THE LIETHENS’ UPDATE DECEMBER 2013

1

2

that despite our differing plans and cultural perspectives, this had been a prepared place, a Moldovan village with Roma brothers and sisters.

Although we've faced numerous challenges in our first year, this theme of prepared places has been the overarching reality. We have progressed in learning Bulgarian, enjoyed warm fellowship and generous hospitality, and have learned more about the Roma, the people we want to serve with Bible translation.

We intend to continue with language survey through 2014 before settling into a language project, where we hope to begin translation and literacy efforts. At the moment, we are unsure of which Roma group to serve, where they might live, or what they might speak, but we are confident that even now, the preparation is already underway.

Thank you for being part of this story through praying, giving and encouragement. Have a blessed Christmas season and a joyous New Year.

Your friends,

Matt & Miriam

A Prepared Place

1

Our first full year in Bulgaria was marked with reminders that the Lord goes before us to prepare places. In John 14:3, Jesus reassured his followers that he was going ahead of them to prepare a place so that they could always be together.

Over the last 15 months, this assurance has encouraged us as we made a home in Sofia and traveled across Romania and Moldova conducting language survey among the Roma. We have been able to call several places 'home', even if only for a night.

One particularly memorable night was spent in a Moldovan village. A colleague and I (Matt) were testing recordings in a Roma community as evening set in. We made plans to stay in another part of the country, but our hosts insisted that we spend the evening with them. After some deliberation on my part, we agreed to stay. A humble meal was furnished before we were escorted into the main bedroom for the evening. Our host returned with a tub of warm water, explained how honored he felt to have guests, and began washing our feet. Humbled at the moment, I would later come to appreciate

Colleagues and regional partners from our September team meeting in Romania

THE LIETHENS’ UPDATE DECEMBER 2013

2

2013 Highlights

Learning Bulgarian with our friend Tsanka…

Receiving warm hospitality during our survey trips

Visiting beautiful Rila Monastery with Miriam’s parents

Sharing an audio Bible story with Roma, testing understanding of our colleagues’ Scripture translation

Stay in touch Mail: Vitoshka Zornitsa No. 3

Block 6, Apt. 4 Sofia 1415 BULGARIA

Email: matt_liethen@wycliffe.org Skype: miriam.elisabeth83

For financial gifts Mail: Wycliffe Bible Translators

PO Box 628200 Orlando, FL 32862-8200 Make checks payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators with a separate note “for Matt & Miriam Liethen #270985”

Web: www.wycliffe.org/Partnership.aspx?mid=4C2121

Personal communication not intended for re-distribution. Please do not forward, post or put on a web page without our permission.

…and playing Cyrillic Scrabble!

Testimony During a village visit in Moldova, we met a Roma lady who spent five years translating the Gospel of John into her Romany dialect—by herself! She autographed and handed us the finished product. As we moved on from her village to the next one some 30 miles away, we saw a copy of the same book with the family we were meeting. This copy had been marked where the owner said they speak differently or would use a different sound. Wow! What a complex task, yet what a desire the Roma have shown to have God’s Word in their language. We were encouraged to see that God is at work everywhere—even in places we might least expect it.

Prayer Items • Thanksgiving for settling into

Bulgaria and progressing in language learning

• Preparations for conducting upcoming survey trips

• Open and effective teamwork

• Continued growth in Bulgarian

• Receptivity among the Roma to God’s revelation