go north to check in with Ethan and his family in Western Massachusetts. By the weekend we will stop near Binghamton, NY, to see Kate's folks. We also have a few supporters we want to visit who've had health issues. Finally we will travel on the 30th of March for three days to Dallas, TX, to meet the field directors of The Seed Company, Wycliffe's arm for partnering with and training National Translators. Then on the 7th of April we go to Ghana.

SAVE THE DATES!
Celebrate with the SELEE of Ghana on the 11th of April!
Celebrate with the SIWU People on the 13th of April!
Celebrate with the SEKPELE People on the 18th of April!
Celebrate with the TUWULI People on the 19th of April!

THEIR NEW TESTAMENTS WILL BE DEDICATED!

“All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.” Rev. 15:4

Andy, Kate and daughter Mary (12 yrs-old) will go to Ghana, West Africa, (representing YOU, too) at the dedication of the four Volta Region New Testaments. THANK YOU for your years of support and prayer. Pray for safety for the communities and travelers. Pray also for the Ring family as we look toward a new assignment in Bible translation.

Bless you for your love and care,

Andy (for Kate and all)

"Love never fails."

My leader, Chris Overstreet, has this to say about the trip, "We want to see the people of South Africa touched with the revival fires of God's love as we partner with the Holy Spirit to bring salvation to the lost, healing the sick, and deliverance to the oppressed! There will be street ministry and hospital ministry where we will be touching lives of those who are broken, sick, and dying. We will also be ministering in many churches in the city and the outer-lying villages where we will be equipping and training the saints to demonstrate God's power. And for fun, our team might be going on a safari together."

Financial gifts or letters of encouragement may be sent to: Bethel Church, 933 College View Drive, Redding, CA, 96003. In order to receive a tax- deductible receipt, please make the check payable to Bethel Church and leave the memo area of the check blank. Include with the check a separate slip of paper that includes the student's full name (Kira Brayan) and their specific trip location (South Africa). This will ensure your gift is designated for this particular trip and person. This gift is non- refundable, and if for any reason a team member or team does not go, the money will support another mission trip sponsored by Bethel Church. My home address is 1653 Kildare Drive, Redding, CA 96001.

Thank you so much for supporting my trip to South Africa both financially and with prayer. I'm looking forward to experiencing this land so close to my heart with fresh eyes... and I can't wait for all the stories I'll have to tell. Jesus is moving and Africa and I'm so happy to be a part of it. Merry Christmas and I pray that God would bring you fully into His destiny and plan for you in the New Year!

Love,

Kira Brayan