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How do you express concepts that do not exist in some cultures? What do Bible translators do when there isn't a corresponding word in the target language? Coral* is a member who has served among the Mauwake people in Papua New Guinea (PNG) as a translator and translation consultant. She is currently helping other consultants in East Asia and in the Asia-Pacific taskforce. Coral shares her experiences with this semantic challenge: On difficulties in translating cultural concepts Key terms like “God”, “Christ”, “salvation”, “forgiveness”, “grace” etc. are some of the hardest to translate. These are abstract terms which are culturally foreign to the target audiences, or as in the case of “grace”, can hold different meaning in different contexts—it could mean something close to mercy, forgiveness, help, protection, etc. The Mauwake people, for example, have no concept of a “Creator God”. They have a local spirit which they believe created their people, and he is sometimes called Inasina, which also means “spirit”, or anything that is taboo. We attempted to use this word together with maneka, meaning “big”—Inasina Maneka, the “Big Spirit”—in reference to God, but it was unacceptable to the translation committee and the people. We tried the pidgin word “God”, but it was regarded as foreign. Eventually we had to use the term Mua Maneka, “Big Man”, as an equivalent to the term “Lord”. This term has been in use in pidgin in the local community to refer to God. The translation team felt that this was the most acceptable term, and when it was tested among the people, they showed understanding of its reference to God. Forgiveness is antithetical to PNG culture where taking revenge is an honour for each tribe and family. In the case of Mauwake, forgiveness is rendered as “get rid of their sin” or “wipe off their sin”. Despite working on their project for many years, a translation team could not find an appropriate term for “forgive”. Not until one Christmas day, when the villagers came together for a gathering, and they formed a circle and put their arms on one another’s shoulders. The translators asked what they were doing, and their reply was, “we say to each other that we will not remember your sin.” The equivalent term for “forgiveness” in that culture was found; we ended up with “put arms on each other’s shoulders”. “Kingdom of God” is also hard to translate. Most local groups have no idea of big entities beyond their local tribes and provinces, so the concept of “kingdom” is lost on them. One team used the term “God’s maror”, meaning “what God controls”, in which maror means “the area controlled”. In the case of Mauwake, we have chosen to use the term Mua Maneka (yia) urufiya, meaning “what God oversees/takes care of”; like the village chief taking care of the people and their welfare, God will do the same for those in His kingdom. In actual fact, these are not very encompassing representative terms for the comprehensive view of the kingdom of God, but for most teams, this is the best option. More methods of explanation Many Middle Eastern cultural items and flora and fauna, e.g. camels and donkeys, are not known in some cultures. In these cases, pictures of such items can be inserted in the appropriate places. Some teams would add the equivalent word for “animal” before the name of the animal, so in the language it would be “animal sheep”, “animal camel”. For certain nouns, some cultures use that of the main, common or wider language of communication, e.g. "angels", "cherubim", etc. Long descriptions of such terms would distract from the main focus of the sentence so a glossary or footnotes would be included to provide explanations. Keep your eyes peeled for part 2 of this interview! *name changed for security reasons

How do you express concepts that do not exist in some cultures? What do Bible translators do when there isn't a corresponding word in the target language? Coral* is a member who has served among the Mauwake people in Papua New Guinea (PNG) as a translator and translation consultant. She is currently helping other consultants in East Asia and in the Asia-Pacific taskforce. Here's part 2 of our interview with Coral: On significant biblical concepts which haven't been easy to translate “Angels”, “apostles”, “disciples”, “stewards”, “servants”, “slaves” and related terms are often hard to translate. Some translators have used “God’s workman” or “God’s heavenly workmen” for angels, to indicate that whatever powers they have, have been bestowed by God. However, these may not adequately portray the powers given to angels in certain situations. The apostles are sent as Jesus’ servants or students. In Luke 22:42, Jesus prayed to God to remove the cup from him. That is a cup” of punishment and death. In contrast, to the Mauwake people, the cup signifies forgiveness and wishing for healing from sickness. When a man has been very sick and no cure could be found, his family will think of different causes such as anger from enemies and possible sorcery. They will send messages to relatives from different villages to come on a certain day. Food and two cups with water will be prepared; one cup will contain leaves. They will sit in a circle, and the cup without leaves will be passed around. As each person holds the cup, he/she will say whether he/she has any grudges against the ill person, and for what reason. Those with nothing against the sick person will also say so and wish him to be well. It is believed that by speaking into the cup of water, the sins/grudges will be no more and the sick person released from them. The water in the cup will then be thrown outside the village, and the cup with leaves will be sprinkled on the sick person. After many weeks of discussions, we substituted the cup in the passage with “the arrow you gave me”. In the Mauwake culture, that is the act performed when the village chief punishes a person with impending death. To address accusations of “changing” the Scriptures, a footnote was included to explain the meaning of the “cup” symbol in biblical culture, and the reason for its replacement with a figure of speech that would be better understood in the local culture. Further comments Translators need to know the target culture and language well, and be aware of the pitfalls in translation. The translator needs to know the Scriptures well, and internalize the passage of the text, whether narrative or non-narrative. At the same time, the translator needs to take into account the local people’s worldviews, their way of life, and the socio-linguistic concepts and cultures. Translation is not just dealing with words, but with worldviews and concepts, and the wisdom of choice of words and phrases, to convey those concepts. Read part 1 of the interview here. *name changed for security reasons

Raising Children in the Mission Field (Part 1) “While it is right to regard the family as called, we need to bear in mind that the children were not called as individuals, but as part of their parents’ family."[1] How do we provide proper care for children raised in the mission field? How can we make their transitions – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually – easier? Yes, it sounds hard, but it doesn’t have to be if you are well-prepared beforehand! Wycliffe Singapore’s very own David and Sharon have a wealth of experience with two daughters who have done this. We chatted with Sharon for a peek into this world: 1. What was most challenging about raising children while on missions overseas, and how did you tackle it? I think the most challenging thing was helping the children live and thrive in two worlds – on the field, and in Singapore. We wanted them to settle and thrive on the field, but we were also very clear that they should regard Singapore as their eventual home. We had seen in others that not handling this well could pitch a child into a downward spiral of maladjustment, poor self-esteem and being unsettled, and this would affect them in negative ways psychologically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. 2. What preparations did you and David make before leaving? Unlike many people now going to the field, we had not visited the country before we made the decision to go. We told the kids that it would be an adventure, and things would be different! We constantly emphasised that “different” is not “worse”, and that every culture and country had their own ways of handling things. We were careful not to paint too rosy a picture, knowing that there would be times when we might be uncomfortable. Telling stories from our own past experiences helped – both of us had stories about changing schools and crossing cultures! We made sure that they packed a few “comfort” toys and photos of family and friends. Long before, we had intentionally encouraged small favourite toys – no giant teddy bears or large doll houses! We also trained them to eat a wide range of foods as we didn’t want to cope with fussy eaters while travelling and being hosted by new friends. 3. How did the people around you help with your children? Other foreign families on the field helped with advice, and we tried to help our children learn some local language – simple conversation, recognising signs, etc. This helped them start to feel more “at home” in the host culture. For older kids, having at least a survival level of the local language is important for independence so they can move around, shop, hang out, etc. without their parents. There was no social media back then, so communication with Singapore was difficult or the kids. But at home, relatives and friends would invite our kids on playdates and outings, and give them exposure to Singapore culture and language. The Sunday school teachers were also wonderful in welcoming them while we were back in Singapore. 4. How did your family navigate the return to Singapore? Some families don’t worry about re-entry till just before they return home, but we felt that that would be too late. Some of the ways we tried to keep them “in touch” with Singapore was through talking to them about Singapore culture, teaching them some Singlish, annual visits including a few immersion periods in Singapore school, watching the National Day Parade online and generally never letting them forget that although they were “at home” where they were at that moment, our intention was to eventually to return to Singapore. We also didn’t run down Singapore schools – some kids really fear returning because their main impression of education in Singapore is that it is very tough! We returned to Singapore for good when our girls were 14 and 16 years old. Before leaving that “world” which had been our home for a decade, we visited places and people of significance to us, then returned to our other “world” to start anew. It was not easy, but our earlier preparations made it manageable. As our girls started school and youth group in church, we held debriefs over dinner to hear about their experiences, help them navigate teenage social life, explain Singapore customs and culture, and translate some Singlish terms. Having navigated so many changes in their life, they coped well with the transition. 5. Any words of wisdom for parents embarking on this journey? One question that we have been asked is whether the discomforts and challenges were worth it. Shouldn’t we have chosen a more safe and comfortable life, and a higher quality education for our children? Looking back, all of us, even the children, don’t regret what we did. Facing challenges together and sharing experiences has made our family relationship stronger. It has made our shared faith in God’s provision and guidance much firmer as well. Each one of us has learned and grown through these experiences, and we wouldn’t be who we are now if we had lived a different life. Whether you are or know someone with children serving in the mission field overseas, for more helpful tips on preparing to live abroad, visits home and eventual return, check out Sharon’s and David’s book, This Is Home, Surely?. Stay tuned for part 2 on raising children in the mission field, where we discuss preparing for the children’s education. [1] This is Home, Surely? A Guide for Parents of Singaporean of “Third Culture Kids”, Sharon and David Tan

Raising Children in the Mission Field (Part 2) As education is a large part of any kid’s life, wherever they are, many parents are most concerned about their children’s education. In Part 2 of ‘raising children in the mission field’, we take a deep dive into this topic with Sharon Tan, a mother of two who has been down this road. 1. What was most challenging about raising children while on missions overseas, and how did you tackle it? First and foremost, the children have to be well-settled and able to thrive, physically and emotionally, in the environment. We reckoned that if those aspects were well-managed, the education part would be easier as unhappy, resentful children are definitely not going to learn well. So our main focus initially was to have them adjust to the living environment (food, transport, housing, weather etc.), learn some survival local language and make a few friends. As our girls were only three and five years old when we first arrived in the field, it was much easier than arriving with pre-teens or teens! I want to emphasise, though, that our concern for our children’s education should primarily be because it is important for their emotional well-being – if they are struggling too much, their self-esteem suffers, which affects their social life and mental well-being. Academic achievement should be a secondary concern. 2. What preparations did you and David make? We were very clear from the beginning that we were not going to do full homeschooling! I knew I was not temperamentally equipped to deal with homeschooling young children full-time, and we also had to devote time to our own language learning and acclimatisation, and later on, our work. School is also important for social reasons. Kids need to have peers to grow alongside. It is only really feasible to experience local culture from a child’s perspective if they go to local school, at least for a while. Learning the local language is also easiest and most natural in a school environment. So we put our kids in local kindergartens, intending to do part-time school and part-time homeschooling in English. When they got older, I would purchase books from Singapore to familiarise them with Singapore schoolwork. The Social Studies and Character and Citizenship Education books were most helpful in teaching them about Singapore. They learned Maths in school, and I “taught” them English by doing a lot of reading with them and encouraging them to write. We moved them to international school after four years as we found that their English was suffering. Our organisation believes that people learn best in their mother tongue, which is why we do what we do, so we could not in good conscience keep our girls in local school where they had to study all subjects in their second language. By the time they were 12 and 14, both were doing internet school as we judged them independent enough not to require too much supervision. I had to devote some time to helping them with unavailable websites, internet disruptions, power outages, etc. 3. How did the people around you help with your children? We were greatly helped by other foreign families who shared their stories and tips, but the greatest help we received was from a local university student who came to play with and coach our girls, and help them learn the local language. Some of our friends in Singapore regularly gave us English storybooks, others helped us find second-hand school books and uniforms when we arranged short immersions in Singapore schools for the girls. Social media has made it easier to stay connected, especially between the children; this is very helpful when the time comes to return to Singapore. 4. How did your family navigate the return to Singapore? We started planning for our return almost as soon as we reached the field! Some major decisions, like schooling, were made with an eye on their eventual return to English-medium education in Singapore. For that reason, we were always careful that they had sufficient exposure to English books and media so that their spoken and written English was of a good standard. During school vacations, I would make sure to fill the “gaps” between what they learned in school and what they would have been learning in Singapore, at least in English, Maths and Science. Every two years, during the long summer holidays, we would arrange for them to spend a few weeks in Singapore schools and Sunday school, for them to get to know Singapore kids and get a strong dose of Singlish! We were always aware that our stay in that country could end suddenly for various reasons, and we wanted to make sure that the children could transition reasonably smoothly to Singapore. All this took a considerable amount of forward planning and being familiar with the Ministry of Education’s provisions for overseas Singaporeans. 5. Any words of wisdom for parents embarking on this journey? I guess you can summarise it as – plan ahead, make sure your kids are well-settled emotionally where they are, but also familiar enough with Singapore not to resent having to return eventually. Beyond that, don’t assume that schooling everywhere is the same (Singapore’s standards are higher than most other school systems) – parents must make sure to fill any educational gaps so their children can fit back into Singapore schooling more easily. Whether you are or know someone with children serving in the mission field overseas, for more helpful tips on preparing to live abroad, visits home and eventual return, check out Sharon’s and David’s book, This Is Home, Surely?. Read Part 1 of ‘Raising Children in the Mission Field’ here.

“Why must we translate the Bible into local languages? Why is it important?” “Isn’t there already a national language Bible? Why not just use that?” “Why not just use the national language? It will help them become proficient in that language and you won’t have to go through the trouble of learning their language.” I have often been asked these questions and, in the past, I had similar thoughts. The first time I heard of a team translating the Bible into a local language, I too had asked the same questions. I believe many of us are, quite naturally, bewildered when we hear the stories of missionaries – those who are willing to leave their countries, learn the national language for a few years and go to a people group. They live with them and live like them, learn their language and culture, translate the Bible and teach it in the local language. However, we are able to understand their reasons and realise the importance of translating Scripture when we see and experience the impact of this work first-hand. The first Celana* Bible translation workshop was held in 2016, and it was there that I became involved in the translation project as a team member. During the workshop, I witnessed the enthusiasm of the participants as they took part in the activities. Their faces shone with amazement each time they translated something, or when they heard someone retelling a passage in the local language, and when they expressed their opinions during the various activities. One of the participants said in Celana, “Thank you so much for involving me in the workshop. It made me so happy to finally hear stories from the Bible in my own language. Now I truly understand what they mean – there is no confusion! When I listen to my friends retelling the Bible stories, it’s as if the words no longer reach just my mind, but have also reached into my heart. I am truly amazed by God.” These words left a deep impression on me. Just imagine: how many people read their Bibles diligently, go to church faithfully, and hear God’s word yet understand none of it? What they do know are Bible stories, but only just that! A year later, in 2017, we began reaching out to the Celana in one village. There were only eight families, not more than 20 people, living in disparate groups. They were still steeped in ancestor worship, superstitions regarding owls, and the interpretation of dreams. Because of these beliefs, a couple of families were at odds with each other for many years. Even so, these families came faithfully every night to study God’s word (from the Creation to the time of Jesus) that was being taught in the Celana language. During these Bible studies, they were more often than not quiet, only answering if asked. Sometimes they would make remarks as they looked at the pictures on the screen. After many months, being challenged to receive Christ, eight of them confessed themselves to be believers. Then, one night, when it was time for the Bible study, no one showed up – we were bewildered. It turned out that two of the feuding families decided to make peace with each other and showed up late because of that! Now they no longer live in their divisions; the two families are now on friendly terms and some have left their old beliefs and have come to believe in Jesus Christ. Looking at this transformation, we should be asking, “How can we not translate God’s word into a language they understand?” Praise God, for His words are ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen’! (Isaiah 55:11) *Celana is the pseudonym for a people group in Southeast Asia. The author is a member of the translation team. Reproduced with permission.

Patrick Lai, Tentmaking: The Life and Work of Business as Missions , InterVarsity Press, 2006, 418 pgs. This is an excellent manual for anyone preparing to serve as a missionary, whether as a tentmaker or not. The book discusses the many pros and cons of various forms of missionary work and provides much food for thought and exploration. Many aspects of missionary life are discussed: motivation, preparation, accountability, visas, relationships with authorities and team members, "third culture kid" issues, finances, home assignments, etc. Lai began his missionary service as a traditional missionary for four years, then later lived and worked as a “tentmaker” in a creative access nation (CAN) for nearly two decades. In the book, he points out that both traditional missionaries and tentmakers are similar in feeling called to do missionary work, but the “missionary” is openly identified as such in the place of service while the “tentmaker” is not. Tentmakers are therefore able to gain access to the increasing number of countries which do not issue missionary visas, as well as to the workplaces which are natural settings to befriend nationals. During Lai’s service in a tentmaking role, he was challenged by a mentor to provide support for his pro-tentmaking views. Over six years, he surveyed and interviewed 450 workers (various types of missionaries, including tentmakers) from many organisations working in the 10/40 window. Nearly 50 factors were identified, including their background, education, training, motivation, life, ministry and work. These factors were related to the workers’ effectiveness (defined in terms of evangelism, discipleship and church planting). Read a summary of the findings: Tentmaking Unveiled—“The Survey Says” . The findings from the survey form the basis of the book. Classification of Tentmakers One of the most useful outcomes of the survey is Lai’s classification of tentmakers into 5 common groups, and his discussion of the pros and cons of each group. T-1 : Employed abroad in the course of their careers without any initial commitment to cross-cultural ministry; self-supporting. T-2 : Called to reach out to specific people, and so seek out training that qualifies them to work in a foreign or national firm in that country; usually self-supporting. T-3 : Often associated with a mission agency; has a job, but part or all of their income is derived from supporters back home. T-4 : Works in an NGO to serve the community in a job consistent with their identity; part or all of their income may be derived from supporters back home. T-5 : Missionary in reality, but with a non-missionary identity; spends most or all their time on missionary service; income is derived from supporters back home Measures of Effectiveness Lai uses three criteria to assess tentmakers’ effectiveness in ministry: the number of people they led to Christ; the number of people they discipled in the Word; and the number of churches they planted. Based on these criteria, the survey indicated that the most effective tentmakers belonged to the T-3 and T-4 categories, while the least effective was the T-1 category. While these criteria are relevant to all missionary endeavours, it should be noted that there are other activities which missionaries engage in that do not fall within these categories, such as social or development goals, or Bible translation (of particular interest to Wycliffe!). Some social and development goals may be carried out under NGOs, but not all. Heart Language and Bible Translation Ultimately, as Lai affirms, the aim of all missions work is to plant churches where no churches exist. In Revelation 7:9, John describes the vision of a multitude “from every nation, tribe, people and language ” worshipping the Lamb. Lai himself advises tentmakers: “learning their (the target people’s) heart language is not optional”, and recognises that “heart language” is not necessarily the national language or trade language. He strongly encourages the use of the heart language for discipleship and in churches, and while he does not specifically mention scripture in the heart language, it can be assumed that he would advocate the use of heart language scripture. Wycliffe missionaries also share the ultimate aim of seeing churches planted and lives transformed in every people group. However, Wycliffe’s work encompasses a crucial element absent from Lai’s criteria of effectiveness – foundational to Wycliffe’s mission is the provision of heart language scripture for use in evangelism and discipleship. In ethnic groups where heart language scripture has not been translated, then the missionaries will embark on language learning and Bible translation along with the initial efforts to befriend the target people group. Without this, all missionaries seeking to reach that people group will have to translate scripture “on the fly”, or use scripture in some other language. An issue faced by missionaries whose ministries are not compatible with a secular workplace or a welcomed NGO (such as Bible translation) is this: what is the most suitable strategy that meets their needs? While evangelism and discipleship can more readily take place in the workplace and in the surrounding social settings, translation work requires dedicated and extended time for study, discussion and concentration, and involves nationals in the work. It is probably only the T-5 category that would allow this amount of dedicated time and focus. Unfortunately, this is also the category that is most likely to attract suspicion. As of now, a good solution has yet to be found. Can there be a different model of tentmaking or some other solution which may involve some form of tentmaking, be devised for ministries such as Bible translation? Pray also for wisdom for those who are currently involved in translating the Bible into heart languages, so that evangelism and discipleship can be even more effective.

Stretch Out International Annual Conference, 11 Feb 2023 What is “tentmaking”? While this can take many shapes and forms, essentially, it generally refers to someone whose primary aim is to perform Christian service (e.g. some form of missions) while supporting himself partially or wholly by taking on a secular occupation. The term comes from Acts 18:3, where Paul for a time supported himself in Corinth as a tentmaker. Why would someone want to be a tentmaker? For many countries which do not welcome missionaries or Christian workers, this may be the only way for them to live and serve there. Many unreached people groups are located in these countries. Having an openly recognised identity (businessman, engineer, teacher etc.) will also provide a natural venue to meet and interact with local people, and will have a recognisable benefit to that society. The opening session of the event comprised some thought-provoking role plays and panel sessions where leaders of mission agencies answered questions from the audience. Some of the topics covered included church and mission agency policies for financial support and theological training, and also identity issues, children’s education, etc. Given the time constraints, the responses were necessarily brief, but provided good pointers for further exploration and discussion. Every participant attended two from a list of seven workshops run by various organisations, covering a diverse range of topics. Some focused on specific types of ministry or secular work, while others focused on geographical regions. A number of booths were set up to showcase the ministries of the various agencies involved in this event. These attracted a lot of attention in between sessions, with questions asked and answered. Many of the questions were quite specific! How do you decide which mission agency to talk to? Are you assigned specific projects/countries, or are you allowed to choose? How do you decide where to go? Do you need to know the language before going? How long does it take to learn to speak with the locals? How do you explain your plans to friends and family to ease their concerns? Pray that many of those who attended the event will continue to discern what God is calling them to, whether to be a tentmaker, to support tentmakers, or shape church and mission agency policies to enable tentmakers to serve and thrive where they are sent.

Many churches have a “missions emphasis month” each year, and you may have been inspired to explore a role in missions. Here are a few questions that you may find helpful to work through as you consider how you might serve. 1. Where do I fit in missions? What is your motivation to serve in missions? What captures your heart about reaching other ethnic groups with the good news? Not entirely sure where you might fit? Two courses which might help clarify your understanding of missions and how you could serve: Kairos course – a nine-session course that will help you understand God's purpose for every cultural group in the world. Perspectives course – a fifteen-session discipleship course to give Christians a bigger view of God and His purposes, and to equip them to fulfil their individual role within those purposes. 2. What are some potential issues that might get in the way? Some common issues might be finances, family concerns or personal struggles. You may have questions about what further education or skills training you might need. It may help to write down your questions and concerns and share them with a trusted friend or mentor. Ask them to pray with you to discern God’s guidance in these areas. Perhaps you could seek advice from an experienced missionary in your church. 3. Should I talk to my church pastor or missions leader yet? Participating in missions with your church is a good way to gain experience, and receive support and encouragement. Leaders in the church will be able to guide you in your journey. Getting involved will also help you understand your church’s approach to missions. Some churches prefer to work with mission agencies, while others prefer to send missionaries directly. Churches also have different views on the types of ministries they are willing to support, and whether they will support bi-vocational missionaries. 4. Should I approach a missions agency yet? You may want to start thinking about the type of ministry, the region or country or people group, and whether the ministries of a specific missions agency particularly resonate with you. You probably won’t have all the answers (or any answers!) at this early stage, but it’s good to start exploring. As a start, you could start attending events or prayer meetings organised by various mission agencies, or subscribe to their newsletters and social media postings. See what stirs your heart! Also, many mission agencies have mentoring groups for people interested in missions, and also organise mission trips which you could join. 5. What if I decide that I don’t want to be a missionary? Not everyone is called by God to be a cross-cultural missionary. But all of us are called to play a part in God’s mission in some way – perhaps your role is to support missionaries in the field by praying for them, supporting them financially, or in other practical ways. By having asked the questions and thought through these issues, you will have a deeper understanding of missions and be a better supporter of those called to serve overseas.

by Jo Clifford, Wycliffe UK My friends call me gadget girl. They know they can make me happy by taking me to the closest IT and media shop! I love recording, I love editing, I love creating media and I get to do it full time! So what does a media person have to do with Bible translation? Let me tell you some stories from my years in Tanzania: Checking a translation There is a Kisi language team who have translated their first book, namely Jonah. I was spontaneously asked to do a single voice recording of the book of Jonah in the Kisi language. The team will test the translation in the community and want an audio version to take along with them so people can listen to it at the marketplace and give their thoughts on the translation. Not everyone can read People need to hear and be able to access the word of God in a language that they can understand. Martha, the older lady on the left of the picture, enjoyed reading the Gospel of Mark in Temi and trying to create questions for a women’s Bible study. Mery, watching her, can’t read, but she was amazing at remembering the text when it was read out to her. She was also good at coming up with questions for the Bible study. We are talking with the Temi language team as to when we can produce an audio version of the Gospel of Mark, so that those who can’t read or who struggle to read can still access the word of God. JESUS film scripting workshop A couple of years ago, in partnership with The JESUS Film Project, I helped coordinate a translation workshop for seven languages that we work with. At the beginning of the workshop, the teams were taught about how to translate a script, making sure the translation fits with the mouth movements on the film and what to do when it doesn’t! The teams continued to work on the translation of the script throughout the workshop. They were all so excited that people would be able to see ‘Jesus’ speaking their language! After several checks, The JESUS Film Project sent some recording teams to record the film script in the seven languages. Through this partnership, the JESUS film was translated and dubbed and produced in seven languages in 18 months. The reach of radio God never lets any of our experiences go to waste. Before I joined Wycliffe I worked for Trans World Radio. They taught me how to produce radio programmes and run a studio. One day in November I was busy editing some audio files in my office when Bukuku, one of my colleagues, knocked on my door to introduce some guests. The guests were two members of staff from a local radio station in Mbeya. They had heard that we produced radio programmes and would we be interested in broadcasting with them? This is not a Christian station, so I was quite surprised as our programme content is mainly mother tongue Scripture. They offered to broadcast three programmes a week for a good price. I wanted to make sure that they really wanted to broadcast our programmes so I sent two sample programmes to the manager. Within the hour he called me very excitedly as the programmes that I sent were in his mother tongue! We had a contract for a year to broadcast mother tongue Scripture in all the languages of Mbeya on a radio station that reaches three million people! Mentoring and Training Recently I wrote in my newsletter: ‘… the books of Ruth and Jonah are being recorded in the Manda and Kisi languages. “How is this possible, when you are not in Tanzania, Jo?” – I hear you ask. Well, my former colleague Gift Ngogo, who is now self-employed, running his own studio, has agreed to help out. I had been training him to take over my role, but then he had to leave our organisation for family reasons. I am thankful that it is possible to employ him on a project-by-project basis, to help us continue with the work of making the word of God available to people in multiple media formats.’ Be adaptable! I was able to travel with a colleague to the Pangwa area. I was there to record a choir singing in the local language. I had originally been told there would be one choir to record. When we got to the first village, however, there were three choirs waiting! One choir was so excited that they had prepared 12 songs, so we spent all day recording. They were so grateful for us coming that they provided all the meals during our stay. My colleague and I also each received a handmade basket and a chicken! We continued to travel through the language area. In each village we came to, word had somehow spread that choir recordings would happen (though no one had told me!). Even though sometimes I didn’t have all my equipment with me, thankfully I found that I could do a good recording with a small mic that I can attach to my laptop. So why media? I see media as a tool that serves all aspects of Bible translation: Whether it is creating the audio of a recently translated Scripture text so that it can be checked by those who can’t read as well as those who can. Whether it is getting Scripture out there through radio programmes, websites, the JESUS film , Scripture apps, WhatsApp, or audio players so that people can interact with God’s word. Whether it is creating a small literacy video to teach people to read their language so that they can eventually read Scripture for themselves. Or whether it is recording Christian songs in traditional music style to help the local church grow. ‘One of the big needs we have is media people – recordists, app builders, digital engagement specialists, animators, graphic designers etc. There are currently at least 30 open positions available around the world for someone interested in this type of work.’ Jo Clifford Media plays a key part in making it possible for people to engage with Scripture in languages they understand well. Media is a part of our lives, whether we like it or not. Let us use it to bless others. Reproduced with permission from Wycliffe Bible Translators UK

by Judith Sawers, Wycliffe UK God has always provided the resources necessary for his work on earth. Think back to the first job he gave anyone: looking after the Garden of Eden. He gave Adam and Eve everything they needed for that task – he’d just made it, it was perfect, and he gave it to them so that they could do this work with and for him. (Genesis 2:15–22) It’s in his nature – God so loved the world that he… gave . (John 3:16; Acts 1:4) Even the message of salvation and forgiveness that we have to tell is a free gift from God himself! (Romans 5:12–17; Ephesians 2:4–9) And the beauty of the Bible’s story from cover to cover is that not only does God give generously and continuously, but he also gives in many different ways: He might tell his people, ‘I want you all to give this much .’ (Leviticus 27:30–33) Sometimes the message is, ‘Give to me the first and the best , however much that is.’ (Exodus 23:19) Or even, ‘If anyone’s got extra , just bring it along.’ (Exodus 35:20–29) Thus, from what he has already given them, together his people meet the need for resources for his work. Or he says, ‘You go off and do what I’ve told you, and I’ll make sure you’re OK’ and uses wild birds to feed a tired prophet. (1 Kings 17:2–6) But then another day, it’s ‘I want you to ask that person, specifically, to feed you from now on.’ (1 Kings 17:8–16) Or it’s just enough manna for today (Exodus 16:18) or extravagant precious metals and fabrics given back to the God who had provided them in order to create a fitting place of worship (Ex 25:1–9) or a coin in a fish for taxes (Matthew 17:27) – and oh how many other stories of abundant fish in the Gospels! God is so creative in his provision. We’ve stopped expecting it to come in certain ways and try to enjoy the surprises. He’s so amazing! Jacqueline, working in administration in the UK Or someone to whom God has given the ability to make money who uses it to provide for others. (Luke 8:3) Or it’s God’s people realising that in their new family of God there are others who don’t have enough to live on and collecting up money to send to them. (Acts 11:27–30; 2 Corinthians 8:1–5) And then realising that there are people out there who haven’t even heard the good news yet, and someone willing to go who they can help to send through their giving. (Philippians 4:10–20) How are Wycliffe personnel supported? Everyone working with Wycliffe sees God providing for their own needs and for the work that’s going on. It’s always unique, so that we see it happening in different ways, but it always uses our God-given networks of friends, family and churches, as well as who we are and the way we tell the story of what God is doing in the world. When I joined Wycliffe, one of my Wycliffe colleagues told me I would be surprised – there would be people I thought would join my support team who didn’t, and people I would never have expected to support me who did. They were so right. So keep an open mind about how God will provide and through whom. He’s a God of surprises – prioritise prayer, practise generosity, and see what God will do! Marie South joined Wycliffe from the industry and has a leadership role with SIL, one of Wycliffe’s key partners As a member of Wycliffe, partnership with a team of prayerful and financial supporters can be a joyful journey. You share with them about what God is doing in the world through Bible translation, what you believe he is telling you to do, and how they can come with you on the journey. For them, getting to experience through their relationship with you what God is doing somewhere else is remarkable. For you, the relationships you develop with churches and individuals will bless and encourage you, as well as being the source of the prayer support and finances you will need – a visible expression of: ‘Yes, we want to be a part of what God is doing through Bible translation around the world, and we’re going to do it by backing you all the way.’ I had to make a significant financial decision recently… And it was not until I had made the decision that I had some commitments from some supporters that they would come alongside me in the purchase. Sometimes, we just need to move ahead prayerfully when we believe we have discerned God’s direction. Catherine Young, Director, Global Language and Development Services for SIL International We’ve discovered that focusing on what God is doing and the opportunity to join him in that removes the discomfort of ‘asking for money’. When you invite people to come on this partnership journey with you, you’re no longer asking for money to cover your needs (ie begging!) but you’re asking your friends to be involved in building God’s kingdom, together with you and the work that you’ll be doing. People will catch your passion and support you as a person, not just the work you do. We’ve moved to different teams and countries, and changed roles along the way, and people keep saying they support us in our ministry with Wycliffe, not just to a specific country. Hannah* joined Wycliffe over 20 years ago and is now involved in people care for a team in Asia It’s not some kind of magic, though. God doesn’t give when you ‘get it right’ and hold back resources when you’re wrong, because it’s not about earning it in the first place! That’s why the journey metaphor is helpful. We’re ‘fellow labourers’ together with our partners, and parts of the road may be rocky or steep, as well as the bits running through green pastures. There’s God’s part, and there’s ours – communication with our partners about what’s going on, about what God is doing, and drawing them in to journey with us. But through it all, the message from history and from years of Wycliffe’s story is ‘God can be trusted’. Sometimes I think it’s about the journey with God. He has your attention: what is it he is trying to say? This is not always the case; sometimes it’s just hard. It’s as much a spiritual journey as a financial one – it can increase your trust and prayer life! Keith Robinson, Director for Special Projects in the UK Wycliffe begins the conversation with you right from the start about what developing this personal partnership team looks like for you. Using our own training resources or recommending other books and events, and keeping in touch as you look around you for the people God has given you, we will help you present to others, and live out, a biblical model of finance for ministry. When you’re on a difficult bit of the journey, we’re there to share encouragement and ideas with you and keep you on track. And all for his glory and so that everyone may have the opportunity to hear God speak to them in the way and the language that speaks to them best. *name changed for security reasons Reproduced with permission from Wycliffe Bible Translators UK