This group now has their first portion of Scripture in their own language!
Home made sound recording booth!
Zaccheus was a Wee Little Man
How many of you remember that familiar song from Sunday School? If you are like me, you used hand gestures to show just how “wee” this poor man was. What kind of questions would you ask if you heard this story for the first time as an adult?
The team that Ken is presently supporting is using this “simple” story as a starting point for translation. Already some questions have come to these new translator’s lips:
What do the words “small” or “small in stature” mean when describing Zaccheus? What image conjures up in your mind? For some here, they described Zaccheus as short and big-bodied knowing that he was wealthy because in their culture, people with money can afford to eat well and therefore become portly. Others pictured him as being height-challenged, even shorter than a typical Asian person.
And what does “defrauded” mean? How would you define that term to a village farmer?
How would you communicate to non-literate new believer with no written language the meaning of Jesus’ statement, “Today, salvation has come to your house,” when they have no word for “salvation”. What is Jesus really communicating? Is Zaccheus’ house saved? Or is it possible that of all Zaccheus’ family members are saved because of Zaccheus’ new found faith?
Oh no, we’re not done yet. Luke 19:10 Jesus says, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” How will you explain the meaning of “the Son of Man” to those lacking formal education? How would you explain this to an educated person?
These are some of the challenges of the work we do. Please keep praying! The workshop has just begun! We’re so excited to hear how lives will be changed by the end of this time!
Prep, Travel, Work, Repeat
Ken configuring portable wireless routers, and yes, those are Christmas decorations I (Anne) am putting away!
Ken is preparing and testing wireless access points for internet connectivity with all of his technology tools. It’s not my thing but it’s what he does and loves! We’re in the countdown for his next trip. Unfortunately, he has to leave the States earlier than projected, so we had to cancel our Michigan trip. We’ll reschedule it for the spring. Thank you for praying even now, that God would prepare the group for the lessons and that the technology would work!
Print On Demand
The Bible Translation task has so many components to it! From finding people to do the work, training people in translation principles, teaching people to read in their own language, and checking there are so many areas where there can be a “wall” which keeps people from receiving God’s words in their own language.
David Lin and his Nigerian Team
Ken works on a tech team that covers a multitude of technology solutions aiding and facilitating Bible Translation. One of the newest areas of work is called “Print on Demand.” When Bible translation teams finish a book of the Bible, they are quite anxious to get the text into the hands of local pastors and the congregations for both reading and checking. In contrast to waiting until the entire Bible is translated and printed, there is a greater degree of buy-in ultimately increasing the possibility of Scripture acceptance because the church is engaged early in the process.
Print on demand (POD) room
Although the POD setup has one or two computers, printers, laminators, creasers, binders, 3-hole punches, and staplers, it still has a small footprint and easy to maintain. Printing portions of the Bible can be done on a copier with basic binding.
Print on Demand (POD) is now being deployed in a number of countries to aid in their printing process. This equipment allows translators to easily copy and bind a book up to 1.5 inches in depth. Not only are portions of the Bible getting to the local church faster, the equipment is also being used so that local translators can be self funded by printing for other groups.
The finished product!
David Lin, a Wycliffe Associates tech team member, recently deployed POD equipment in Nigeria. Ken traveled there many times, teaching Bible Translation software. 120 Bible translation projects are in process with more than 500 more to go! Nigeria is a large country with many languages and so it is one of the countries that we are focusing on.
As soon as the equipment was set up, they were handed a flash drive with some immediate copying needs:
3000 copies of the Minor Prophets in the Tarok language!
2000 copies of the book of Luke in the Etulo language!
250 copies of a full color 14 page booklet for a graduation ceremony held that afternoon!
Please pray for these gifted workers as they embark on this new endeavor.
Your prayers and gifts are enabling us to participate in giving God’s words to language groups all over the world.
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
Being Light
Get up.
Go to work.
Eat.
Go to sleep.
Tomorrow…repeat above steps.
Sometimes this feels like our day. Repetition. Eating well, loving well, serving well.
There are days that we wonder if it’s enough. Are we doing our best? Does God notice?
Obedience takes practice; it’s a discipline.
Yesterday as I drove my five-year-old grandson, Luke, to school, we were discussing him learning an instrument, like the piano, one day.
I said, “Maybe next year I can start teaching you to play the piano.”
Luke: “Why can’t I learn now, when I’m five? Why do I have to be six?”
Me: “Well, learning an instrument takes discipline and hard work. You might be able to do it better when you are older.”
Long conversation ensues about what “discipline” meant, since he only now knows it in the context of getting a punishment!
Discipline couples with obedience as we serve God each day and reflect His Light. We do it consciously and unconsciously some days.
Ken recently got an email from one of his colleagues who he used to travel with. Both of their roles have changed somewhat so they don’t travel together as they once did. His colleague was reflecting on their shared past service and said these words [Edited for sensitivity of our work]:
Those are good memories of our time in Nigeria, along with the many other memories of what we did, where we went and the people we worked with. I miss the travel and the opportunity to engage with you and others directly with people in other countries that are on the front lines of [deleted word] translation. You are leaving soon for another opportunity to make a significant impact… . It sounds like it is going to be a difficult trip in terms of communicating… Thank you for being willing to be on the front line and struggling to learn all you have to learn to teach others. Be encouraged, you are making a significant difference in the lives of many here and abroad.
Wow, if that doesn’t encourage our hearts, nothing else will!
I’m getting an Advent devotional in my email box twice a week this season. The title is “Stewardship: Transforming Generosity.” I was humbled as I read the devotional on Angels, and how they can’t help but reflect God’s glory in all that they do. Is that reflected in my giving and my generosity throughout day?
Credit: Stewardship-news.org
Your gifts to us cause us to give praise and worship to God our Savior who humbled Himself and came as a child in order to give us LIFE! We try to reflect that in our work each day both here and abroad.
Thank you. Your Light in our lives makes such a difference.
It’s Arrived!
Ken and I just returned from our second trip to Long Island, New York this month. What a glorious time we had with two supporting churches. Central Presbyterian Church, in Huntington, was Anne’s home church. We enjoyed getting to see friends from years ago, attend a birthday party and speak to an adult Sunday School Class. The long weekend culminated with us taking the train to the city to see the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Many people lost their lives from my home “neck of the wood”, specifically the son of a woman I always sat next to in choir. It was good to close out that time in our history.
Our second trip was to South Bay Bible Church in East Moriches. This was our second time to visit this church. From last year to this year, they have more than doubled in number which meant that we spoke twice on Sunday morning! This church has a group of people who meet daily (DAILY) at 7:00 am to pray for the church, its members and the community. I’m guessing this is a huge part of why they have grown. We felt so loved by both community of believers.
So…what has arrived?
During Ken’s portion of our update, he mentioned a new app for the Android phone. This app has 51 Bible Stories on it with wonderful accompanying media. It was created for bilingual translators. Here’s how it was recently introduced!
(Orlando, Florida, USA)—Wycliffe Associates, a global organization that empowers national Bible translators around the world, has launched a new, free app that makes Bible stories accessible to smartphone users worldwide.
Called translationStudio, the Android operating system app is available for download on Google Play.
“God’s Word in every language took a giant step toward reality as our translationStudio app was released for free download in the Google Play store,” says Bruce Smith, president and CEO of Wycliffe Associates. “This is just the beginning of developing a tool that puts Bible translation within the reach of Christians worldwide.”
Earlier this year, Wycliffe Associates tested the beta version of the app with translation teams working in some of the most difficult and dangerous regions of the world for Christians. Their feedback has been incorporated into the current release.
The translationStudio app features “Open Bible Stories,” a set of 50 fully illustrated Bible stories. “Open Bible Stories” has been released under Creative Commons’ Attribution Share-Alike licensing, which allows translation into any language, anywhere, at any time, and by anyone—without copyright limitations.
“Open Bible Stories” currently includes a collection of 21 Old Testament stories and 29 New Testament stories and provides a chronological overview of God’s relationship with humanity, from creation to redemption.
“In the coming months, we will have ‘Open Bible Stories’ loaded in at least 50 gateway languages, enabling people who are bilingual in any of these languages to begin translating these Bible stories into their own language,” says Smith. “Once local translators have completed the ‘Open Bible Stories,’ they can easily make the transition into a full Bible translation program. The Open Bible Stories method actually fits perfectly into the culture of many language groups that have a tradition of storytelling handed down through generations.”
The Resource section of the app provides information on key terms and how to overcome translation challenges, intended to assist local translators in creating translations that are clear, natural, and accurate. In addition, collaboration tools enable any number of people to work together, online or offline, to draft and revise their work for the best possible result.
“We are also working to load English source text for the entire Old and New Testament that will be licensed to allow immediate translation into any language, without copyright limitations,” says Smith. “All of this is available at no cost to the local church or their translators.”
The digital format enables the Scriptures to be published immediately and at very low cost through the Internet or by sharing memory cards.
“This project is not finished. It is really just beginning,” says Smith. “We need technicians, app developers, trainers, and Bible scholars to share in maximizing the benefit of these resources to the global church. We need financial partners to include this strategy in their stewardship priorities as a blessing to the world. We need partners to lift this up in prayer, seeking God’s continuing wisdom and guidance for everyone involved.”
We’re pretty excited about this particular tool we now have! Thank you for your support in making it possible!
Today is Bible Translation Day!
This story and photo comes directly from http://www.wycliffe.org.
Wycliffe’s Founder Cameron Townsend
Did you know there’s a day set apart worldwide to honor the work of Bible translation? Well there is, and we’re excited to tell you about it!
In 1966, Wycliffe founder Cameron Townsend first shared an idea with Oklahoma Senator Fred Harris, his friend of several years.
“September 30 is St. Jerome’s Day,” Cam said. “He’s the first translator of the whole Bible. I thought maybe we could get the House and Senate to pass a resolution calling for the president to proclaim September 30 as Bible Translation Day.”
Harris liked the idea and agreed to propose the resolution in the Senate. Soon Cam received word that the resolution passed!
On September 30, 1966, a ceremony was held to proclaim that day as Bible Translation Day. Since the Apache New Testament had only recently been completed, Cam decided they should present that translation as part of the ceremony. Senator Harris presided, and Cam arranged for Britton Goode, the Apache who had helped the translators, to present the Scriptures to him and Congressman Ben Reifel. A Sioux Indian from South Dakota, Reifel had witnessed firsthand the impact that owning the Bible in her heart language had on his mother, who spoke only broken English and used the Sioux Bible to teach her children about God.
Several people gave speeches that day, including both Senator Harris and Congressman Reifel. Cam’s speech was, as always, one that left the group in attendance encouraged and inspired.
“We are making history. By God’s grace and with His help, we are taking part in a tremendous enterprise,” said Cam, as he began his speech. “The enterprise is Bible translation; the goal is hearts changed by God and disciples equipped to lead others to Christ. But before any translation can be done, before any change comes in a heart, we must overcome physical and language barriers.
“The language barrier is difficult to overcome. But it must be done. The Holy Spirit, speaking through John says, ‘After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb’ (Revelation 7:9, NIV). We believe God has called us to help make this verse come true. …
“This is not an impossible task. If it were, God would not have given it to us. But it is difficult. It takes hard work, dedication, perseverance, and commitment. Teachers at Wycliffe’s schools have helped thousands of students learn translation and literacy principles, but we lack people who are willing to go. Many don’t realize how Bible translation is still needed around the world.”
In the years since Cam first started Wycliffe, 518 language groups have received the entire Bible and 1,275 have the New Testament in the language they understand best. Additionally, over 1,500 Bible translation projects are currently in process.
Today, Wycliffe continues to carry on the tradition of celebrating Bible Translation Day. With unwavering focus towards the unfinished task at hand, Wycliffe seeks to pursue the goal that Cam so eloquently laid out in his speech — that of bringing the translated Word of God into every language that still needs it.
Where it all started…
The Ken Haugh Family-August 1990.
It was 1990. Ken walked by a Wycliffe Bible Translators table with this sign on it: “99 Computer Positions Available Now.” It was the start of a decision that would change our lives. By that August, we had joined Wycliffe and haven’t looked back!
Information Technology (IT) positions are still available. If you are someone who loves computers or if you know of someone who might like to check out those positions and see fit they are a good fit, keep reading. There are three good opportunities for you.
Check-IT-Out
Have an interest in computers, software, and field system engineering (power and wireless communications)?
Would you like to learn how up-to-date technology is used to support Bible translation globally?
Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to attend an upcoming Check-IT-Out conference to discover how God is using technology to give every tribe, nation, and tongue His Word, for His purposes. Come early to learn how JAARS provides practical day-to-day support in many areas, to make Bible translation possible. Non-techie people enjoy the conference, too!
September 26–27, Check-IT-Out Fall 2014—Early registration discount ends August 27. Spend an action-packed time in North Carolina with others passionate about God and His Word. Meet IT staff, translators, and hear about innovative progress and vital opportunities in the US and overseas.
March 20–21, Check-IT-Out Spring 2015—for singles, students, and couples, Friday afternoon through Saturday night. The optional Thursday pre‑conference includes a visit to the Billy Graham Library, smokehouse BBQ, and an ice cream social.
July 5–10, Check-IT-Out Vacation 2015—Includes a fun program for children ages three months and older, while adults are in morning sessions. Afternoon options include swimming, a picnic with IT staff families, flights in a helicopter or small plane, a ride on our 4WD training course, and free time to rest, explore the area, or meet individually with IT staff.
checkitout.org includes more information, media, and links to some of Charlotte’s many interesting attractions. Don’t Miss Out, Register Today!
Electrical Power Specialist Needed
Looking for something to do in your retirement years? We can use your help!
The Haugh Herald 