Linguist / Translation Worker
Are you ready to pitch in where it’s needed and use your skills and energy to move projects forward on the field in West Asia? Our field-based team is seeking more hands on deck to make the most of the exciting opportunities of this season, both in Bible Translation and Language Development. We would love to talk to you about how you could serve in one or more projects alongside fellow expats and locals.
Responsibilities:
- learn culture and language to relate well within this warm community
- work on projects and tasks in the areas of Bible translation and / or Language Development
- manage and coordinate project(s)
- assist in the training of local co-workers and partners in the community
- be part of a wider team and contribute to the impact of the work in-country as a whole
Qualifications:
- a love for the Word of God and a desire to share it with those who have not yet heard the Gospel in their own language
- theological training
- Bible college and SIL training can be incorporated in the relevant Undergraduate or Graduate course through Eastern College Australia. See https://www.sila.org.au/courses/ for more information.
Language and Culture Training:
- one year of language training at SIL Australia
- orientation workshops, held at our National Centre in Kangaroo Ground, Victoria
- on-field orientation training
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
Partner with us
Budget target for 2023 and 2024 is $28,214.
Excess funds will go towards the following year’s target.
Photograph by Aileen Agoncillo, Unsplash
IT – System Support
We need a volunteer IT specialist to come for a month to help with the diverse IT needs of an organisation in Timor-Leste, especially with network systems.
Responsibilities:
- designing and configuring a computer network system
- setting up a cloud-based archive system
- installing and configuring computer systems, networks and printers
- responding to service issues and requests
- setting up accounts for new users
- possibly training a junior Timorese staff member
- continue volunteering remotely to help with issues and requests.
Qualifications:
Computer networking knowledge is required, which may be from a degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or Computing.
Language and Culture Training:
- four weeks’ language and culture training called Launch
- fluency in Tetun Dili, English, Bahasa Indonesia, or Portuguese
Orientation:
- orientation workshops, held at our National Centre in Kangaroo Ground, Victoria
- on-field cultural orientation
Digital Content Manager
Looking for a way to use your skills and experience in IT, web design, digital marketing and social media to help spread awareness for Bible translation? We need someone to help with creating, improving and maintaining a range of digital content to help the organisation achieve its goals. It will be your duty to create high quality, sharable content to raise brand awareness, as well as monitor web traffic and other metrics to identify best practices. This role will be working with teams based in Dili, Timor-Leste.
Responsibilities:
- typeset translated Scriptures
- design book covers
- design music labels
- design language resources
- design promotional material
- monitor online presence
Qualifications:
- Bachelor degree or experience in marketing, computer science, maths, statistics and/or business
- OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience
- English fluency of at least 5.0 IELTS
Training:
- minimum of one year (or equivalent) at Bible college
- four weeks’ language and culture training called Launch
Orientation:
- orientation workshops, held at our National Centre in Kangaroo Ground, Victoria
- on-field cultural orientation
Scripture – Church Engagement Specialists
How has the Bible transformed your life? Would you like to help other people engage more deeply with God’s Word? We are looking for people to come alongside churches and communities in Dili, Timor Leste, to encourage people to use the Scripture and biblical resources available in their language. This could include helping them to increase their ability to read portions of vernacular Scripture, working alongside local church leaders, translators and staff members.
Responsibilities:
- discipleship
- workshops
- material production
- training
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree
- minimum of one year (or equivalent) at Bible college
Training:
- One year at SIL Australia
- English fluency of at least 5.0 IELTS
Orientation:
- orientation workshops, held at our National Centre in Kangaroo Ground, Victoria
- on-field cultural orientation
Bible Translation Consultant
Are you a team player with a heart for others to have access to the Bible? Are you seeking a sea change? We are seeking an individual to provide translation teams with guidance, encouragement, and technical help on translation-related issues. As a Bible Translation Consultant, you will use your skills to collaborate with others to provide accurate Bible translations. This role will be working with translation teams based in Timor-Leste.
Responsibilities:
- consultant checking translated Scriptures (portions, chapters, books, Bible stories)
- training local translators
Qualifications:
- SIL qualified translation consultant
- a theological degree from Bible college
Language and Culture Training:
- one year at SIL Australia
- English fluency of at least 5.0 IELTS
Orientation:
- orientation workshops, held at our National Centre in Kangaroo Ground, Victoria
- on-field cultural orientation
- language fluency in Tetun Dili, Bahasa Indonesia or Portuguese would be beneficial.
Bible Translation Advisers – Timor Leste
As a Bible translation adviser, you’ll work with a team of mother-tongue speakers based in Dili, Timor-Leste and other linguists to produce Scripture translations in a minority language (or cluster of languages) that are accurate, clear and speak to the heart of an entire people group.
Responsibilities:
- exegesis
- translation training
- support with drafting
- facilitation of community testing
- linguistic analysis, possibly including orthography revision
- project management
- liaising with stakeholders
- coordinating publication
- capacity development of the translation team and local institution to continue translation and assume responsibility for the future of their translation project
Training:
- theological degree
- four weeks’ language and culture training called Launch
- one year of training with SIL
- English fluency of at least 5.0 IELTS
Orientation:
- orientation workshops, held at our National Centre in Kangaroo Ground, Victoria
- on-field cultural orientation
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).
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 2024 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.
2023 Update
The completion of the Ambonese translation of the Jesus film was a highlight for 2023. The Scripture Engagement team had previously worked on the Ambonese translation of the script and, in this period, worked with other partners to audition voice actors and record the film audio. The movie is now released to the public and provides a free contemporary audio-visual way to interact with the story of Jesus in Ambonese Malay. LPMI (the local Indonesian branch of Campus Crusade for Christ) in Ambon have plans for screenings and outreach and follow-up in dozens of locations in 2024. The Scripture Engagement team has also made good progress on Old Testament translation, particularly exegetical reviews and community testing of the translation of Genesis, and drafting of selected Psalms. This translation will be an important addition to the New Testament when it is completed and published electronically.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Partner with us
Budget target: AU$16,000 per year
Excess funds will go towards the following year’s target.
BSFB Old Testament Translations South Asia
Project 8814
BSFB (Bible Study Fellowship of Bangladesh) is working with a student group in South Asia in a program that involves training young people from remote, isolated Christian communities for translation and future leadership roles. Christians are a minority in this country and suffer from a lack of resources and many forms of discrimination. Our current support is focused on paying the mother-tongue translators and their supervisory personnel, as well as the costs of trainers from Australia.
Partner with us
Our partnership target for 2024 is $21,307.
If we receive extra funds, this will go towards next year’s target.
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