What is Home Assignment? We leave in about a week for our Home Assignment, which we often refer to as “furlough.” The purpose of home assignment is to reconnect with supporters and family, raise additional support (if needed), get restored physically, spiritually, and emotionally, and also continue to do some work.
Where will you be living during Home Assignment? For the first few months we’ll be based in Dallas, Texas, so that I (John) can attend meetings and work on preparing a check for my trip to the Solomons in January. After that we will be traveling around America visiting supporters and family. Hopefully we can connect with you! (*Make note of NEW address below.)
Will you have a car? Yes! There is a ministry in North Dakota that rents cars to missionaries at a very reasonable price. Brena and her sister will fly there to pick up the car and then drive it down to Texas.
Do you like Home Assignment? That would be both “Yes” and “No.” It is really nice to have a break from the stresses of living overseas, see family and friends, eat out, etc. But home assignment also has its stresses: living in a new house and neighborhood, adjusting back to American culture and technology, finding a church to attend, etc. And a stress this furlough is that we will be traveling for nearly 6 months without a “home.”
What are you specifically looking forward to on Home Assignment? Me: seeing our kids and extended family and friends, driving and running on smooth roads. Brena: spending time with our kids and extended family, getting a break from her work, going out to eat, going on road trips with me, going on an initial road trip with her sister.
What will you miss about PNG? Me: interacting with the Papua New Guinean interns I manage, motorbike rides in beautiful surroundings. Brena: the slow simple life, being in one place/not having to move, the pleasant weather, only 1 store to shop at.
Will someone stay in your house here in PNG? We’re not sure. It will be available to rent, but because there are so many empty houses on our center, it’s hard to know if ours will be rented.
When will you return to PNG? The end of July 2023, Lord willing.
A somewhat old picture, but can’t wait to see these 5!
send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators and include a note that says preference for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)
After nearly three years since my last trip to the Solomon Islands, it was good to be able to return in September to check the book of Exodus for the Luqa language. After speaking only Papua New Guinea Pidgin for the last few years, I was a bit worried that I would struggle to speak Solomon Pidgin again, but thankfully I found within a few days it felt completely normal. Unfortunately, I got sick twice during the three weeks I was there and the head Luqa translator got sick as well. We missed a few days of checking, but we were able to check 20 chapters of Exodus and I plan to return in January 2023 to complete it.
Katena and Altruicia Tarakabu (below right) are training to be Translation Consultants and they both spent several days observing and practicing checking under my supervision. When they complete their requirements, they will be a great help in covering consultant checking needs in the Solomons.
The Luqu Translation Team(L)Katena and Altruicia Tarakabu(R)
One highlight for me during my time in Solomons was being able to spend some time with Edward Goha. Edward had helped us at times when we worked on the Bughotu New Testament, and then drafted a number of Old Testament books after Brena and I came to PNG in 2010. After a number of years of inactivity, it is looking like the work on the Old Testament translation might continue. I got to talk with Edward about how I could help.
Handovers (by Brena):
We are very close to leaving on our 9-month home assignment (furlough) in the States, so I have been doing all my “lasts”; last Cafe, last haircuts, etc. I have also been documenting all my work as well so that I can hand my jobs over to others. I was wondering if anyone would offer to take on some of the things I do, and thankfully several people have! Krista Fox and Joel Neudorf (below left) have offered to keep the Cafes going while I’m away. Do you notice I’m “handing” over a coffee cup and a cupcake? 😊 Krista is a mother of 5 and her husband is a pilot. Joel works in the computer department. I’m so thankful they’re willing to give it a go. Melina (below right) has offered to take over my Fellowship Family Coordinator job. The coordinator finds families who live on the mission center who are willing to welcome and give orientation to people who have just arrived here. Melina is a mother of 5 as well and her husband teaches music at the school. I’m thankful for Melina!
Krista Fox & Joel Neudorf (L) Melina Blake (R)
PRAYER:
We will send out another update very soon explaining a bit more about our home assignment – the purpose, where we’ll be, and what we’ll be doing. Until then, we would appreciate your prayers as we finish up here. There’s always a LOT to do to get your house ready for possible renters and tying up loose ends.
TO BE IN TOUCH:
john_bruner@sil.org
PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea
send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators and include a note that says preference for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)
The last couple of months have been busy for John with managing interns in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Many of them have needed extensions to their internships because the Training Center in Ukarumpa where we live was closed for nearly two years because of COVID. John has also worked on getting two translators from Solomon Islands started on new internships. One of them, Miriam Zeke, will be training to become an Exegetical Facilitator and the other, Solomon Wara, will be training to become a translation consultant. Solomon previously was an Exegetical Facilitator intern and it is exciting to see him now training to be a consultant!
Miriam Zeke & Solomon Wara
The Greek 1 course started two weeks ago at the Training Center and it was great to see that all 15 students and one of the mentors are Seed Company interns whom John works with! And one of the other mentors is Korry Reuben, a former intern (second from right). It is really nice to see all the interns active again after the disruptions of COVID.
The students in the Greek 1 Course, all of whom are interns John works with!
STAFF CARE
I, Brena, have been keeping busy in my roles with Staff Care. I have been putting on Cafes every other Saturday and recently put on a Tea for expat ladies who work out in villages. My supervisor and his wife recently left for the States and it was sad to see them go. They had been in vital roles for the mission community here so they will be greatly missed. John and I have also been facilitating a Marriage Course with 7 couples. It is a video series so it has been quite easy to do. It’s designed to be like a date-night for the couples so they have times for discussion in private rooms along with being served a dessert and hot drink. We’re enjoying the time with these couples and hearing again all this good information!
(L) My lovely friend, Sunyoung, at the Village Ladies Tea. She and her husband have been working with the Nama people since 2010. (R) Colleagues at a recent Café. Thanks to YouTube and the internet I’ve been learning the art of coffee making, so over the years the Café menu has expanded from hot specialty coffees to iced drinks, chais, and flavored syrups! It makes me happy to see people enjoying their treats and time with each other.
My supervisor and his wife, Carl and Pam Campbell who recently returned to the U.S.. They are already greatly missed!
The Monday night Marriage Course
PRAISE AND PRAYER
THANK YOU for praying for decisions and plans regarding our upcoming home assignment (furlough) starting in November. We have purchased airline tickets and made arrangements for a vehicle and a place to stay for the first couple of months. We are praising God for these things working out so easily.
John will be making a trip to the Solomon Islands for 3 weeks in Sept/Oct to do consultant checking of the book of Exodus for the Luqa language. He is looking forward to going as he hasn’t been able to make trips to the Solomons since January 2020. Pray for him as he does the preparation work for checking.
Grant and Sara recently moved to Houston Texas, where Sara has started her pharmacy residency in oncology. Please pray for Grant as he looks for and decides on a job.
Luke is at the moment getting settled into a dorm at Liberty University in Virginia. Please pray for him as he adjusts to college life.
Pray for Kairu as he adjusts to a new job and living situation in Tennessee.
Pray that a new Staff Care Manager will be found.
Pray for us as we plan and prepare for our time on home assignment.
TO BE IN TOUCH
john_bruner@sil.org
PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea (OR send to: c/o Andrews, 4807 Ruidoso Dr., Arlington, TX 76017 because of COVID delays in airmail)
send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators and include a note that says preference for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)
We have been busy the last couple months, both in America and in Papua New Guinea (PNG). In May I (John) traveled to the U.S. for Seed Company meetings. Our Field Operations division hadn’t met in person in almost four years so it was nice to get reconnected with colleagues! I was happy that our meetings were held in North Carolina as that made it possible for me to see our 3 boys and 2 daughters-in-law before and after the meetings. That made the over 100 hours of travel a little less painful!
The Seed Company Pacific team (part of Field Operations)
KORRY:
About a year ago, I had asked for prayer that Korry Reuben, a former consultant intern, would be able to become more involved in translation consulting. Just last month he was hired by the translation center here on a six-month trial basis to do consultant checking and training. I’m supervising Korry and it has been great to see him enjoying being more involved in the work of Bible translation!
EXIT INTERVIEWS:
Part of Brena’s job with Staff Care is doing exit interviews for those leaving on furlough or leaving for good. It’s a way for the missionaries to debrief their time in PNG and also for Staff Care to hear what people have been struggling with and hopefully find a way to fix the problems. While I was gone, Brena did a number of interviews. Here she is with Jo Miller. Jo came at age 55 to teach at the elementary school. She’s been here 15 years and feels like it’s God’s time for her to retire. The community will miss her. It’s people like her who allowed us to come to PNG after our time in the Solomons was over.
OUR KIDS:
Grant and Sara will be moving this month from Charlottesville, Virginia to Houston, Texas because Sara was matched to MD Anderson Hospital for a year of residency for oncology pharmacy. Pray for them as they adjust to living in a new city and pray that they will find a good church and make new friends.
Joey and Moriah are residing in Charleston, South Carolina. Joey is finishing up his business degree online and working part-time and Moriah is an assistant to several pastors at East Cooper Baptist Church. Please pray for them as they continue to adjust to married life and make plans for the future.
Joey & Moriah (left) visited Sara and Grant up in Virginia over the Easter weekend.
After several years of working, Luke has decided to start college. He was accepted to Liberty University in Virginia and received a scholarship for full tuition. Please pray for Luke as he transitions to a very different life and pray that God would direct him to a degree that suits his gifts and interests.
Luke on his 21st birthday
Kairu just graduated from Cornerstone University in Michigan with a degree in Bachelor of Science, Pre-Dental. We are proud of him! Please pray for him as he tries to find a job in the dental field and also decides on a graduate program in dentistry either in America or Australia.
Joey and Moriah were able to attend Kairu’s graduation in May
PRAISE AND PRAYER:
We’re thankful that I had a good trip to the U.S. connecting with colleagues and our kids. Brena did fine on her own while I was gone (keeping busy with Café’s, haircuts, interviews, etc.), so we’re thankful for that.
Thank you for praying for Brena’s talk to the teens few weeks back. There were only 15 teens there, but she did well in sharing how she has experienced God’s unconditional love and grace in her life as she has lived with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Thank you for praying for Brena’s need for more help at her Cafes. 5 new people signed up recently.
Brena’s boss (Carl Campbell, the manager of Staff Care) is retiring in August. Please pray that another person comes along that can take over his responsibilities. Carl and his wife Pam will be greatly missed here!
We would appreciate your prayer for our kids and the requests mentioned above.
We plan to leave for America in November for a 6-month home assignment (since it will have been a 2 year term overseas). There’s quite a bit of planning that goes into transitioning back to our home country; finding housing and a car, figuring out how to see many of our supporters who are scattered all over America, spending time with family, and fitting in work. We trust God will make the details come together as He always has in the past but we would appreciate prayer.
On my return to PNG, Brena and I were able to take a little time in Port Moresby (the capital) for some R & R and to celebrate 29 years of marriage.
TO BE IN TOUCH:
john_bruner@sil.org
PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea (OR send to: c/o Andrews, 4807 Ruidoso Dr., Arlington, TX 76017 because of COVID delays in airmail)
send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators and include a note that says preference for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)
Brena and I got to know Jan and Debbie Gossner when they came to Solomon Islands in 2010 for Jan (below left) to serve as the Director for our group. They had previously been working on the Edolo translation in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Recently they have started making trips back to PNG to continue working on the Edolo translation. In April I was able to consultant check five Epistles for them and it was a pleasure for me to be able to work with Jan and the three Edolo men who came to Ukarumpa for the check. Edolo has a grammar very different from English (the verb comes at the end of a sentence), so it was often challenging for me to understand the back translation. But it was very helpful for me to see how Edolo communicates things. Here is Colossians 1:27 in the NIV and then the Edolo back translation so you can see for yourselves.
NIV: To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Edolo: By his own desire, what was hiding put, Gode (God) to those his people revealing showed. So (they) would understand that talk is uniquely good and, then, so (they) would understand that talk can help people in all clans too, (he) did like that. What was hiding put was this. That Geleso (Christ) he is with you in your insides. Because of being like that, thinking to be able to be there where Gode’s (God’s) uniquely good life is, be anticipating in (your -pl) minds.
FUN RUN!
Last month Brena and I organized a 1m/5K/10K Fun Run for the missionary community here. And it was fun! Around 100 people showed up (probably half of them were kids) to run or walk and even enjoy some cinnamon rolls and ribbons at the end.
PRAISE & PRAYER:
Thank you for praying for my check of five Epistles with the Edolo team. It went smoothly, we found ways to improve the translation, and I enjoyed working with the team.
Please pray for Brena on May 8 (May 7 U.S. time) as she shares with the high schoolers at their weekly meeting. She is planning to tell her story of how God has helped her through some significant struggles (legalism, anorexia in college, and OCD) through an understanding of God’s grace and acceptance. Pray that the teens would understand that as well.
I leave for the States May 9 to attend some Seed Company meetings. I’m thankful that the meetings are in North Carolina so I’ll be able to spend some time with our kids in South Carolina and Virginia. Pray that things will go well for Brena as she remains behind.
We had asked for prayer that more people would volunteer to help Brena out with the Cafes she puts on. Please continue to pray for that.
TO BE IN TOUCH:
john_bruner@sil.org
PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea (OR send to: c/o Andrews, 4807 Ruidoso Dr., Arlington, TX 76017 because of COVID delays in airmail)
send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators and include a note that says preference for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)
It has been a difficult past two years for the five translation consultant interns I (John) work with here in Papua New Guinea. The training center here at Ukarumpa has been unable to offer the courses they need because of COVID and lack of staff so the interns have been unable to make progress toward becoming consultants. For that reason, I decided to bring them to Ukarumpa in late February and mentor them for two weeks. A few weeks before they came, it looked uncertain as to whether the training could happen as the Omicron wave hit Ukarumpa. Fortunately, it passed through fairly quickly (I got sick, but Brena didn’t) so we were able to go ahead.
During the two weeks with the interns, I was able to focus on teaching them the practical aspects of consultant checking Scripture passages. I spent most of the time teaching them how to analyze back translations. You might well ask, “What is a back translation?” Well, A back translation is a fairly literal translation of the local language back into English (or sometimes the trade language Tok Pisin). Since the consultant doesn’t know the local language, it allows him/her to see how the translation team has decided to translate different passages and determine if it is accurate or not. I had the interns analyze back translations from many different languages and taught them how to identify places where there were errors or possible misunderstandings. It was encouraging to see them start to be able to apply what they have learned in the past to the practical work of being a consultant. I also was able to get to know them much better and I was impressed by their love for the Lord and dedication to helping their own and other Papua New Guinean languages get access to the Scriptures.
Below is a picture taken at a recent Candlelit Cafe with some of my (Brena’s) helpers who enable these Cafes to happen. To my left is Evie Wade, a 9th grader, who dreams of eventually doing some type of culinary schooling and career. It’s been fun to have her help and also to give her an opportunity to start using her gifts. To her left are Carl and Pam Campbell. Carl is my boss and the two of them enjoy helping at these events.
My friend Max and I just put on a dinner for 31 ladies who spend time out in PNG villages. We did a Fajita Bar and served ice cream pie for dessert. The ladies spent time getting to know each other and then Karen Schlatter, who lived for many years in a PNG village, shared her story of God’s healing and grace in her life.
PRAISE & PRAYER:
Thank you for praying for the two-week training John did for the interns. God answered prayer with a productive and encouraging time for all of them.
Thank you for praying for me as I put on Cafes and a Village Ladies’ Dinner this past month. I appreciate so much the volunteers who help with me with each event. I couldn’t do it without them. Please pray, though, that I would be able to find more helpers so that the events can continue to happen.
John has been preparing to do some consultant checking for the Edolo language group this coming month. Please be praying for those checks, that problems will be identified so that the correct meaning will come through.
And thank you to all of you who read our updates, pray for us, write to us, and give financially. We couldn’t be here without you! It definitely takes a team to make Bible translation happen.
TO BE IN TOUCH:
john_bruner@sil.org
PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea (OR send to: c/o Andrews, 4807 Ruidoso Dr., Arlington, TX 76017 because of COVID delays in airmail)
send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators and include a note that says preference for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)
WORKSHOP: In our last update, Brena and I were in Wewak, PNG where I was helping with consultant checking for an Oral Bible Translation workshop. Brena was able to be there for two out of the three weeks, so it was nice to not have to be separated for the entire time! There were over 30 people from three languages attending the workshop and I was responsible for checking the 17 Scripture passages that the One (Oh-nay) team produced. It was my first time in almost twenty years of consultant checking to check oral translation and it took me a while to adjust. But when I got the hang of it, it was a really good experience and I was impressed with the quality of the Scripture passages the One team recorded. During the course of the workshop, it was evident that the participants really want to grow in their faith and the Scriptures they recorded were chosen because they addressed issues that their communities struggle with (fighting, sorcery, sickness, etc.). Pray that the participants will have opportunities to share the Scriptures they recorded and explain to people how God can help them in their lives.
Below you can watch a 38 second clip of Colin Anisi, of the of the One speakers, recording a story. He’s very gifted in recording stories and enjoys it!
CAFES:I (Brena) have been able to put on two cafés since returning from Wewak. One was a special one for married couples to enjoy a night out for Valentine’s Day. My Staff Care colleague and friend Max Voss and I hosted 45 couples in two sittings with music and candlelight.
The construction department recently added another covered area in back of the Staff Care building, and just in time for the Valentine’s Café! This allowed for more couples to sit outside and stay dry if it rained.
Max and I baked 13 different desserts and if the couples had a hard time choosing, they could order a “Splurge” platter and try 4 different kinds!
Max (3rd from left) and I were thankful for the ladies and men (our husbands) who helped with serving, washing dishes, and cleaning up the night of the café.
PRAISE & PRAYER:
Praise God that John and the team he worked with all remained healthy during the workshop! Thank God that I was able to go with him.
Pray that the participants from the OBT workshop will have opportunities to share the Scriptures they recorded and explain to people how God can help them in their lives.
Next week there are 5 interns (preparing to be translation consultants) who are coming to Ukarumpa for two weeks for John to teach them. Please pray that they will stay healthy while they are here and that their time will be profitable. There are numerous cases of COVID on center now and John just had it as well.
I have two cafés and a dinner for ladies who work in villages coming up next month and would appreciate prayer for strength and that those who attend would be encouraged.
TO BE IN TOUCH:
john_bruner@sil.org
PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea (OR send to: c/o Andrews, 4807 Ruidoso Dr., Arlington, TX 76017 because of COVID delays in airmail)
send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators and include a note that says preference for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)
Right now, John and I are in the coastal town of Wewak, PNG. John is one of three consultants doing the checking for an Oral Bible Translation (OBT) workshop. All the translation work is done by audio recording, so it is a new process for John to learn. I was able to come with him this time (a rare treat!) and am fondly reliving our years in the Solomons (minus the heat :/), since Wewak is very similar to Honiara. Please pray for the checking that God would give wisdom & good health to John and the men he’s working with. We will update you on how it all went in a few weeks.
The participants at the workshopare from three language groups
John is checking for the One (oh-nay) language group
EMAIL & OVERSEAS/STATESIDE ADDRESSES:
john_bruner@sil.org – PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea (Or send to: c/o Andrews, 4807 Ruidoso Dr., Arlington, TX 76017 because of COVID delays in airmail)
send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators and include a note that says preference for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)
Click on the link below to read our newsletter summarizing this past year of 2021.
We are thankful for your friendship, prayers, and financial support. Hope you have a special and happy Christmas, remembering Jesus, our Savior and friend.
send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators and include a note that says preference for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)
I RETURNED TO UKARUMPA (and Brena) on Nov 19th after spending 2 weeks in Ubuo village in Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea, where I did the consultant check of Luke for the Kope language. I can’t say I was looking forward to the trip beforehand – I knew it is in a river delta area that is very hot and swampy. Thankfully it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had made it out to be in my mind, and the checking of Luke turned out to be a very encouraging experience. I’ll use pictures to tell about my trip there:
After a 35-minute ride in a small plane, and then just over 2 hours in a 30HP motorboat through tidal rivers which serve as the roads in Gulf Province we arrived at Ubuo, a village of around 500 people.
You can see when we arrived the tide was out (bottom left). The picture beside it was taken at the same place at high tide!
I realized that I had not lived in a village for over 10 years! It brought back so many memories – most of them good: cute kids, kids playing games, dugout canoes, using an outhouse (wiping maggots off the toilet seat was a new one for me!), bucket showers, roosters crowing, people sitting around and talking for hours and hours.
The only place in the village where you can get a phone signal is here by the river. I was so thankful for this spot as I was able to talk with Brena for an hour every afternoon!
A translation project in the Kope language had been started in the mid-1980s but for a number of reasons it stopped around 1990. About 6 or 7 years ago Hanna Schulz was looking at various language groups to work with and felt God leading her to work with the Kope. She has a great team of people to work with and it is exciting to see them making progress on the translation. I was very impressed with Hanna’s dedication to the work and her willingness to work alone in the Kope project. I was also impressed that she drives her boat on the rivers!
Tompkin Aumari is the Paramount Chief of half of the Kope villages and the translation project coordinator. He has been working for many years to get the translation work going in Kope and he is a very gifted individual. When I told him that I was surprised to see there were not many people in church he told me that he had said to a church leader, “You will have more Kope Christians when there is a translation in the Kope language.”
I stayed in this translation building which was built by the construction department at our mission center at Ukarumpa. It was great to have such a nice building with lights, fans and enough power for a hot water kettle!
Every day we had between 10 and 20 people come for the consultant check. About half were part of the translation team and half were others who came to answer the comprehension questions I asked.
Pastor Mark came from a different village to help with the checking. He was such a sweet man and I enjoyed getting to know him. It was a bit of a shock to find out that he had lost his wife to a crocodile attack – something that happens once or twice a year in the area!
It was clear to me as we did the check that the Kope people don’t understand the Bible very well (not surprising since they don’t have it in a language they understand well). That made it really encouraging to see people’s expressions as a section was being read. A number of times I would see their faces light up as they understood the meaning. After reading the sections where the Pharisees and teachers of the law kept trying to trap Jesus, but Jesus keeps outwitting them, Sandra (above middle) said,“Wow, Jesus sure has tricky talk!“ Another time, someone said, “Hearing this in our own language is frightening (convicting).”
After the section where Jesus says that only the sign of Jonah would be given to the people, Elijah, upon understanding that Jesus was referring to his rising from death after 3 days being like Jonah in the belly of the fish for 3 days, just kept shaking his head and clucking his tongue in amazement.
I’m so thankful I had the chance to do the consultant check for the Kope as it once again confirmed to me that the work of translation can have an impact on people’s lives. Thanks so much to all of you, who through your prayers and financial support, make it possible for Brena and me to be involved in this work.
PRAISE & PRAYER:
1. We are thankful that the check of Luke for the Kope language translation was able to be completed and that it went so well. We’re also grateful that Brena’s time in Ukarumpa while I was gone went well and that we were able to communicate daily.
2. Please pray for my scheduled trip mid-January to Wewak PNG (Sepik area) to help with a consultant check of languages doing Oral Bible Translation. Pray that all the arrangements for that trip will go well and that Brena will be able to go with me for 2 of the 3 weeks.
3. After a big surge in COVID-19 cases in PNG in September and October, it has died down recently so life seems almost back to normal. Brena has been able to resume her Staff Care work and socializing with colleagues has been a little easier.
TO BE IN TOUCH:
john_bruner@sil.org – PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea
send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators – include a note that says it is for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)
johnandbrena 