Training for African Consultants
Project 8810
Due to a worldwide shortage of translation consultants, SIL is aiming to train more Africans in Africa to fill this role in the Bible translation projects that are being done there. Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia is looking to help by providing part-scholarships so that some of these CiTs (Consultants in Training) can attend their training workshops.
In recent years, there has been a very positive movement towards Bible translation projects relying more on mother tongue (local) translators, and less on foreign translators, who are more likely to be involved as trainers, advisors and consultants. This newer translation project model gives the local language users much greater ownership of their own Bible translation projects, often results in a more natural translation that will be easy for people to understand and can lead to greater community involvement.
This training model can have a big, wide-spread impact. The CiTs that Wycliffe Australia sponsored for the April 2023 Grammar Workshop came from a number for different Bible translation organisations in Africa. This was intentional. They returned to their different organisations and started sharing their new knowledge with their colleagues. The impact of the training was therefore spread across different Bible translation organisations, across colleagues of the sponsored CiTs, and therefore also across many different Bible translation projects.
The final comment should come from one of the Grammar Workshop participants … “With this strategy, there is every reason for us to hope for effective and credible translation in our communities”
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We need to raise at least $6,667 by the end of December 2023 to commit to 2024’s first training workshop.
The total budget is $22,222 by March 2024
Excess funds will go towards the following year’s target.
Binumarien Old Testament Translation – PNG
Project 8590
Wycliffe and SIL have been working with the Binumarien people in the Eastern Highlands of PNG since 1958! With the committed help of Des and Jenny Oatridge, the Binumarien language was recorded, a writing system was developed, and the people were taught to read and write their language. They were hungry to have the New Testament of the Bible in their language, and so they worked with the Oatridges to achieve this. The New Testament was eventually dedicated in 1983. But this small language group of around 1000 people, want more of God’s word, and so they have been working hard for many years to get the Old Testament translated too! In 2011 SIL PNG’s Mitchell Michie commenced working with the Binumarien translators on the Old Testament. In 2018 five of the Old Testament books, and a revision of the Binumarien New Testament, were published in order to make more scriptures available for distribution. In 2021 a recording of the New Testament was also distributed to the people.
Just recently, a new agreement has been set up between SIL PNG, Tyndale Bible Translators, and the Binumarien translation team to give the project a boost. It has been recognised that the dedicated Binumarien translation team really need to spend more time in Ukarumpa, for face to face advisor checking with a Tyndale Bible Translation checker. It is hoped that this new agreement, and the increased time and resources being put into the Old Testament Translation, will see it completed in the next seven years. With this new structure, however, comes a significant increase in costs associated with the project. Please consider contributing towards this wonderful project to see the entire Bible available in the Binumarien language.
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Our partnership target by March 2024 is $ 31,239
If we receive extra funds, this will go towards the following year’s target.
Kenya Safari Tour – Short Term Mission Trip
Project 7020
The Kenya Safari Tour responds to invitations from three Christian organisations to help them with their ministries of Bible translation, Scripture engagement and evangelism.
In August/September 2023, sixteen pastors from two ethnic groups will participate in a Contextualisation Workshop, where they will learn how to apply the truths of Scripture in their own cultural setting. At the same time, they will learn skills of Bible storytelling and invite their community to see The Matthew Drama performed in the local language. The Wycliffe Australia team will then go to the African International University to provide a Teacher Training Seminar in Bible storytelling, after which the participants will teach three mirror-image Bible storytelling seminars in three locations and in three languages. Simultaneously, the Christian students will perform The Matthew Drama at the university as an outreach to fellow university students.
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Consider assisting with Wycliffe Australia’s costs in carrying out this valuable Short Term Mission Trip to Kenya. Donations given will assist firstly with the 2023 Trip costs, and then with the 2024 Trip.
Budget target: AU$16,666 for 2023 & 2024 Trips
Solomons Scripture Translation, Printing & Engagement
Project 8145
Have you ever wondered what happens in a language project when the New Testament is complete and the expatriate advisor and his family return home? In the Solomon Islands there is a real hunger for God’s Word – for the whole Bible – but it is very difficult for the mother-tongue translators to continue alone no matter how dedicated they are. Wycliffe Australia has kindly adopted three such projects. The translators are experienced, faithful and persevering and they are now partnering with Wycliffe Australia who is providing advisor and consultant support for those teams. Wycliffe also covers the cost of travel to a centre where there is power and internet so checking can continue via Zoom, as well as help with printing trial editions and their distribution once a book has been consultant checked. These teams are so grateful as they continue with the long-term goal of completing the Old Testament for their language communities.
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Budget target: AU$12,500 for 2023
Excess funds will go towards the following year’s target.
Old Testament Translation in South Asia
Project 8328
The Si* language community is located in South Asia. Like many minority language groups and dialects in the region, they are located in a rural location that is difficult to access. This often makes translating the Bible difficult, as translation consultants need to travel large distances to meet with communities to work on translations. While much of the New Testament has been translated into the Si language, work on the Old Testament is about to begin.
In order to provide an easier, long-term solution for the remaining Scripture to be translated, a Wycliffe Australia member is providing Bible translation training for mother-tongue translators. He is serving as the coordinator and Bible translation advisor for the project, teaching, training and checking the translation work of the mother-tongue translators. The training that local speakers are receiving is already improving their competence in translating. The training is also providing them with a sense of pride and ownership in the translation, helping to ensure longevity of the project.
Along with partner organisations in South Asia, Wycliffe Australia is providing funding for this important work. In addition to the translation training, the project aims to also provide literacy training and gospel materials in the Si language to promote the work of the gospel and build healthy local church communities.
The budget for the first year of this project includes set-up costs (including office and computer supplies), salaries and travel expenses for training two mother-tongue translators. The initial Old Testament passages to be translated include Genesis 1–50, Ruth 1–4 and Jonah 1–4.
*Names changed for security reasons
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Budget target: AU$13,393 for 2023 + $9,064 for 2024
Excess funds will go towards the following year’s target.
Photograph by Aileen Agoncillo, Unsplash
Scripture use North East Papua New Guinea
Project 8519
The Scripture Use activities in the NE region of PNG aim to come alongside the local churches, language communities, and translation teams to build enthusiasm for and capacity in Scripture use. These activities may include:
- Meeting with translation teams to assist in developing a strategy to help the language community to engage with the translated Scripture.
- Providing materials to the translators and or leaders within the language communities/churches. These may include;
- Materials to assist in preaching
- Materials for running adult Bible studies
- Materials for running youth and children’s Sunday and vacation Bible school activities.
- Facilitating workshops to assist the language communities in applying the translated Scriptures to their lives. These workshops may include:
- Culture Meets Scripture. This workshop teaches the participants how to search the Scriptures to determine if their traditional customs bring honour and glory to God and if not, options for what could be done to change these customs so that they do.
- Bible Background / God’s Big Story This workshop teaches the participants about the culture and life during the time of the Old Testament and New Testament. Also, it teaches a timeline of the Old Testament and New Testament and how they are connected. Afterwards, the students take what they learned to other villages in the language group and run Bible studies sharing what they learned.
- Healing the Wounds of Trauma. This workshop equips local churches to care for people with deep emotional and spiritual injuries caused by war, domestic violence or natural disasters. This workshop combines biblical and mental health resources into an effective intervention that fosters healing and restores relationships with God and others.
- Using the Bible. This workshop teaches the importance of using the Scriptures and various methods to help people engage with them.
- Critical Thinking. This workshop trains the participants in critical thinking skills, assisting them in reading the Scriptures and applying it to their lives.
- Editing SU materials and developing new materials.
- Spending time in language communities to develop relationships with the communities to further enhance the receptibility of the SU materials and workshops.
- Training PNG men and women to be Scripture Use workers. This is done through discipleship/mentoring of selected PNG men and women in God’s Word through more individual small group study sessions, training in facilitation of the above-mentioned workshops and mentoring them as they facilitate these workshops.
National Trainee Consultant Study Tour
Project 8395
Translation consultants who have never visited Israel, and never seen first-hand the sites common to the original readers of the Scriptures, are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to checking Bible translation. The Wycliffe Australia Israel Study Tour gives an opportunity for Bible translation consultants and consultants-in-training to visit many sites in Israel where Old Testament and New Testament events occurred, and to meet other mother-tongue translators studying Hebrew in Jerusalem in preparation to translate the Old Testament into their own languages. The cost for each student will be approximately $7,400 (depending on airfares). Approximately 50% of this funding is provided by the African and South Asian organisations from which the translation trainees are coming. This funding covers all their expenses in Israel: travel, accommodation, food, entry to National Parks and the costs of an experienced tour guide.
South East Asia Church Based Literacy Project
Project 8818
There is a great need for Multilingual Education for members of the Bunong communities in Mondulkiri, Cambodia. Most Bunong people cannot read or write, even in their own language, so the literacy needs are great. Northeast Community Education and Development Organization (NCED) is committed to supporting the communities with these needs.
The Church Based Literacy Program is assisting the Bunong people in two main ways:
- The implementation of the Bunong literacy program in the churches is directly addressing the community’s low literacy rates while helping to sustain their language and their customs. Literacy rates need to increase in the country’s official language in order to support dealings with authorities and commercial organisations so that the communities’ interests are protected. Literacy rates also need to improve in the Bunong language so that their language and culture can be preserved for future generations.
- Running the literacy program through the local churches means that the Bunong people can be supported to read Scripture in their own language. The program works directly with 12 Bunong churches and the participants in the various programs include children, youth, adults and elderly people.
More recently, the Bunong communities have been affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic and there has been an urgent need to communicate health advice to better protect them from outbreaks and to manage any cases that develop. NCED has been doing this important work with translated written materials and visits to villages (when permitted).
Baka_Bafuli MLE & Trauma Heal CAM
Project 8309
The Baka people of Cameroon and Gabon, numbering about 40,000, are one of the oldest forest peoples on the planet. They live by measured exploitation of the forest environment through hunting, fishing, gathering and harvesting of honey. The vast majority of Baka do not attend school. Children learn about the forest from an early age. Evenings are devoted to collective games and participation in songs and dances that bring families together around the campfire.
Due to the increased exploitation of forest resources through logging, mining and poaching of bushmeat, the Baka are facing increasing problems in adequately accessing forest resources. They are having difficulty adapting to a sedentary life, and are marginalised by their neighbours who use them as objects of tourism to earn money.
This project, which supports the Baka Intercultural Multilingual Education Project (BIMLEP), aims to restore dignity to the Baka people. Specifically, it aims to help Baka adults learn to read and write their language, teach them bee-keeping techniques, expose them to the Word of God which is a source of transformation and restoration, and heal them from the traumas caused by marginalisation and exploitation.
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Budget target: AU$22,930 for 2023
Excess funds will go towards the following year’s target.
Ambon Scripture Engagement Project
Project 8817
The Ambonese Malay New Testament has been published and was officially launched in September 2022! But publication is not the end of this story. God has brought together an enthusiastic team of local Scripture engagement workers to promote the new translation and help people to use it and apply it in their lives.
The Ambonese Scripture Engagement team is passionate about seeing God’s Word at work among the people of Maluku. The team is highly sought after for their training workshops that are designed to meet the needs of local churches. Topics include trauma healing, parenting, overcoming addiction, using local language in ministry, conflict resolution and more. At each workshop the team teaches, prays and leads worship in Ambonese Malay, enabling participants to experience the impact of God’s Word in their own language.
An important part of their work during 2023 will be running a series of workshops to introduce the newly published Ambonese Malay New Testament to churches and showing how it can be used in teaching and discipleship.
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Budget target: AU$16,000 per year
Excess funds will go towards the following year’s target.
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