Inviting the Wedding Guests!

by jared · Published April 28, 2026 · Updated June 28, 2026

From your missionaries in Zambia:
Ken & Sue Sawka

The Celebration is About to Begin!

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to tell the guests to come.

adapted from Matthew 22:2-3

Have you ever been part of the “set-up crew” for a surprise party, graduation, or wedding? There is a special kind of electricity in the air as the excitement builds. People are busy setting up tables, making flower arrangements, and decorating. There is much anticipation as the guests will soon arrive.

Jesus told us that one day, the preparations for a great wedding feast will be complete. The Good News of God’s love through the Cross will have been preached to every people group, and “then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). It will be a great celebration, and you are part of the “step-up crew.” 😊 Our job now is to get everything ready and tell the guests to come.

Wedding banquet table representing the Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Toka-Leya people place card at a wedding table

Revelation 19:7 says, “Blessed are those who are invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!”

Your partnership in foreign missions invites every tribe, tongue, and nation to join at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
You are putting out the place cards that welcome them to God’s celebration.

Children in Mukuni chiefdom reading Toka-Leya Scriptures in their own language

Ken Sawka with Dee Sakala holding the Gospel of Mark in Toka-Leya

From eight years old to 80, the Word of God reaches all age groups. These children in Mukuni chiefdom were able to read for the first time in their own language.

Dee Sakala is 80 years old. She purchased the Gospel of Mark.
Her back is bent from years of hard work. We prayed for her.

Young man reading the Gospel of Luke printed in Toka-Leya

Vincent sharing a Toka-Leya literacy booklet with a young girl and her grandmother

The Gospel of Luke has also been printed in Toka-Leya.
We hope to print the entire New Testament in 2028.

Our co-worker, Vincent, shows a young girl and her grandmother a literacy booklet we produced.

Imagine in Our Lifetime!

Then – So much to do:

•

When we started as missionaries 40 years ago, it often took 20 to 30 years to complete a New Testament translation.

•

At the rate new projects were starting it would take 150 years to produce Scripture for the thousands of languages around the world.

Now – Look at what God is doing now:

•

There are now over 4000 active Bible translation projects!

•

Thanks to much prayer, hard work, and technical breakthroughs, New Testament translations can now often be completed in 7–10 years.

Seeing the Finish Line:

•

There are fewer than 600 languages that need to start a Bible translation.

•

Many languages now have a New Testament but need the whole Bible. Once a New Testament is completed, new software can produce a draft of the Old Testament in just days. But it still requires a team working for 3–6 years to edit, check, and test the manuscripts before the whole Bible can be published.

Chart showing rapid growth in Bible translation starts since 1999

World map showing languages without Scripture or Bible translation work

The rate at which new Bible translations have started has skyrocketed in the last 10 years.

The remaining 514 languages yet to start a project (shown on this map in red) are in some of the most difficult places in the world. Nothing is impossible for God!

Sue Sawka celebrating Easter outreach with women in Zambia

Women and children gathered for Good Friday Easter outreach in Zambia

Sue and the ladies celebrate Jesus’ victory over death at our Easter Outreach.

Children learning in a literacy outreach class in Zambia

Ken Sawka with Toka-Leya committee members after completing government registration

Children in our Literacy Outreach being taught by a volunteer.

The Toka-Leya committee reached a milestone when they recently completed their registration with the government.

God is doing incredible things through you, His church, around the world. It is truly amazing that within our lifetime, every tribe, tongue, and nation could have access to the Good News in their own mother tongue. The excitement is building as the great day of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb approaches.

Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give Him glory!
For the Wedding of the Lamb has come.

Revelation 19

Video For You

If we did not visit your church when we were in the USA last year, you may not have seen this first video. Feel free to show it at your church’s Missions Moment, Home Group, or other gathering. It is less than two minutes long!!

To Him Who Sits on the Throne: YouTube

To Him Who Sits on the Throne: Vimeo

Bonus – A Kunda Song about Jesus the Bridegroom

Ken and Sue Sawka standing outside a building in Zambia

Thank you for being part of the “set-up crew” for God’s great Wedding Banquet.
Your gifts and prayers make foreign missions possible!

Ken & Sue

Prayer Changes Things

✝

Nearly 4000 attended the Good Friday Outreaches we had last month. The Good News was portrayed in drama, song, and preaching. We were blessed by a two-week visit from two Americans, Barbara and Melissa.

✝

The Toka-Leya Bible translation team held a launch of the two Scripture portions we have printed: Mark and Luke. Many attended and purchased copies. Each copy is 50 cents.

✝

Ken safely traveled the 1300 miles (round-trip, with over 1600 speed bumps and rumble strips) to spend another two weeks with the Toka-Leya Bible translation team.

Jesus Said We Ought Always Pray

📖

Continue to pray for God’s hand to be shown in the formation of a new overseeing committee for the Toka-Leya Bible translation project. The previous committee lost its vision to make the project known locally, and we need a new committee that is excited to push this work forward.

📖

Pray for our co-workers Vincent, Gerald, and Dickson as they visit the Bible Listening Groups among the Kunda people and seek to start ten more groups.

📖

Pray that many here in Zambia, in the USA, and all over this world receive the Lord’s invitation of salvation, and that they, too, will be at the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.

Be a Part of God’s Work:

Mail your gift:

Partners in Bible Translation
PO Box 455
Richmond, OH 43944

Checks can be made payable to “Partners in Bible Translation” or simply “PIBT” and designated “For Bible translation.” Ministry gifts are tax-deductible. Checks designated as “Personal Gift to Ken & Sue Sawka” are not tax-deductible. You will receive a receipt for each donation that can be used for tax filing purposes.

Quick link for Online Giving: Click Here

You can use the Get Involved! link on our website’s homepage to be a partner in missions monthly, give a special gift, or set up Electronic and Automatic Fund Transfers.

Office Telephone: 740-314-7400

Questions on Giving? See our FAQ page: partnersinbibletranslation.org/giving-faq/

Or call the number above or email us at info@PartnersInBibleTranslation.org, or write the address above.

Partners in Bible Translation is registered as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization. Ministry gifts are tax-deductible. You will receive a receipt for each donation and an annual giving statement for tax filing purposes.