Expressions of Hope

MARCH 2021

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

—Lamentations 3:21–23

Can you believe it? A year has passed since the first COVID-19 lockdowns started. Masking, social distancing, virtual church, working from home, online school for the kids, and more became the norm, and some still are. Perhaps you or a friend or family member have personally suffered with the virus.

We’ve all weathered difficult times this past year. But no matter what you’ve had to endure, remember that our hope isn’t found in our circumstances, but in the hand of God. The same God who conquered death for us through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus is redeeming all things, even COVID-19, for his glory!

As you reflect on the past year, can you remember the blessings, mixed in and among the hardships you’ve faced? In spite of the challenges brought on by the pandemic, we’re thankful and praising God for the ways he’s helped us adapt to new and different ways of supporting our Bible translation partners. We hope you’ll be encouraged by the stories shared in this edition of Expressions of Hope. Praise God for his love and faithfulness!

Image by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay

From Impossible to Possible

Praise God that he is the God of impossibilities! A local translator in South Asia recently experienced God’s faithfulness and power. Here's an inspiring example of how the Lord works even if there is a pandemic. Read the rest of the story here.
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Explosion of Life
When our Museum of the Alphabet closed last spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic, director Debbie Newby decided to take advantage of the closures to do some renovations. The staff plans to reopen the museum soon so you can see the explosion of life and trace our outreach throughout Africa for yourself! Meanwhile, here's a peek at what's been happening.

Good News

What's pilot Jake Anderson's reason for celebrating? Read about it here.

Grace and Truth Revealed by Testing

In Genesis 45 –46:30, the Joseph story becomes more about Jacob. At this juncture, a caravan of donkeys, laden with all the treasures of Egypt, is making its way to Canaan. All of Jacob’s family are gathering to feast. Jacob might be thinking: Mission accomplished! My boys did well. Such provisions! We will have enough food to get through the famine.

This “super-spreader” family reunion boggles the mind and would break all large group gathering protocols in our COVID-19 era. But this story is about much more…

Mark your calendar! JAARS Day 2.1 is on May 15

Reimagined for 2021, JAARS Day 2.1 is happening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 15! Though the hours are a little shorter, the day structured a little differently, and we’ll have COVID protocols in place, our team has a fun day outdoors planned.

Go on a scavenger hunt around our headquarters—drive through or walk, your choice. You’ll get an up-close look at Bible translation, and why it relies on practical support like boats, 4WDs, and technology. Boat, 4WD, airplane, and helicopter rides will be available. More details here.

Going through difficult times might tempt us to lose hope. Don’t lose heart! Remember that in Christ we have a hope that does not disappoint! As Romans 5:3–5 reminds us, “hope does not disappoint us, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit.”

Please let us know how you are doing. How may we pray for you? Encourage you?
Please contact us at prayer@jaars.org or call 888.773.1178.

Learn more about how you can partner in the mission of JAARS.

To read stories about the global impact JAARS and its partners are having on Bible translation, subscribe to our blog here.

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At JAARS, our mission is to make Bible translation and language development possible, especially in the most remote and difficult places on earth. We do that by enabling locally appropriate and sustainable solutions in transportation, technology, media, and training.