Lamont and Shannon Weniger have always had a passion for youth and missions. Mont served the Glide community as Pastor to Youth and Families at Glide Baptist Church from 1998-2009, leading six mission trips and many community wide, multi-church events over the years. In 2009, Mont and Shannon answered the call to go to Papua New Guinea and serve as Children’s Boarding Home parents for Wycliffe Bible Translators. This was a step beyond youth ministry, as the teens of Bible translators, other mission workers, and even some business owners came to live with Mont and Shannon while they attended Ukarumpa International School. Over a decade, they had 78 different teens from 16 different countries as part of their family.

Now, God has led them to join a state-side recruitment team with Wycliffe. They will find potential recruits, evaluate their readiness, mentor them about missionary life, and help them move toward application with Wycliffe or a partner organization. Covid has helped people realize that time is short, and there are many people who still haven’t received God’s love letter to them, or heard the saving news of the gospel, in a language that they best understand. As recruiters, Mont and Shannon will have the opportunity to send many more workers into the field. By partnering with them financially or through prayer, you can make an eternal difference to many people groups around the world.

July 2023

Dear friends and prayer warriors,
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.  James 5:13
As always, we ask you to join us in praying (and praising God).  First, we are praising God for the way He is using the advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to speed the work of Bible Translation.  A colleague recently attended a conference and heard a presentation by an AI researcher from Carneigie. When a target language has been about 3% developed, they select 100 or more completed Bibles that are most similar in language structure that trains the AI so it generates the remaining 97% of the whole Bible as a point to begin assisting the indigenous translator. Of course, the translators must check everything for understanding and accuracy. The goal most are contemplating is reducing the time for a full Bible translation from 14-15 years to 7 years.  This could be one way to reach the remaining languages.

Currently, Shannon is in Portland, Oregon with her Mom and Dad.  Her Mom fell and broke her left leg, needing surgery to install a plate and screws.  She also has existing mobility issues.  Please pray for her healing process as she will not be able to bear much weight for about 12 weeks.  Please pray for a good visit with moments of joy and encouragement.

Shannon planted a garden, so please pray that Mont and Hannah Marie can keep up with it while she is gone :). Theo and Kardia are growing and enjoying summer. Below, Kardia and Nana are making faces at the camera in the phone. Theo took a week of swim lessons; below he shows off his swim goggles. Hannah Leah is now in her third trimester.  Please pray for healthy Mom and baby number three.  Zach is still waiting on his new meds (insurance, etc).  Please pray for the process to move along.