Next week's prayers

5 - 11 February 
The hills are alive

If the scale of their celebrations is anything to go by, the Quichua Cañar people of southern Ecuador are thrilled to have the Bible in their own language for the first time.

A colourful parade to mark the Bible’s dedication stretched for more than half a mile as about 3,000 people – many in traditional costume – paraded across the Andean landscape with their elaborately decorated floats and banners.

People walked for six miles to attend two special dedication services – and to celebrate the fruit of more than 20 years’ translation work.

‘There are people who do not understand the Word of God and that’s why they don’t believe it,’ said one man on the parade, ‘but, now we have the Bible translated into Quichua, they can understand and believe.’

At the first service, in the town of Tambo, music groups and choirs filled the Hall of Culture with traditional songs, while local pastors led prayers of thanksgiving. Representatives of more than 20 local churches and of the United Bible Societies (UBS) in Ecuador were among those present.

The following day, people from Tambo took to the road, in all their traditional finery, and paraded the six long miles to Cañar town more than 3,000 metres above sea level.

Here, more than 1,000 people crowded into a school for a second burst of celebrations, to hear the swell of choral music and a retelling of the story of the Bible translation. The Quichua Cañar New Testament was launched in 1997.

Long queues formed as Cornelio Midence of UBS in Ecuador handed out copies of the Bible to church representatives and young people.

Please pray      

• that the Quichua Cañar Bible will bring a rich harvest among its readers.
• thanking God for the dedication and perseverance of the translation team over decades.

‘I look to the mountains; where will my help come from? My help will come from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.’ Psalm 121.1–2