From the Field

Barrier-Breaking Translation in DRC

Mono speakers in the northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo live in villages scattered across savannas that border rainforests. Though surrounded by larger communities, their unique language easily identifies and unites them. Mono is one of three languages in the Ubangi New Testament Cluster project.

Mono speakers have a desire to see their culture and language evolve, but have had a hard time believing the Mono language could be written.

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God’s Word Highlighted in Noon Language

Excitement is in the air as preparations near for a Bible dedication celebration! There’s a flurry of activity preparing for the big day. First, arrange the venue and invite the speakers. Determine how many choirs and dramatic groups can participate. Make sure to get permission from government offices. Recruit volunteers and appoint committees for food, art, equipment, setup and cleanup.

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Rewe

Encounters of the Best Kind

With the Gospels of Mark, Luke and John in hand, Rewe translators Peter, Janet and Romy struck out from their East African village to see just what would happen when people received God’s Word in their heart language for the first time. Though each one visited a different village, the response they received was the same — everywhere they went, the Bible was accepted and celebrated!

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MP3 Recording Interests Skeptical Chief

Gabriel, a Christian in a sensitive part of West Africa, took his MP3 Scripture player with him to a friend’s wedding.* While everyone was socializing, he showed the player to a small group of friends. Perhaps he didn’t consider the potential consequences of his actions; most people in this particular settlement are members of another faith that is antagonistic to Christian beliefs. He was anxious to share the Truth with everyone at the event.

As the crowd grew, the local chief noticed the gathering and pulled Gabriel aside.

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Ayta Abellen

Team Uses Video to Pass Down Stories

The Ayta people of the Philippines love stories. Families gather around their cooking fires in the evenings and tell stories and share personal history. Often they pass down old stories others have shared with them. The Ayta, numbering only 3,000 speakers, rely on storytelling to help preserve their history and culture.

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Little Joe Avoids Certain Death

Mama Joe and Papa Joe* were happy to host the recording team for 10 weeks during the making of the audio version of the Hua New Testament. Their young son, Joe, recorded the voice of the child, Jesus.

The Hua project is in a part of Southeast Asia where the majority religion is hostile to Christians.

During the recording, many people came to help. Some had been at odds with the family in the past, and many of these relationships were healed as they focused on God’s Word.

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College Student Leads Church Into Bible Translation

John Garrett grew up in First Baptist Church in Trussville, Alabama. When he went to college, he returned each summer to volunteer in the children’s ministry. In 2007, after attending a Passion Conference where he’d heard about OneVerse, he was eager to tell children’s pastor Blake Kersey about the program.

“He couldn’t stop talking about [OneVerse],” Blake said. “John was burdened that he had so many Bibles lying around his house and that millions of people didn’t even have one verse translated into their language.” His enthusiasm was catching.

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God's Word Is Planted in Fertile Soil

The Seed of God’s Word will soon reach people in five languages through three different media as a result of a recent four-week workshop in Southeast Asia.

Teams from four languages worked together to record the “JESUS” film for the first time. Each team composed 13 songs, using their own cultural styles, during a two-week session on music. When they recorded and videotaped the songs, the singers donned their unique, traditional clothing.

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Translator Finds Strength in Face of Death

In the spring of 2010, François wasn’t sure he could go on translating Scripture to prepare the “JESUS” film for the 50,000 Nzakara people who spoke his language in the Central African Republic. His wife had died suddenly, leaving him with four young daughters to raise.

“We’d been married 17 years,” he said. “She was everything to me.”

François’ wife had developed a serious sinus infection, and without medical help, she died. François was told at her burial that a sorceress had placed a curse on her.

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Boy Who Witnessed Warriors Attack Christians … Is Now a Translator

In 1971, Thomas Mulikma was too young to fight. He watched the men of his village tighten their bows and sharpen their arrows, preparing for war. The German church workers who had settled in their area were no match for the angry Kosarek warriors. They fled, and for more than a year, had no contact.

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