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Archive for the ‘Wycliffe’ Category

Nigeria: a call to serve

02 Apr


Taken from http://wycliffe.org.uk/blog/2013/04/nigeria-a-call-to-serve/

Nigeria: Africa’s most populous and most linguistically diverse nation. And, not surprisingly, its the home of one of the greatest translation needs in the world.

A boy looks in at a barred church windowYou may recently have seen Nigeria featured on the news or cropping up at times of prayer at church: conflict in the northern part of the country is putting many millions of Christians at risk. Not only that, but they live with that fear day-to-day without the comfort and hope that the Scriptures provide because, of Nigeria’s more-than-500 languages, only 20 have a complete Bible.

If you think that you could serve the brave Bibleless Christians of Nigeria, and if you want many more Nigerians come to know the truth revealed in God’s word, you could be part of God’s plan for that nation. And you don’t need to be a Bible translator or a linguist – you just need a willing heart.

Wycliffe is currently looking for someone to serve Bible translation in Nigeria as the director’s assistant for a partner organisation there. This role runs from May this year to February 2014. You would be responsible for enabling the director to manage and lead a multinational team of Wycliffe workers.

If you think that God might be calling you to step out of your comfort zone and serve his people in Nigeria, this is your call. If you are looking to see if mission overseas is for you, this could be the short-term role for you. Contact us.

Please pray with us that God would provide the right person in good time to fill this role.

 
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Posted in Africa, Wycliffe

 

Why does Bible Translation take so long?

16 Mar

There are many many reasons that Bible Translation takes a long time. A good translation will be accurate and easy to understand. It can take a long time to bring a Bible translation to this very finely negotiated balance. The most 'understandable' phrase isn't always the most 'accurate'. Sometimes lengthy discussions and extensive testing is required just to get one word right.

The story below is from our Wycliffe collegue in the USA who travels to Nigeria to work with Bible Translation projects. 

 

As the Mbe* translation team in Nigeria was translating the Gospel of Luke, they came to chapter 2, verse 7, where Luke describes the first moments of Jesus’ earthly life: “She [Mary] gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.”

The translators took time to ponder how to translate some of the words, but not “manger.” They immediately used the word “ókpáng.”

“What’s an ókpáng?” asked their consultant, John Watters. “Tell me what it looks like.”  One of the translators drew a picture on the whiteboard. It was essentially a cradle hung by ropes so that the newborn could be laid in it and swung.

“Read the Translator’s Notes again,” John suggested. “What do the notes say about the manger?” (“Translator’s Notes” is a series of commentaries in non-technical English that are especially helpful for Bible translators for whom English is a second language.)

The Mbe translators read the notes and saw that “manger” referred to an animal feeding trough. Joseph and Mary apparently stayed near the animals, since there was no room for them in the part of the house where people usually stayed, and so Jesus’ first bed was an animal feeding trough.

Even as the Mbe team read the notes, they objected. “We have always used the word ókpáng. We have used it for years, and that’s what we should use.”

John pointed out to them that it wasn’t just a matter of tradition. God expects us to find the words that express the original meaning as accurately as possible. Furthermore, this word tells us something profound about God. “When He came to live among us and bring salvation to us, He came in the lowliest way possible. He did not come and sleep in a nice ókpáng like every Mbe mother wants for her newborn. Instead, He showed us his unbelievable humility,” John told them. “So we need to find your best word for an animal feeding trough.”

Suddenly the one who had argued most loudly for the traditional term offered, “We feed our animals out of an old worn-out basket that is not usable anymore except to feed the animals. We call it ‘ɛ́dzábrí.’”

“Then try that term,” said John. “Put it in your rough draft and test it with Mbe speakers.”

The next weekend they read the story of Jesus’ birth to all kinds of church groups and individuals in Mbe villages. Often people asked about the word for manger. They understood what ɛ́dzábrí meant, but they weren’t sure it was the right choice. “We always say they laid Jesus in an ókpáng,” they said.

Each time they were asked, the translation team explained the reason they had chosen the new term. Jesus really did lie in a place where they fed animals. In this way, He demonstrated the humility that would characterize His years on earth.

As the Mbe people listened, they were visibly moved. Picturing the newborn Baby lying in the animals’ feeding basket, they recognized in a new way that Jesus was willing to do whatever it took to reach them. As an adult, He would humble Himself by washing the disciples’ feet and then by dying on the cross. And this humility started right from birth, when He was born to a young peasant woman under questionable social conditions and laid in an animal feeding trough.

No word in Scripture is too unimportant to translate carefully and accurately. Even the word for a baby’s bed—accurately translated—can show people the lengths to which God will go to reach them, to reach us.

And no language community is too unimportant to merit the Scriptures in the language they best understand. John says, “Translation in the heart language respects the people who speak it, and through the process it frees them to have a relationship with God in their own words and terms.” 

There is nothing God wants to say to a language community that He cannot say in their own language. The translated Word frees people to respond to the God who humbled Himself for them, and it frees them to worship the exalted God in the language that best expresses their joy and adoration. One day every knee will bow and every tongue—speaking every language—will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

 
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Posted in Africa, Ali's Work Life, Bible, Tim's Work Life, Wycliffe

 

The Risk of Sovereignty

09 Mar

There has been plenty of Nigeria in the news of late and some of the incidents have provoked me to really, frankly… Well, how can I put it? I feel like I’ve had a kick up my complacent backside about why I am here, doing what I do.

Recently I was involved in some conversations that led to some friends looking at moving out here to join our ministry. BRILLIANT! Then I saw this post on facebook. At first, it made me giggle. 

loves her son, last night's take was "so there are no earthquakes, tsunamis or tornadoes in Nigeria" (me – not that I am aware), "so we just have to be careful about diseases and getting shot, that's good"…

It reminded me that everywhere has it’s up and downs. So I replied, twice.

 HAHAHAHA brill. no tornados or tsunamis — not liable to earthquakes.. all good!

 actually getting shot isn't too high a risk either!

Sometimes it just appears like a high risk, because that is all the information we are reading about. Someone else posted a comment in the same conversation

Malaria, mugging, kidnapping, rape and killings of white people are very high, in my stats, so why would you put ur lifes at risk?

My jovial thought about a 7 year old’s mind at work was brought to a resounding sudden halt. I decided that I could give an answer to that, but firstly was it my place to answer?

Then I remembered that of course it was. I am in said country that is being questioned. Maybe I could share my experience and help out.  So after a couple of drafts (yes maybe I should have got someone to proof read it for me!) this is how I responded.

GREAT question! I’m not sure the reality of where we are living is accurately reflected in the news and by other sources – Malaria is a problem everywhere, but mugging and kidnappings, rape and killing of Ex-pats is none- existent in Jos. Yes such things have happen elsewhere in the country and there is a risk attached to living and working here.   Personally for us, God hasn't called us to a safe life.  He has called us to minister in this country of HUGE need.  We believe our lives belong to God and when we pray, 'God let your will be done' we are re-asserting his sovereignty over our lives.  If harm came to us  yes it would devastate some people it would probably affect our ministry here (maybe for the better) – BUT that doesn't change God's status of sovereign. And besides we'd be in Glory with him :)   We live with the risk because the people here causing the trouble are exactly the ones who need to know God for themselves, i also appreciate that everyone has different levels of acceptable risk, living out here isn't for everyone and that is okay, because God can use you where you are!  People are in need everywhere.  Hope that TINY insight helps – if not, sorry for wasting your time reading this comment.

As I pondered it even further I realise more and more that my life is not my own and maybe it has taken getting my butt out to risky Nigeria for me to truly give it up.

I’m an aspie (Asperger's). It means there is a control freak in me and it rears its head worse when I am tired or hungry or under stress. But I survive because I maintain control – and so to give up that control is a REALLY super hard, super scary and super tiring. If I give up the control it only works if I completely trust the person I am giving it up to. Gaining that trust is hard. Re-gaining after it has been broken is even harder.

I have learnt that God is trust worthy. His sovereignty isn’t something I can really test, though. God can’t earn that status – it is simple fact of life. God is sovereign.

I got some more info from the original poster and I started pondering some more and eventually replied in a message.

I don’t know what it is like trying to relate to family who aren’t Christian, I can only imagine how ridiculously difficult it must be. I wasn’t trying to stir the water, just give an honest answer to her question. God’s sovereignty is a concept that non-believe (actually many believes for that matter) don’t’ grasp. It is a work his is doing in me at the moment! To live is Christ, but to die is gain – that hard to walk balance between effectiveness and risk.

Since coming to Nigeria I have become more and more aware of 2 things.
1 – The cost of missions goes FAR beyond my comfort level. It is also a cost/potential cost to other people. I have lived far too long ignorant of the cost my decision to be involved in mission is to other people.
2 – I cannot live any longer ashamed of the gospel, not my part in getting it to people who don’t have it. A great verse that has really come out fresh of late 1 Cor 1:18 “The cross is foolishness for those who don’t believe”. They are never going to understand why we do what we do where we do it. They are going to consider it foolishness. That is tough – on them and the result I guess is that they are tough on us.
But damn it, 300 languages without a single word of scripture, I have to do all I can in the time I have here – who knows how long that may be!
 

Right now I am re-ignited about why we are here doing what we do. I’ve been complacent about it. Maybe our lifestyle is too easy-going that I’m not being kept on my knees. But I have never been more convinced than I am now of the need for God’s word to be available – in a language that people can understand.

The only way to build trust is to get to know someone. The way to get to know God is in his word. If people can’t understand his word, they’ll never get to know him any better. How will they ever trust him and rely on him and be prepared to lay their lives down for him?   

Our family is here living with those risks – the instability, the crappy power and everything else – to help make that a reality for the millions of Nigerians in the 300+ languages that don’t currently have any scripture. 

 
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Posted in Africa, Aspergers, Bible, blogs, missions, Nigeria, Tim's Work Life, Translators, Wycliffe

 

Mother Tongue Lanuague Day

04 Mar

imagesYou may or may not know that last week UNESCO held their annual Mother Tongue Language day.  For most people the day passes every year mostly unnoticed and this year was probably no exception, at least for most of you.  Our ministry is all about helping to get Bible into those mother tongues.  I may seem simple or even unnecessary; we are sometimes asked why can’t they just use the English Bible?  The speak English in Nigeria right?  For some people that might be true but to be honest for the vast majority of people here, a Bible in English is completely unintelligible.  A Mother tongue language is the language that used at home from birth, it is the language that a person understands best of all, the language they think in, process in, pray in, some might say dream in.  

Nelson Mandela said “if I read in my mother tongue language, then I know exactly what the Bible means” so simple but so poignant.

Ali shared this story in our email update a couple weeks ago.

I recently heard of some translators from a Nigerian language group who were working on a translation of some portions of the gospels into their own language. They were blown away when they finally understood that Jesus had died for THEIR sins; they had always thought that he had died for his own sins.

A subtle miss-understanding but rather fundamental to understanding the Christian faith!  Something we probably take for granted when working with other Christians but in this case it was all because they had never before had it in their own mother tongue language.  That is EXACTLY why we are involved in Bible Translation ministry. 

A local Nigerian paper just featured an article all about Nigerian languages, it speaks very highly of the ministry we are involved in – it is quiet long, but an interesting read.

 

 

 
1 Comment

Posted in Africa, Nigeria, Wycliffe

 

Trip to Ghana in 05

26 Sep

I was checking out some old files on the hard drive and stumbled across this piece I wrote after my Trip to Ghana with a team in 2005.  It’s funny, 7 years later reading about the struggles, it all seems so familiar!  This was also the summer we won the Olympics and there were bombings on the underground system in London, both of which happened while in Ghana.

 

1WYnet Co-ordinator

2 Trainee leaders

4 Student missionaries

1 Team

1 God

1 Word

 

 

 

3 Days of training

1 12 Seater minibus

#84 British Airways to Accra

1 15 seater minibus

1 Team

1 God

1 Word

 

 

 

6 Days in sanko where

4 Projects are run 2-gether in all things

½ the normal time required 2 get those projects done.

1 Team visiting

1 team working

1 God

1 Word

 

 

 

2 Taxis 90 minutes late

2 Trotros 2 changes to make

280 minutes on the road1 large mountain to climb.

2500 ft up

1 guesthouse

1 new project to get started

1 Divine Munumkum

10 days

8 villages to visit

1 Team

1 God

1Word

 

 

 

 

0 Curtains

0 Flushing Loos

0 Taps

0 fridge

0 aircon units

0 TV

0 radio

0 babies to tickle

0 reception on my phone.

1 dead paramount chief

1 case of malaria

3 days of treatment

0 malaria

4 dodgy stomachs 2 many mouth ulcers

500 litres of water drunk

0 enthusiasm

1Word

1 God

almost 1 team

 

 

8 Villages visited

1 message from divine

“This is your project not mine, I want to help you get your language written down and eventually translate the scriptures”

7 white people causing a stir

1 message from Divine

“These friends have come from the uk to help you with your project.  To Pray, To visit and maybe help in others ways that none of us understand yet”

8 Enthusiastic Villages

7 enthusiastic white people

1 very enthusiastic divine

1 humongous send off

1 paramount chief stand in for the send off

1 New project started

1 team

1 God

1 Word

27, 000 people a set closer to getting that word in a language that speaks to their heart.

 

 

 

 
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Posted in Africa, Bible, missions, Wycliffe

 

Prayer event 11th November 2012

18 Sep

Cool event coming up hosted By Wycliffe UK:
We are excited to invite you to Pray 10/11/12 – a day of prayer that Wycliffe Bible Translators is holding simultaneously in Coventry, Belfast and St Albans from 10:30 am to 3:30pm on Saturday 10th November 2012. The day will be fast-paced, interactive and informative, where you can discover how God is working around the world bringing life and hope to millions, and pray for those involved.  More details are available online at wycliffe.org.uk/pray101112, and on Facebook.

If you can’t make it to any of these locations there will be information on the Wycliffe Bible Translators Facebook page on the day to guide you in praying at home or in a small group.

 

Would you please consider including the following text in your church’s Sunday bulletin to advertise the event?

You are invited to Pray 10/11/12 – a fast-paced and informative day of prayer that Wycliffe Bible Translators is holding in Coventry, Belfast and St Albans on Saturday 10th November 2012. Come and discover how God is working worldwide, bringing life and hope to millions, and pray for those involved.   The event is free, but please register online at wycliffe.org.uk/pray101112.  facebook.com/WycliffeBibleTranslatorsUK/events.”

Many thanks and we look forward to seeing you there.

 
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Posted in Wycliffe

 

News from ‘home’

11 Oct

I’ve just had this message from our executive director in the Uk –

For over forty years, the Wycliffe Centre at Horsleys Green in Buckinghamshire has been the home of Wycliffe Bible Translators in the UK. The Centre proved ideal for accommodating the large numbers of students from Wycliffe and other missions who came each summer for linguistics and other pre-field missionary courses.

Times change. These days we have significantly fewer students passing through the doors than we used to and the Centre is much bigger than Wycliffe itself needs. We have been able to rent out some offices to other missions and charities and we have sought to expand the conference business which has always been part of our ministry here.

However, as time has moved on we find ourselves facing some major problems. Running the Centre is an increasingly complex business which inevitably distracts us somewhat from the core mission of Wycliffe Bible Translators. Also, as I’m sure you will understand, rising costs and a declining conference market mean that it is increasing difficult for us to make ends meet. The centre is in need of significant investment in the near future if we are to stay here as we are.

Please could you pray for us that God would give us a clear vision for the future ministry of Wycliffe and how the Centre should play a part in this. Pray too, that He would provide us with whatever it is that we need as we step into the future He has for us.

Eddie Arthur: Executive Director, Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Please do join with us in praying for the future of the site.

 
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Posted in Wycliffe

 

Annual Report

18 Apr

I’ve uploaded our Wycliffe Annual report, if you are interested you can find it here.

 
2 Comments

Posted in Ali's Work Life, Tim's Work Life, Wycliffe

 

100 words

10 Apr

A couple weeks ago the England football manager declared that he only needed 100 words of English to effectively communicate with his team.    He was of course only responding to abuse form people saying that he isnt’ taking his job seriously if he hasn’t’ bothered to grasp our language.  That of course is the latest reason England fans are using for what has frankly been a SHOCKING period of English football.

It did get my brain thinking about the desperate need for people to be communicated to, in the language that speaks to them.  Otherwise meaning gets lost.  no way around such a limited vocab, will not allow Fabio to communicate with his team.  Likewise the Bible, it needs to be in the language of peoples hearts or they are simply not going to understand it.

A colleague of mine has written a great blog post looking at the Bible in 100 words.  this post form Pete.

 
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Posted in 2025, Wycliffe

 

Tour over for another year

04 Apr

On the way out of Stormont

As I sit working on the REAL exciting stuff of budgets and invoices, I realise that I am blessed to have a brain that isn’t’ scared of numbers.  In fact I am a little bit excited by them, or more by the significance of them.

I’m 30.  That is the same age as Jesus started his ministry.
There are 7000 languages in the world, to some that is just a number, but when I only speak 1 of them badly, that number is huge!    When over 2000 of them don’t have a single word of scripture, the % is WAY too high!

The tour is over.  My life is a little more normal for a few months, yet I am amazed by what just happened in March.   Here are some numbers!

Number of venues: 18
Total attendance:  3800
Response cards to stay in touch: 287
People who want to be a Wycliffe Voice in their church: 40
Bible fresh Manuals distributed: 125
Miles travelled: 2700 = 2 d 6h 32m on the road.

Now to a lot of you those are simply numbers.  But we were aiming for 15 venues when we started out 9 months ago.  3800 people is about 1000 MORE that we hoped for.  2700 is about the same as going to Morocco and back or this side of Canada, quite some distance travelled!

All the fun of touring and the satisfaction of a job well done can’t really take away the need for so many people all over the world to find out about Jesus.  My prayer is that the impact of this tour goes beyond the statistics on the page, but has some Kingdom impact.

 

 
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Posted in From Eden to Eternity, Tim's Work Life, Wycliffe

 
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