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Category Archives: Video

What Good is Bible Tranlsation?

We know that Bible translation gives the Word of God to people in their mother tongue. We also know through His Word, people come to know Christ and, hopefully as a result, will grow in His grace and knowledge. But, to those that care little about spiritual things, the question is a big, “So What?” And indeed, some (i.e., Anthropologists) have complained that Bible translation is counter productive in that it changes the nationalistic culture. Often times, the comment is immediately followed by how we introduce germs and other things that might be considered hurtful to the indigenous culture. How do we respond to that?

I’ve lived overseas and, just like in America, some of the changes brought into the culture are welcome changes. The one change we welcomed overseas that immediately comes to mind is cannibalism! Aren’t you glad that the Gospel helps people love and respect their fellow-man rather than eating them??? I sure am. But we that believe in the Bible, come to the issue with a different perspective. How do we answer those that don’t believe like us?

Here is a Seed Company video that shares a bit on how the Gospel has changed a culture – and for the good. (The Seed Company is a Wycliffe partner organization and works alongside many of our other partner organizations to bring the Gospel to the whole world through the Bible translation task). And, it’s in THEIR words, the nationals’ words, those directly impacted by God’s Word in the mother tongue.

Take a moment, if you can, and watch this short, seven minute video on how God’s Word transforms and liberates cultures around the world. Then you’ll see that you and I no longer need to argue the benefits of Bible translation. Our friends and neighbors living all around the world will do it for us.

Happy viewing!

Video: http://www.theseedcompany.org/video-library/13

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Posted by Ken & Anne on September 26, 2011 in Partner Organization, The Seed Company, Video, Wycliffe

Just one of 41 Million!

15 Sep

The new fiscal year for Wycliffe Bible Translators starts October 1. While that doesn’t mean much to many people it means a lot to me. A new year means new project fund-raising goals. And for Wycliffe that means we need to find 41 million dollars in the next 365 days!

Yikes! That sounds like a lot of money, doesn’t it? Where will it come from? What will we use it for?

I have a huge Excel worksheet which has every project listed, what country it will go to, what project it will fund along with a myriad of other details. It takes months to write-up a project and then takes lots of work to carry it out all the while writing reports on how the money was spent and how it will aid in Bible Translation.

Much of the money will come from individuals, churches and from some larger organizations. Most of it will come in $25 at a time. This is money above and beyond personal support for missionaries.

These finger puppets are telling a story!

Last year we wrote about one project that a friend of ours was involved with. She works in Guatemala. While this project is not funded by a European (and therefore not in my area) I still have a great interest in it because this friend and her husband went through training with Ken and I over 20 years ago. They are still with Wycliffe, just like we are, but their lives and their work has been completely different.

The Deditos is a small non-profit group that was formed in order to produce audio and video materials for minority people groups. They have really become accomplished as they use finger puppets to tell truths and stories from the Bible. Check out their videos! The first one has English subtitles and looks fantastic!

It’s wonderful to see how God’s people are being so creative as they get God’s Message, the Good News, into the heart language of the people from around the world!

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Posted by Ken & Anne on September 15, 2011 in Anne, Europe, Video, Wycliffe

From Their Perspective

23 Aug

You often read about the excitement we feel when we deploy technology to accelerate Bible translation. But, have you ever wondered about the mother tongue translator’s reaction?

Recently, Mark Hancock, a member of our team, went to a South American country and installed a BGAN satellite for someone living in a remote region. Check out this video as he describes his reaction to this new tool. And, while you’re at it, check out the scenery, the house, surrounding this couple. We have so much, don’t we? Our colleagues have so little. It really is amazing.

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Posted by Ken & Anne on August 23, 2011 in BGAN, Satellite, Video

Accelerating Bible Translation

05 Aug

I love technology, not for technology’s sake, but for some of the ways it enhances our lives and makes it more productive. Yes, I’m also aware that technology sometimes complicates life, like when your computer won’t work like is should, when your email is hacked and your system starts sending out embarrassing messages, or in my case, when I carry the phone but can never seem to get it out of my pocket in time to answer a call.

Here is a link to a video where technology DOES work. And, it not only enhances a life but it accelerates Bible translation too.Take a look at it and simply think of the context —

someone living deep in the jungle using a BGAN satellite terminal
sends an email with attached translation data
via a communications satellite located (I’ve heard) 22,000 above the earth
to a translation consultant located thousands of miles away!

What’s even more amazing is that the consultant can send the corrected translation data back the NEXT day as one would do with any email.

Formerly, sending and receiving translation data via the post, hand carry, or other methods would take days, if not weeks or months. One translation consultant said that sometimes he would not hear from one of his mother tongue translators for a year! And now the process can take as little as a day. It’s amazing.

I praise God for this new technology. Take a few minutes to watch these video and I suspect you will too.

Take a moment and watch Accelerating Bible Translation for the Jiru and Levering Technology

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Posted by Ken & Anne on August 5, 2011 in BGAN, Satellite, The Seed Company, Video

Giving thanks for BGAN and Pidgin

30 Jun

Many of you know that Phil Harms, a Wycliffe Associates colleague, and I had an opportunity to visit the Mgbolizhia language project and meet John and Ike, two of the translators. I believe I can speak for both Phil and I when I say that we both left truly impressed with these two individuals. Both are so eager and willing to receive and learn more about this new BGAN* technology. And, unlike many interested in learning about technology for technology’s sake, these two Godly men are interested because it will increase the pace of the translation. Getting God’s Word into their language is what is first and foremost in their hearts.

These mother tongue translators had limited connectivity causing difficulty uploading their language data to consultants around the world. Listen carefully as they praise God for this new technology knowing they no longer have to travel long distances to connect to Internet and upload/download their data. Today, because of their new BGAN satellite modem, they can upload and receive data within minutes or hours. Gone are the days of having to wait days, weeks, and even months to hear from the translation consultant! We believe this technology will allow them to shave a year or two off their translation project!

Here is a video of their praise unto God. It’s a little lengthy but listen carefully to the words. (NOTE: John, the one on the left, sounds like he is saying “Bee-gads”. He is communicating “BGAN.” Ike, the one on the right, talks about Pidgin, a chat program that will enable him to communicate in real-time with people all over the world, not only to receive help but to give it.)

The second video is of John taking the BGAN configuration test. Notice how slowly he approaches the satellite modem and carefully proceeds through each step. A huge smile flashed across his face when he heard the fast beeping sounds indicating that he had successfully configured the BGAN satellite modem for use.

We praise God for this new technology but more so for His people. It was a great day for all involved!

*BGAN – Broad Global Area Network

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Posted by Ken & Anne on June 30, 2011 in BGAN, The Seed Company, Video, Wycliffe Associates

June 15th Nigeria Update

15 Jun

It was about 95 degrees out and we were hot and sweaty. My colleague, Phil Harms, and I packed our luggage in the back of a Toyota minivan and, with expensive satellite terminals and luggage piled high behind us and our driver and translation consultant in front of us, we proceeded out the drive. We were finally deploying BGAN (Broadband Global Area Network) satellite terminals for the purpose of accelerating Bible translation. This is what the nine of us came for. The countless hours of preparation, the numerous weekly meetings, printing and sorting documentation, purchasing the materials, vaccinations, and all other miscellaneous preparations all led up to this moment. It was happening.

So why was I so nervous?

We were told that Phil and I were headed to southern Nigeria. Not “south south” Nigeria, as they call it, because this the area where the oil is produced and people are kidnapped for ransom. We were only driving “south”, a mere 11 hours away, and the translation coordinator would be coming to meet us.

Arriving at our first location and meeting our mother tongue translator colleagues, the Lord stilled my heart. The warm reception, the smiling faces, the eagerness to receive and use this new technology suddenly cast away all the fears, the uncertainty, the anxiety I was feeling.

I trained the mother tongue translators how to set up and use the BGAN while Phil worked on their computers, installing software and cleaning the system of viruses. The process went smooth and the translators were excited to supplement their local, sometimes unreliable connectivity for something more stable and dependable. They were incredibly excited, as much as we were. We repeated the process for the Mbolizia language project, the second village we visited. You can tell by looking at the smiles on the face in the picture below how thrilled they were to receive this new technology.

We arrived back at the NBTT (Nigerian Bible Translation and Trust) center and immediately received feedback that the program was a success. “This is fantastic,” a visiting translation consultant exclaimed. “I have already received an email from the translator with some attached translation text. In this past, this would have taken six months or more!” I’ve recorded another translator’s comments on video. You can view it here. It was working. I’m stoked!

God is using this technology to accelerate the Bible translation process and people all around the world are taking note, even CNN!

I returned to the US physically tired but mentally and spiritually exhilarated. The Lord is indeed using us and this new technology to complete his mission.

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Posted by Ken & Anne on June 15, 2011 in BGAN, Satellite, The Seed Company, Video, Wycliffe Associates

Tags: Broadband Global Area Network, CNN, Nigeria

What is it Worth?

02 May

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a video worth? The question is somewhat subjective so I don’t know that I can answer it. I can say however, that if you get excited about people around the world coming to know Jesus, it would be well worth your time to watch this video. It really would. Because the people portrayed in the video felt that walking in the jungle for days to hear about Jesus was worth it.

Click here to view the video.

I wonder… would it be worth it to me, to us?

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Posted by Ken & Anne on May 2, 2011 in Video, Website

Where Would You Begin?

07 Apr

Take one moment and think about this question. Truly, I challenge you to stop just for a moment and ponder this.

How does one teach an individual that has never touched the computer and is currently living is a remote jungle of the world, in a culture where electric technology and the Internet is sorely lacking, to type their newly translated Scripture and send it via satellite to translation consultants located all around the world?

Where to begin? Check this video out.

It’s one part of the support structure process that I’m now working on. And, it’s exciting.

I can’t help but think that this has the possibility of revolutionizing the Bible translation process. What do you think?

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Posted by Ken & Anne on April 7, 2011 in Video

Bible Translation PNG Style

24 Mar

Sometimes we talk about Bible translation so much that it becomes nothing more than a story or a concept. We forget the challenges inherent in the Bible translation process and how the Bible in the mother tongue has the ability to change lives.

So, here’s the challenge… Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by Ken & Anne on March 24, 2011 in Laptops, Satellite, Video

Tags: Bible Translation, Satellite Internet access

What’s the purpose of life?

03 Mar

Have you ever wondered why you are doing what you’re doing? I have. It was in the mid 70’s when I was working for a major U.S. company. Two of my work colleagues died, the first one week before he retired and the second one week after he retired, that caused me to consider the purpose of life. I was reading the Bible at the same time and came across the Mark 8: 34-36 verses that say, “Then he (Jesus) called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life^c will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

These verses challenged me to consider my work, my purpose, and my life. It was then I asked God into my life, relocated to Billings, MT and started all over again. God has since led me into missions and, although there were times you could have given me $.50 and a plane ticket and I was “outta here”, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

And here’s why. May I challenge you to click on the link below to watch this video and see how technology is speeding up the process of Bible translation. Providing the technical infrastructure for our national co-translators is the work I’ll be focusing on this year, possibly even installing the BGAN satellites in Africa, India, or other locations in the near future. It’s exciting, give me purpose, and I’m glad I have the privilege of doing what I’m doing!