Category Archives: SIL
Here is a short Joy in the Word
When was the last time you couldn’t wait to get your hands on your Bible again? Or when was the last time you picked up God’s Word with real enthusiasm and eager anticipation?
On October 14 of last year, the Sokarek people of Papua New Guinea received God’s Word for the first time in history in their own language. How would you have responded if you were them? How did they respond?
May I encourage you to watch this short 3 minute video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYLiBnk1_M0) and give attention to how the Sokarek people receive their newly translated Bible. They march with pride into the village holding their New Testament up high. Some sit still, reading their new Bible with serious and purposeful intensity. I can’t help but wonder about my reaction to my approach to God’s Word each day. Watch and see. I believe, like me, your heart will be moved.
Ken
Making it Clear
“They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.” Nehemiah 8:8
This verse jumped out at me this week as I read it. Isn’t this what we are doing together? Making God’s Words clear to people. We do this by translating it into their Mother Tongue, the language that speaks to their heart.
This is also being done at the New Testament workshop this week. The Enemy does not want this work done and has been creating havoc with computers all week.
Surrounded by people and computers! Ken’s favorite things!
Thank you for praying! Many of you have reminded us that you are praying, and I know many more do so daily. What an encouragement!
Here is an update from Ken. I’ve pieced together a few of his comments where he responded to some of my questions:
In reference to the computers that crashed…
We weren’t able to recover the totally trashed computer but we were able to recover the data and give him a new loaner laptop. That way, he’ll be able to work through the next two weeks of the workshop. I will probably bring the computer home and attempt to have it fixed at Dallas (SIL‘s headquarters).
Outside where the internet connection is better!
I was able to configure two more language projects for Paratext Send/Receive. It’s such a wonderful tool when it is configured properly, allowing people separated by distance to share their language project data as long as they can obtain an internet connection. It’s neat to watch their faces when it works. On the other hand, if configured wrong it causes big problems. Correctly configuring the projects that span multiple computers and training are the keys now.
We, in America, take the Internet connection for granted though. One group I just finished working with doesn’t have the Internet as communication in and out of the State has been suspended.
Responding to the health of the consultant’s daughter…
Heidi’s daughter is in high school. I haven’t heard much from her other than she was able to have some medical tests run in the Chicago area.
Ken will be home Thursday night. Thanks for praying.
(Today is our 30th Anniversary…I’m proud and happy to be married to such a great guy!)
But What If They Can’t Read?
Have you ever jolted by a simple question? A question that makes you sit up and rethink what you’ve been doing for the last 22 years?
Anne and I have been serving with Wycliffe Bible Translators for 22 years now and are committed to getting God’s Word in the hands of the Bibleless people of the world so they could read it in their mother tongue, the language that speaks to their heart. Changed lives are the result. But, then the question suddenly jolted us …
What if they can’t read?
How does the estimated 20 plus percent of the world’s population learn about Jesus if they cannot read and understand the Bible? Thankfully, Faith Comes By Hearing, another Wycliffe partner organization, is committed to reaching the nations with the Word of God in audio, offering the Bible in a format that will connect with the world’s illiterate population.
What if he couldn’t read?
Click on the link to read more and understand the potential impact Faith Comes By Hearing can have. And then, similar to someone living in an oral only culture, pass it on to others.
More thought provoking literacy facts:
Yup, we’re published! And you helped!
Did yo
u know that if an author has one of his works published in 20 languages there is a big celebration? And if he or she is published in 30, 40 or more languages? Well, there’s some partying going on!
Did you know that Wycliffe Bible Translators along with our partners, such as SIL, Wycliffe Associates, and The Seed Company have had a book or part of a book translated in at least 2,479 languages?
Wow! We need a party every year. And you all should be the first to be invited! You have been a part of getting all or part of the best book, the BIBLE, translated into thousands of languages across the world. This work has been done not just for large community groups but for small ones too! Some groups have 5,000 or fewer people using that language! But if it’s a viable language, we think they need to hear God’s word in the language that speaks to their heart.
So thanks! We should be able to celebrate with more parties in the coming year! Come join us.
And he’s off!
I just dropped Ken off at the Charlotte Airport. He’s on his way to Nigeria once again. This is his third time to this country so it makes it a bit easier to plan. We still found ourselves running around the last two days gathering items for himself and for others. When you live in another country, it’s nice to receive things from “home.” He’s carrying a bit of stuff for others including a sewing machine!
A wonderful thing about living in Waxhaw, NC is our close proximity to Jaars. Jaars is a campus of our “sister” organization, SIL. It is where our pilots train, computer work is done as well as Vernacular media work. They have a great purchasing and shipping department too. Ken was able to take this newly repaired sewing machine and get it boxed up professionally so he could easily travel with it. We hope it gets through customs okay. I’m sure the owners of it will be happy to have it back.
Ken, along with another man, will be helping with some training classes that will be going on. He’ll be gone for two weeks due to some flight constraints. The airline he’s using only flies in and out twice a week so he’s arriving a bit early and leaving a few days after the training is over. I’m sure he’ll keep busy with his training and relationship building.
So, thanks for praying for him in advance. It’s Wednesday here, but we probably won’t hear from Ken until Friday EST. Two weeks are a long time to be from home. Last time he really got hit hard with allergies and eyes almost swollen shut, so we loaded him up with some antihistamines this time. Please pray too that nothing would deter them from their Kingdom work. I’ll try to update you all as I hear from Ken. I’ve just posted our most recent email with some photos from our recent trips.
Encouragement from Brazil
David Byron and Mark Hancock recently deployed a BGAN satellite in the jungles of Brazil. Just today, Alec Harrison, the translator, received the following encouraging text from the project’s mother tongue translator. I cannot help believe that this made their lengthy flight and 14 hour bus ride trip worth it. Read on…
“Did you all arrive safely? Did your two friends (referring to Mark and David – kjh) have a good trip back to the US?
“I am amazed at the device that they brought me. I would have never been able to purchase it on my own. Because of this device, my work is much easier. Why? Because now I can use this device to communicate directly with you right from my home. Thus I pray that our Father and Lord Jesus bless them (Dave and Mark) for bringing it for me to use.
Today, the 28th, I did another send/receive to send you more chapters of 2 Samuel and to check for a message from you. I saw that the two guys arrived back safely in the US. That is very good!
Eliabe”
God IS doing some mighty things in the world of Bible translation, isn’t he?
The Haugh Herald 