Nooni New Testament Dedication Video

I found it impossible to edit this video any shorter than 6 ½ minutes. It is a hard task to try and edit about 3 to 4 hours of video into 6 minutes and feel like I am being faithful to the heart of what took place. There are many things lacking in the video, many people who were acknowledged that I didn’t capture in a good watchable format, there are times the video looks like an earthquake is occurring because it is so bumpy. I tried to include the major aspects of the Nooni Dedication, but it is a low grade video from a less than average videographer who just prays that God might use this simple attempt to bring him glory.

We are home!

There is so much to say, so many pictures and video’s to share, and stories to communicate. Each and every day was a full trip worth 10 blog posts. Stories, pictures, and video will slowly make its way onto this site over the course of the next few months, but I’ll start with a few video’s from the trip. I am still in the process of editing other video’s and writing down the countless experiences that took place on the dedication trip.

 

In short, it was an amazing trip and every person that was on the team would echo the same sentiment. I am hoping to pass along many stories from other team members, so (whoever sees this site) can get a feel for what occurred on the trip.

 

So much to tell, to few words to communicate…such a display of God’s glory and His work among the nations!

 

Day of Travel…trip began this morning!

For those reading this, I know the dedication traveling team would greatly appreciate your prayer as we leave from Washington, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, and other places and head off to Cameroon for 10 days.

Excited to see what the Lord has in store!
Dustin

Children Memorizing Scripture, Excitedly Awaiting their Nooni New Testament

I received an email from Cindy Lux this morning giving us a little update about the preparations for the upcoming trip. I read these verses this morning…

Luke 18:15-17

Now they were bringing infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.

O the simplicity of our utter dependence and trust that is to be in the Lord Jesus and His Kingdom. A few minutes after spending some time in this passage, Cindy emailed and gave a really encouraging report of how there is a huge sense of expectation among the Noni people as they await their New Testaments. Here is a little brief excerpt from the email she sent:

Last night we had a visit from our friends and they brought us welcome gifts of bananas, oranges and yams.  It was great to see their excitement for getting their New Testaments, their children also read

Nooni and will hope to have their own copies.   One of the boys in our compound has memorized the 40 scripture passages necessary to be awarded a New Testament.

School children from 5 schools are carrying firewood to the Nkor literacy centre to prepare for the 35 women who will be cooking ondedication day.

When Dave was there the other day, a group of about 30 children were there with their bundles of firewood.  He was talking with them about what the firewood would be used for and asking if they could read Nooni.  Since some of the NTs are stored there in the centre, he decided to show them a copy.  Then found out that our team was not really showing it to anyone til dedication day.  So, he let the children know that they were some of the very first people to even see it.  They started to try to read it and they got so excited they were clapping and dancing.  It was an encouraging and fun time for Dave!!!

 

I have never in my life been without a Bible I could read, and I am exceedingly thankful that my brothers and sisters in the Lord in the Noni tribe in Northern Cameroon now have the New Testament to read, understand, and cherish as it leads them to a life of continued faith in Christ Jesus.

 

Revelation 5:9-10

“And they sand a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe, and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Misaje Cluster Languages…August 2011 translation work update

I found this PDF the other day while doing some searching on Google, so I thought people might be interested in reading a 2 page update about the progress of the Scriptures being translated into the Nooni Language.

This pdf gives a good update about the progress of the translation work into several others languages in Cameroon.

Click the link and it should bring up the pdf:  Misaje Cluster Project Update – August 2011

If you want an overview of the entire Misaje Project, go to this link: Misaje Initial Goal Cluster

(HT: www.theseedcompany.org)

If you want further information on how to directly support the Misaje Cluster Project, Click HERE and it will take you to the page from The Seed Company and further information.

Global Status of Evangelical Christianity…A Map to have!

Please take a look at this map. The one here on the site isn’t that high of resolution, but you can download or view the higher resolution one at this link: Global Status of Evangelical Christianity

Here is the direct link to this map from http://www.imbresources.org :   CLICK HERE FOR THE MAP

Unreached People Group video

I love video’s like this. If pictures are worth a thousand words, than video might be worth ten thousand. This is a video  is well produced, has great videography, and stirs me to pray and live differently. I hope it does the same for you.

 

Beautiful Feet Project from AsiaLink HistoryMaker on Vimeo.

Pray for upcoming Trip

Whether you are going on this trip or are celebrating with the Nooni people somewhere else in the world, please be in prayer for this trip.
In the week to come I will share some more specific ways to pray. For starters, print off this picture of Cameroon and begin praying for the people here and that the Name of Christ Jesus would be exalted and lifted high!

Pondering, being quick to Listen and when you can’t make sense of things in another culture…

Written by Anna Danforth

“My heart is so burdened for these people.  I mean, when I was living with them, we would sit in their kitchen every night for supper and their “stove” was an open fire in the middle of the floor.  It was so frustrating to try to carry on a conversation while all the smoke from the fire was blowing in our faces.  Everyone was squinting their eyes and I kept coughing.  Someone needs to teach them how to build a chimney that goes up through their roofs so they don’t have to suffer like that.  I just can’t believe they haven’t thought of that yet.”, stewed a new missionary to me several years ago after living in a village with a Cameroonian family for several weeks.

What do we DO with the things we experience and can’t make sense of in another culture?

As most people see new things that “don’t make sense”, they go through phases of honeymoon awe, then frustration, then writing it off as dumb or inferior.  This makes for a pretty frustrating and fruitless experience.

Those who have done well have learned the skill of pondering.  Everything exists for a reason.  Everything.  In every culture.

You may see or experience things that just rub you so wrong while in Cameroon.  Ponder it.  Take it in.  Be a Mary.  Ask someone if you can.  By all means, though, don’t write it off.

You may even be in an uncomfortable position where you see a long time missionary do something you don’t understand or say something that rubs you wrong.

Missionaries aren’t perfect, but there is probably a reason behind their actions, don’t let it wreck your view of their testimony of Christ.

Another example 

One such story is of a wealthy young American man who went to Cameroon on a 2-3 week short term trip.

He was SO excited for the Lord and SO burdened by the vast amount of NEED he saw.  While out in a village, he gave several hundred dollars to someone he saw in need.

He left several days later, feeling very good about himself.

Isn’t that what Christ calls us to do?  But what remained?  Quarreling and bickering among the family of the receiver (he had given to the wrong person in the family in terms of authority and the money was pilfered) and rumors that the long term missionaries posted there were so stingy in comparison to this man who gave so much.  If white people are so rich that they had piles of money at their fingertips like this man, why didn’t those missionaries pass out hundreds of dollars each day??  Though the missionaries gave much in different ways, they didn’t have hundreds to pass out on the streets on a whim like this young man.  Giving money is such an incredible gift.  Be careful to ask how to do it appropriately to maintain peace in the village and help maintain the integrity of people who have to remain long after you leave.

 

Watching, observing, pondering and asking questions will make much of your experience.  This world is SO fun to explore, but doesn’t come without work to try to understand it.

Become a good watcher, ponderer, and question-asker while in Cameroon.  

You’ll learn much about God’s diverse hand and how beautiful He is in a whole new way.

 

Fun Fact: The answer to my new missionary’s frustration about sitting around a smokey kitchen?  The villagers store their corn in the loft of the kitchen and it needs to be dried all year as a means of low-tech preservation.  It is also a super handy way to ward off malaria-ridden mosquitoes at night…they aren’t fond of the smoke!  Malaria or smokey eyes…take your pick 🙂

 

Until the last one has heard!

Anna

 

 

Pictures in the website header

1^st picture – Noni ladies reading books in the Nooni language.

 

2^nd picture – I love that picture of the kids looking longingly. Exciting, and heart breaking in a way. Part of the heart I can only imagine is that this generation of children and the coming generations would have those desires of the Scriptures in their languages answered. Now , by God’s graciousness and the perseverance of countless people, they have the New Testament to read, learn, study, and know the heart of the Living God.

 

3^rd picture – The Lux family, who by God’s grace have devoted so much life, soul, and heart into the Nooni New Testament along with so many other resources for this people group.