January Global Prayer

When we were preparing to return to Papua New Guinea in 2021, one of our biggest prayer requests was for the literacy program to flourish among the Finongan language group. Many Finongan people were literate in English or Tok Pisin, a trade language. While others could read Finongan to some extent, very few were able to read it fluently. We asked people to pray that God would provide not only for more readers, but for local ownership, faithful teachers, and lasting momentum for literacy in the Finongan language.

Previous attempts to establish a viable literacy program usually ended soon after they began. Of the two people who participated in literacy teacher training in 2018, only Eddy remained active in the program the following year. Humanly speaking, there was little reason to expect a different outcome.

What we didn’t know in the summer of 2021 was that, while we were asking people to pray, the Finongan language committee was independently realizing that literacy needed to become a priority. God was already at work preparing an answer. As a result, two important initiatives were taken. Nathan joined Eddy on the Finongan literacy team, and the Finongan community built a one-room classroom on the small plot of land where the translation office is located. This classroom was dedicated specifically to adult literacy classes.

Nathan and Eddy both have a deep heart for adult literacy. They have drawn on Eddy’s previous training but are applying it in creative and contextually appropriate ways. For years, we had prayed for committed Finongan leaders who would carry this work forward themselves, and God answered by raising up these two faithful men. The classes are composed primarily of adult women. Many of these women had never experienced the joy of reading fluently in their own language. As their skills grow, they are becoming better equipped to read Scripture, teach their children, and participate more fully in church life. Seeing this transformation has been a powerful reminder of God’s care for His people.

God also answered prayer in unexpected ways through technology. To help engage the small Finongan diaspora scattered throughout Papua New Guinea, a Finongan website was developed where speakers can access literacy materials. On a trip to Thailand, Chris learned about Alpha Tiles, a new literacy game app that could be customized for minority languages. When he shared the idea with the Finongan language team, they were excited by its potential.

With help from our daughter, Ellie, and the Finongan team, we embarked on a year-long process of creating a Finongan version of the app. This included recording audio, selecting images, and assembling

the final product. Once released, the app was an immediate hit among both children and adults. Eddy and Nathan even began using it as part of the adult literacy classes. What began as an experiment quickly became another tool God used to strengthen literacy across generations and also inspired several other language programs to begin developing their own Alpha Tiles apps.

Another significant answer to prayer came in 2024, when the Finongan orthography was granted approved status. This approval allows Scripture and other materials to be officially published without restrictions on the number of copies printed. It marked an important milestone, affirming years of careful work and opening the door for broader access to written Finongan materials.

When we asked people to pray for the Finongan literacy program, we never imagined that God was already working in so many quiet but powerful ways. We praise Him for raising up local leaders, inspiring community initiative, opening new doors through technology, and laying a strong foundation for people to read God’s Word in their own language. We continue to ask for prayer as this work grows, that literacy among the Finongan people would lead to lasting spiritual fruit and deeper engagement with Scripture.