Sign Language Impact

Signing for Impact

Tens of thousands of deaf people are locked in a world of silence in PNG, having never been taught sign language and unable to communicate with others.

Foreting and Nathalie Juhonewe, who are both deaf themselves, have a burden for ministering to the deaf of PNG. They know that establishing an accurate dictionary is the first step. In fact, Nathalie calls it a fundamental leap. She asks, "How can anyone translate the Bible into PNG's sign language if there's no dictionary to rely on and just a few established signs for Christian concepts? And most of all, how can anyone reach the deaf if they haven't acquired any language since their parents never learned to sign with them as children?

There is an old dictionary from 1994 which a team of hearing people copied from Australian Sign Language with some created signs for PNG words, totaling about 2250 words/signs. However, it needs revision to be useful for the deaf community in PNG. The sign language used in this country has developed into an independent sign language with its own native grammar and syntax.

Now that the deaf children who have used the dictionary since 1994 are adults, they are reviewing the dictionary and updating it to include signs used in their language and deleting signs that they don't use. A team of deaf people from every corner of Papua New Guinea has gathered twice yearly since 2012 and developed almost 1300 new signs thus far. The goal is a sign language dictionary that will be an up-to-date foundation for everyone who needs or wants to know the national sign language used here in PNG.

There are an estimated 24,000-30,000 pre-lingual deaf people in PNG who were not taught sign language as children. Once every deaf child starts to learn it, the national sign language would become one of the largest indigenous languages of Papua New Guinea. That's not happening yet, but Foreting, Nathalie, and others are working toward that goal.

Nathalie explained, "We minister to the deaf in the hopes of seeing every deaf child start to sign, so that they have a language to connect with other people and to learn about our amazing and loving God."

Changing lives 

Write it on the Board

Write it down

Remember when you had to go to the front of the class and write on the board? Here is a class in Back Translation Principles that is held in Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea. As part of the translation process, translators take translated material and write it out in English to check it for accuracy. First it is translated word for word. Then it is rearranged to make sense in English because word order and sentence structure can be different from language to language. It's hard work and requires a good understanding of both languages. Pray for wisdom, as this training is very important to the accuracy of the translation. 

*This post was taken from the PNG Experience blog. 

The Big Exchange

A valley in Papua New Guinea

For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. -Mark 10:45

Bible translator Neil Anderson and six Folopa men were working hard translating the Gospel of Mark in the Folopa language. But when they came to Mark 10:45,where it says that the Son of Man came to "give His life as a ransom," they hit a roadblock. How could they translate 'ransom'?

Neil explained to the men that a ransom is a price that must be paid before a captive, whose life hung in the balance, can go free. As he explained, Neil could see they understood.

"We need to ransom people all the time," one of the Folopa men said. "When a man is felling a tree and it falls the wrong way and kills someone, the clansmen of the dead person demand payment. If the relatives of the offender's clansmen don't pay, the relatives of the dead person demand the life of the offender. To save his life, we make an exchange. Pigs, shell money, and other things of value are given to the relatives in exchange for the life of the offender."

Bursting with excitement, Neil used their phrase to help him translate Mark 10:45 into Folopa. When he was done, he read it aloud. Translated back into English, the finished verse read, Jesus came to affect an exchange whereby He took the punishment of the evil deeds of many people. He came so that many people could go free and He died. 

When they heard these words, the men were deeply moved.

"We give a lot to make an exchange for a wrong," one man said. "But we have never given a person for the exchange price. Jesus did a great work for us."

Isn't it staggering to know that Christ gave His life in exchange for yours?

*This post was taken from the Wycliffe Bible Translators USA blog. 

Just Use the Same Language!

Choose One

When confronted with the task of starting almost 300 language projects in Papua New Guinea, it might cause you to think, "Why not just teach everyone the same language?" Language and culture tie together. The unique beauty of each culture is expressed best by the indigenous language. Perhaps the best way to think about it is to marvel at the creative beauty in nature. How would you choose just one butterfly? Translating languages are essential to preserving the beauty of the cultures they reside in. Scriptures that are translated in the heart language of the people become clear and understanding is enhanced when seen through their cultural lens. Pray that the untranslated Scriptures of Papua New Guinea would have a project started even this year!

I have some thoughts to add to the post from the PNG Experience blog. As I speak to people about the need for Bible translation, I receive this question a lot: "Why don't you teach the people English?" Well, there's several negative things this statement implies, such as that English is superior than the people's language that needs to be translated, and that God only speaks English.

The gospel itself is an act of translation! Christ translated himself into humanity: he took on our looks, our limitations, and our words. The essence of the gospel is that we can't act or be anything special to earn it-it's a free gift. So, people shouldn't have to be anything different or do anything different to receive the Scriptures in their own language. It's a free gift.

When we translate the Scriptures into a person's heart language, we are telling them, "You matter. God loves you just as you are. In fact, He speaks your language!"

Music to My Ears

Music to-go

Take a moment to think about how much music means to you. Music is an important part of any culture. In Papua New Guinea, songs carry the ancient traditions and stories to the next generation. It also introduces new traditions and cultural beliefs. Many language groups love taking their ancient songs and adding words of Scriptures to them. Now these songs, written in their heart language, come alive. Pray for the almost 300 languages that do not have a project started. Pray that it will become music to their ears!


*This post was taken from the PNG Experience blog. 

Much Work to Do

Multitasking

There always seems to be something extra to do. Multitasking hasn't seemed to diminish anyone's work load. Living in remote areas of Papua New Guinea takes time and energy. Many translation teams are delayed in completing their linguistic efforts simply by the normal requirements of life. Many translators need to continue doing what they always do and try to squeeze translation work in when they can. Pray that communities can churches would rally around the teams and assist them with the basic life requirements so they can focus on the language work.


*This post was taken from the PNG Experience blog. 

Bright Moon Rising

By the light of the moon

There are many places in the world where the moon is the main source of light at night. No street lights or LED flashlights, just the moon and the starry sky. When a full moon comes up in areas like that, its brilliance is startling. In urban and suburban areas, we rarely see the brilliant light of the moon because so many other lights distract us. The Bible can become like that.

In areas where we have so may things that compete with the Bible, it can seem to lose its luster. Is it the Bible or are we distracted by competing things? In Papua New Guinea, when a New Testament is completed, celebrations are huge and people get excited. Pray for the Kandawo people who will be celebrating their New Testament dedication in April. Pray for lasting results as the Scriptures change lives and impact communities.


*This post was taken from the PNG Experience blog. 

Water to Drink

Whew! Back into the land of the cold and the dead. My mother and I just returned from a trip to Friendswood, Texas to speak to my grandparents' friends and church about my Wycliffe ministry. The Lord was good; many people seemed interested in the work of Bible translation and He added several new partners to my Wycliffe team! Please pray that more of those I spoke to will desire to be a part of the exciting transformative work the Lord is doing for His kingdom around the world.

It was also a good to spend time with my grandparents and sister, not to mention that the weather was beautiful. We spent Sunday afternoon drinking in the sun, listening to the birds chirp and watching the lovely blossoms while it was freezing up here in north Texas. Soon we will be enjoying all of the above-mentioned things up here...I hope :).


Now on to another one of those fascinating comparisons about Bible translation and Papua New Guinea from the PNG Experience blog that I highly enjoy and hope you do as well.

Abundant Water

Physical life demands water in order to survive. In Papua New Guinea, water is abundant in most places and life displays its green color everywhere. Just like the physical life craves water, so the spiritual life craves Scripture. However, in PNG, there are plenty of places where the Scriptures are not translated into the language of the area. There, the spiritual life can become quite dry...like drinking from a rock. Pray that the almost 300 languages that need a translation project started would find resources to begin.

No water here!

How Do I Get Down?

A long way down!

The rugged terrain in Papua New Guinea makes travel difficult. Can you imagine trying to get down from the top of this mountain? While they make for beautiful scenery and waterfalls, they also become barriers that make getting from one village to another almost impossible. One of the jobs desperately needed is language surveying. Surveyors travel to these rugged locations to determine more information about a language and to gauge the interest in language development projects. Pray for safety as these teams travel throughout PNG.


*This post was taken from the PNG Experience blog. 

Yum! Bananas for Breakfast

Breakfast of Champions

Sliced bananas on cereal may sound familiar, but that is not the only way to eat bananas for breakfast. How about roasted over a fire? Now that's a great way to start the day. It isn't hard to imagine that people all over the world do things differently and enjoy the difference. What is hard, is recognizing that the way you usually do something is not always the best way. Language workers in Papua New Guinea have to evaluate their way of thinking and make sure that they are not missing an opportunity to embrace a new way of doing things. The cultural context in which they work may offer a better solution for that language. Pray for flexibility and adaptability as new ways of working in languages are discovered. 

*The above post was taken from the PNG Experience blog. 

Looking Beneath the Surface

Coral Reef

It can be really hard to know how big a project will be when a language group is surveyed for the first time. Language surveyors need lots of wisdom as they investigate the various nuances of a remote language group to see if they are good candidates for a Bible translation project in Papu New Guinea. These surveyors travel many kilometers, and many of them are done on foot. They have a limited amount of time to study the prospective group's interest and support for the project and then must decide if they will be a good candidate. Pray that they can make good decisions so that more projects can be started in 2015.


*This post was taken from the PNG Experience blog. 

Still Waiting

A boy who needs God's Word

Papua New Guinea has over 830 languages and more than 7 million people. Almost 300 languages of the above 830 in PNG are still needing a Bible translation project to begin. This boy's language group representatives met translators who were in transit to their work site. They pleaded with the translators to come to their language group after they finished the translation they were working on. Sadly, that commitment could not be made. They did, however, give them information on how to create a team and where they could get the training they needed so that they could begin. Pray that more translation teams could be formed to meet the needs of all the languages.  

*This post was taken from the PNG Experience blog.

Using Your Gifts for God's Glory

"I want you in full-time ministry," God told him.

This calling  came out of the blue for Steve. After all, he was enjoying his life and work as a band and choir teacher near Spokane, Washington. He and his family had a great community of friends, and they even saw themselves staying in Spokane long-term. But it seemed God had other plans for them.

Teaching a Music Lesson

When recalling the day he heard God's voice, Steve admits he was hoping for more details from God. After all, he didn't feel qualified spiritually, and his particular gifts didn't seem to fit the mold of full-time ministry. Steve thought about possibly going to Bible college to further his education, but that wasn't something he really wanted to do-he'd already received an education and loved what he did. He was confused by God's call and didn't know what it meant for him and his family.

A year later, Steve happened to meet a Wycliffe recruiter who told him about the remaining need for Bible translation in almost 2,000 languages. But Steve still didn't see where he fit. "There's no way I could be a Bible translator!" Steve shared. And isn't that what he would have to do if he worked for Wycliffe Bible Translators? 

But then Steve learned something exciting-something that seemed to answer that haunting question of where his gifts fit in ministry. The recruiter told him that Wycliffe needs teachers, particularly for missionary kids. Even music teachers!

This news struck a chord with Steve. He had a set of gifts and qualifications that could be used right away, and in full-time ministry!

A Choir at Ukarumpa

So in 2006, Steve and his family moved to Papua New Guinea where he now teaches at Ukarumpa International School. And through teaching, Steve's making a difference in the lives of his students, their families and even those who are still waiting for the Bible in their own language.

"I'm helping God's Word reach new places, new hearts," Steve shared. "It's cool to hear parents say, 'We wouldn't be missionaries here if it wasn't for the school.' These parents are able to focus on translation, literacy, and other work because they know their children are being given a solid education."

And it's true. When people like Steve use the gifts God has given them for this glory, they're contributing to the work of Bible translation. Every role is important in this work-even teaching music to missionary kids. It's just a matter of faithfully answering God's call when your hear his voice.


*This post was taken from Wycliffe's blog. 

Early Start

Morning in Papua New Guinea

Just before the sun crests the hills near Ukarumpa Center, Papua New Guinea, the sky will often produce a dazzling array of colors. In the far corners of the sky, the blues and greys are just beginning to get a hint of red while close to the source, the sky is ablaze with oranges and yellows. It is as if they can't wait to be announced, but work has already begun in many places. 

Pilots and mechanics ready planes, teachers are putting the final touches on their lessons, the training center is serving breakfast and linguists and translators are working in the silence of their offices. Pray for the early morning work being started. Pray that the work will be done with full attention and great skill. 

*This post was taken from the PNG Experience blog. 

What's New

January is often a time for new beginnings. We sometimes make New Year resolutions that focus on things that we want to do this year that we didn't do last year... or the budget year may have ended and a new budget year started. Perhaps new programs and projects will be initiated on this date. However, in reality,  January 1 is just another day... with a day before that is now history and a day to come that brings bright hopes and prospects. In the world of language development and Bible translation, it may mean that another year of work has been completed or sadly, another year where a language group still hasn't tasted even the smallest amount of Scripture in their heart language. Why not pray today that the year 2015 would be the year that a record number of languages in Papua New Guinea would have a project started in their language.

New Words for a New Year

*This blog was taken from the PNG Experience blog. 

A Look Back, a Step Forward

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year's celebration! May this New Year be filled with God's glory and His people seeking his face.

Here is a poem written by an accountant serving in Papua New Guinea by keeping track of the resources used for Bible Translation:

       

The Coming of the Word

The ancient little village had not yet seen or heard
The baby born among them, the living, breathing Word.
The prophecy of Micah as known-as least by some-
In Bethlehem of Judah the Promised One would come.

This unknown little baby, so fragile and so small-
The long-awaited Savior, the Word of God to all.
He came to earth so humble and all but hid from sight,
But we who know and love him still celebrate that night.

Now in another village the far side of the earth
Another group is hearing the story of his birth.
A story more important than any they have heard-
The God who speaks their language has given them his Word.

They never understood it in language used before,
But now it speaks so clearly! "We love it!" "Tell us more!"
So with their full attention, the Word is read aloud,
And faith is mixed with hearing among the joyful crowd.

But in another village somewhere between those two,
They read a foreign Bible that's still not getting through.
They want to understand it but only can in part
Because they're still not hearing the language of their heart.

In city, town and village we're challenged with the call
To be a part of bringing the Word of Life to all.
Through prayers, gifts and service, we take the Living Word
To ev'ry heart and language...till all the world has heard.

Like Opening a Treasure Box

Struggling in the university, unsure of his future, Eddie decided to follow his father's advice and take a year off from his studies. That year turned out to be a pivotal time in Eddie's life. 

As he wandered around the village wondering how to spend his time, a visitor arrived. Victor was from the Bible Translation Association of PNG and was looking for people to assist with the Mekeo Old Testament translation. Eddie agreed to help. 

The Mekeo New Testament had been completed in 1999. Eddie joined a team of Mekeo people who share the common goal of completing the Old Testament translation in their language. Verse by verse, they search for the best way to convey the meaning of each passage to their people. Sometimes it takes several tries to find just the right word. 

The True Treasure

When translating scriptures about the Ark of the Covenant, Eddi used the kofu, which means "box" in his heart language. However, this word didn't quite communicate how special and significant the Ark of the Covenant was to the people of Israel. He knew of another word, maufa, which referred to a special box, or a treasure box. Wondering if this word might fit, Eddie asked people in his village what they thought. They all agreed this was the best way to communicate the significance and value of the Ark of the Covenant. 

Eddie, too, is happy with including the word maufa. To the Israelites, the Ark of the Covenant was a precious possession because it held the stone tablets with God's law written on them. As Eddie translates, he finds God's book to be a rich treasure containing nuggets of wisdom and truth waiting to be discovered. One gem Eddie has found is peace. He testified, "When I am translating God's book it gives me a deep peace that I never had before." 

Papua New Guinean Boys

With a twinkle in his eye, Eddie elaborated, "Being engaged in translation is like opening a treasure box. It's something worth doing. You won't get rich in this life, but you will have true treasure in heaven." 

*This story has been taken from the Papua New Guinea (PNG) blog

Thankful for Smiles

Smiles are contagious, and I am sure you are grinning right now because of this adorable photo.

This smile occurred in a Papua New Guinean church where the Word of God is spoken in the language this little boy knows best, his heart language. 

Even though Thanksgiving is over, we should always desire to praise the Lord. Rejoice for this language group as it worships in the language the people were born into, and pray that more smiles could be found as the translation effort flourishes throughout PNG (Papua New Guinea). 

*This blog post was adapted from the PNG Experience blog








On a separate note, I will be posting information about how different countries celebrate Christmas for the next few weeks beginning tomorrow. There will be activities, including recipes to make, if you or your children want to do any of them.

The information will come from Kate and Mack (as shown on the right; Mack is the bird), two characters Wycliffe has created to help children understand and be excited about Bible translation.

So, look back here for exciting adventures and fun activities from around the world the next few days!

Letting the Fire Burn

Mack and Doris Graham were dispirited. In 1983, their family had settled among the Kandawo people in Papua New Guinea and began to learn their language. Optimistic about the future for this new translation project, the Grahams were blissfully unaware of the trials and difficulties they were about the encounter.

Soon they experienced fierce opposition. While away from the village for a season, thieves broke in and vandalized their home.
Discouraged but determined to continue their work for God's glory, the Grahams decided to build again. But this time, the entire home was dismantled and stolen, piece by piece.

What should they do? The Grahams knew that hardships often happened to those who were working to bring God's Word to people, but to have their home destroyed twice? Maybe God was trying to say something to them.

They stopped to pray and ask God a simple question: should they try again, or was God closing the door? Could this be God's way of leading them in a new direction?

As they prayed, a colleague had a vision of small fires burning across the landscape. Maybe God was saying there was going to be a revival among the people, and that fires were going to be lit in the hearts of those hungry for Him.

Mack and Doris decided to ask God to confirm that He wanted them to return by providing other confirmation before a certain date .If the people asked them to return by that date, they would. But if not, it was over. They would leave their village home in Kandawo and go wherever God led.

The day finally arrived. Afternoon passed, and then evening, but still no word. Mack and Doris began to think that God was showing them that He was shutting the door, and maybe they weren't supposed to return to their village home.

Then, six hours before midnight, a letter was red over a two-way radio: "Would you please come back?" it read.

Mack and Doris knew that God had answered their prayers and confirmed their call to the village. So they returned and built yet another house. Later they watched in shock as the third house burned to the ground.

But instead of losing hope, the Graham family built a fourth house. Believing that God had clearly spoken to them about continuing their work among the Kandawo people, they continued to trust the Lord by placing this new house in his hands.

They gave many more years translating and ministering to the Kandawo people. And more than two decades ago, Mark's Gospel-the first book to be translated-reached the final stages of the translation process and was checked by a consultant. At the beginning of 2013, the same consultant checked the final book of the New Testament-Revelation.

In 2014, just over twenty years after they first moved to the Kandawo village, Mack and Doris hope to typeset the entire New Testament and finally see the Bible in the hands of the Kandawo people.

*This story was taken from the 2014 The Finish Line brochure, which teaches people how to pray for Bible Translation projects that are about to be finished.

Finally!

Praise the Lord! He has pinpointed me to an assignment with Wycliffe Bible Translators. I will be traveling to Papua New Guinea for two years as a Language Program Intern. I will be based in the center of Ukarumpa, in the eastern part of the country. As a Language Intern, I will travel around the country and do different tasks, which could include:

• Analyzing language data
• Preparing literacy and training materials
• Assisting trainers in workshops
• Working with dictionary production
• Recording scripture in different languages for audio Bibles

Depending on how soon I raise support, I could be going to Papua New Guinea as soon as September 2015 or as late as January 2016. Please pray and consider how to serve the Lord alongside me in this ministry. If you have any questions, or would like to receive my monthly newsletters, just let me know.

Oh, and I will be in Florida for a Wycliffe training the next two weeks, so I probably won't be able to post for a while. Toot-a-loo!

"Our Lord calls to no special work; he calls to himself." -Oswald Chambers

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