The Lotswa people keep to themselves. One of numerous pygmy groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), they suffer from the prejudices of other language groups in the region, with many being captured and forced into slavery.
Unfortunately, their understandable isolation means the Lotswa rarely benefit from progress happening around them, including language development. But that changed recently when a MAST workshop came to the capital city of Kinshasa.
Read the rest!
Your support is paving the way for Deaf communities in Cameroon to receive God’s Word in sign language.
The difficult task of Bible translation is even tougher with sign languages. But the MAST method is helping to speed up the process.
“I am a Deaf Muslim,” Amadou signed. “But what is going on here is good for me.”
What was going on was a two-week MAST (Mobilized Assistance Supporting Translation) workshop to translate the Book of Mark into sign languages for two deaf communities. MAST has been a real game changer when it comes to translating the printed Word, allowing translators to complete their work at record paces. But until this workshop, it never had been used for sign languages.
“I [would] like to have the Bible too and know it,” Amadou continued. “Can I be a part of this?”
Read the rest!
“Rejoice always,
pray continually,
give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
2 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18 (NIV)
I still think about and grieve for those four national Bible translators who were murdered last year. Yet, the believers who remain? They willingly accept persecution—even death—as a price they get to pay for their faith in Father God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
And that surprises us? What about the apostles?
Read the rest!
As I read recent stories from the field, I was reminded of the description of Pentecost in Acts 2. I’m sure you know the story well.
Often as we read or think about these events, the spectacular elements of wind, fire, and speaking in other tongues stand out. But what stood out to me today was the sometimes overlooked final phrase in Acts 2:4: “as the Spirit enabled them” (NIV).
Read the rest!
Dear Friends,
I recently returned from a visit with our Bible translation partners in Ethiopia. The purpose of my visit was to hear firsthand from them about the challenges and opportunities for Bible translation in their nation. Once again, as in so many previous visits with our international partners, I was struck by their wisdom, knowledge, and insight into their situation. Their local understanding far exceeds anything we can see as foreigners.
Experience proves that the more we listen to them, follow their lead, and serve alongside them, the greater the impact will be for the kingdom of God.
Having partners who are local stakeholders in the long-term impact of God’s Word in their communities and nations is essential to effective Bible translation today.
