Shoaib Ebadi is Afghani, born and educated in Kabul, where he worked as a lawyer. In one of the many times of trouble in that country, Shoaib immigrated to Canada, where he heard the gospel and came to faith in Christ. Shoaib Ebadi now lives in Winnipeg, Canada where he works as Executive Director of Square One World Media, a ministry that produces Christian media in various languages for streaming around the world.

Shoaib is also deeply connected to the Afghan Diaspora and ministers to Afghanis in both Europe and Asia. His network, through his connection to Afghan Next Gen, is quite extensive.

During a trip to Canada last winter, Shoaib became acquainted with our Travel Guide to the Bible. Within a week, he requested a meeting and help to put the book in Dari Persian and Pashto to distribute among the Christians in Afghanistan and throughout his network. Both projects would cost a total of $12,000 (USD), which God provided in less than three months. Shoaib is fluent in both languages himself and is connected with some of the best Dari and Pashto translators in the world. Within three months, the Dari translation was completed. The Pashto translation should be completed by mid-October.

What is so interesting about the timing of these projects is that the books will not only be distributed and used by Shoaib and Square One World Media, but will help us to make good on our commitment to Ahmad Zeividavi and the House of Omeed as well. And within the past few days, we have learned that Ahmad has begun to make arrangements to begin the Farsi translation of the Travel Guide to the Bible with his connections in British Columbia.

This is wonderful news. But there remain several steps to cover before each project is ready for press and electronic distribution. Field testing, design work, pre-press and post-press evaluations are all ahead of us. But we are certain that God will help us complete our work in a way and with a result that brings him the greatest glory.

The Westminster Confession defines God’s providence this way:

God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. (WCF 5.1)

That is a theological mouthful indeed, but it assures us that, when projects like this fit so well and compliment one another so nicely, it is not an accident. So we thank God that we can see what he is doing here and be grateful. AND we must remember as well that, when some projects don’t seem to gain momentum, or even when they do seem to head for the nearest ditch, God is still in control and is accomplishing a purpose that is still wise, even when we can’t figure out how.

Please pray for the completion of these three translation projects over the next several months. Critical details will need to be attended to, but we could not imagine better people to be partnered with in all of them.