

Prayer is the primary strategy of Pioneer Bible Translators for reaching Bibleless peoples.
Florence Beagle. Florence Beagle. Florence Beagle. I kept seeing that name. Fifty-nine prayer sign-up sheets, one for each of the missions supported by the church we were visiting. Florence’s name was on every one of them.
I asked if my husband and I could meet her. We were led to a kindly elderly lady who immediately wanted to know if we were missionaries. “Yes, we are.” She responded instantly. “Can I pray for you?”


Newsletters and prayer materials covered with hand-written notes testify to the fervent commitment of prayer warrior Florence Beagle.
Florence was a humble prayer warrior. Though “humble warrior” may sound like a contradiction, it perfectly describes Florence’s ministry. Every day, many times a day, she knelt in humility before her Lord to battle on behalf of missionaries serving all over the world.
Florence’s faithful, fervent prayers included petitions on behalf of Pioneer Bible Translators. She received our Daily Prayer Guide and other publications that inform our partners of prayer needs around the world. She also received newsletters from Lori Witham, who typesets translated Scripture for our team in Papua New Guinea.
Lori receives financial support from Florence’s church, so she visits them periodically to give an update on her ministry. After one such visit, Lori commented that spending time with Florence was a highlight of that trip. “She remembered the details of all my updates and assured me that she prayed for me constantly.”
Florence’s prayers, joined with those of Lori’s other prayer partners, impacted Lori and her ministry as God answered in His wise and gracious love.
Some time later, Lori began to notice that something had changed. She was having a difficult season in her ministry. Every project, no matter how routine, became problematic in some way. Soon afterward Lori received news that her long-time friend and prayer warrior had died. “When I heard of her death, it made sense,” Lori observed. “I had lost that precious interceder.”
Florence’s prayers impacted Lori and her ministry as God answered in His wise and gracious love.
After Florence’s death a package arrived at Pioneer Bible Translators’ office in Texas. It was filled with copies of our Daily Prayer Guide, our Prayer Partner Letter and Lori’s newsletters. The pages were covered with hand-written notes, check marks and asterisks. Individual names, events and prayer requests were underlined. There were calendar days marked off showing when the prayers were said, page by page, front and back. There were notes indicating special prayers prayed. The markings stopped only a few days before she died.
Florence had spent an exhaustive amount of time praying through these requests, evidently praying several times for each one. A cover letter tucked inside the package revealed that she had prayed around the world once every three days. She truly fulfilled the ministry of a devoted and humble prayer warrior.
Prayer is Pioneer Bible Translators’ strategy. Without the prayers of God’s people our ministry would not be experiencing the tremendous growth in size and impact that we have seen in recent years. We are grateful for every person who obeys the teachings and commands of Jesus concerning prayer. And we are especially grateful for those who, like Florence Beagle, answer God’s call to minister as humble prayer warriors. Please join us in praying that God will raise up many to stand in Florence’s place on behalf of Pioneer Bible Translators and the Bibleless, churchless people He has called us to serve.
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You Can Pray:
- for persistence in praying for Pioneer Bible Translators
- for faithfulness in praying for the world’s Bibleless, churchless people
- for additional prayer warriors to undergird our ministry