Wycliffe Australia has a long history of supporting Bible translation and language development projects in Papua New Guinea. The land has a special place in my heart, too. My wife, Helen, and I spent over 20 years in PNG as teachers at the international school in Ukarumpa. I also oversaw the training program at the Pacific Institute for Languages, Arts and Translation (PILAT), which was set up to train Papua New Guineans for Bible translation, literacy and other language development work.
During our time in PNG, and since returning to Australia, it has been a blessing to meet people from all different walks of life who have followed God’s call to support Bible translation projects. The work is often tiring, taking place over many years, with translation advisors spending time among the community and working in locations that are often remote.
The stories in this edition of Wycliffe Today feature single people who have dedicated the best parts of their lives to serving God faithfully among language communities in PNG. How do they continue, despite being away from their friends and families? The one thing that seems evident is that being part of a supportive community is a vital part of sustaining them over time. As Paul encourages the church in Ephesus:
You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. – Ephesians 2:19b–20 (NLT)
Why aviation, optometry, and teaching are vital to Bible translation
Robert and Loralie Handasyde live in Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea, with their two young children, Emily and Michael. They felt called to serve in cross-cultural missions but were not sure what that would look like until, as Loralie describes, they ‘came across an open door and walked through it!’
Robert was always interested in flying. He heard that helicopters in missions were a real need. He shares:
PNG has minimal infrastructure, so to get supplies to a remote location in the mountains can be tricky without a plane. Many places are inaccessible when flooding closes roads, so they really need help with flights.
Similarly, Loralie wanted to serve God in some way but was surprised that she could use her training and experience to become the first long-term optometrist to care for the needs of locals and others serving in Ukarumpa. She says:
We know that our roles are appreciated [here]. When I can provide glasses for people here in Ukarumpa, they don’t have to take time off work to travel and make costly trips to see an optometrist back home. It makes a difference. The trouble is, it’s often harder to explain here in Australia about why our roles are helpful and how they connect with Bible translation. Churches often want to support a pastor, church planter or Bible translator, so it takes a bit to explain why support roles are so important.
A powerful testimony of the importance of the various roles involved in Bible translation was a recent Scripture Application and Leadership Training workshop in a remote village in the highlands. Robert flew Scripture engagement leaders into the area so they could teach local language communities how to read their Bibles in the context of their culture.
Robert explains: One man who was known to locals as a ‘raskol’ [criminal] turned up to the workshop, not even knowing himself why he had walked an entire day to reach the village to attend the training. After hearing the Word of God being preached in his mother tongue, his life was transformed. He gave his life to Jesus, along with seven others. People in that area had almost nothing, not even enough to buy cups. Yet 40 people came out to purchase Bibles after the training! Working together, you see God opening doors for the gospel.
PRAY:
that the Handasydes continue to be encouraged in their work
wisdom for Robert as he trains new helicopter pilots
for deeper connections with churches and more opportunities to share
for more teachers to fill roles at the International School
that a dentist can be found for the clinic.
Participating in family life for the first time: Mary Anna’s story
Mary Anna is a happy 11-year-old girl living with her family in Papua New Guinea. She loves talking and playing with her parents, but she has not always been able to communicate with them so easily. Growing up Deaf, Mary Anna experienced isolation from her family. Unable to fully communicate beyond basic gestures, her parents felt desperate about how to talk with their daughter.
At the age of four, they sent Mary Anna to the Red Cross Inclusive Education Resource Centre (RCIERC) where she started to learn Papua New Guinea Sign Language (PNGSL) from her Deaf teacher, Noah. Mary Anna picked up PNGSL easily, yet her family struggled to learn it, despite years of Noah’s dedicated home visits.
A tangible shift in the family’s ability to communicate with Mary Anna occurred earlier this year when 26 new PNGSL Bloom books, and the related Luksave app, were launched. These were developed by the PNG Deaf Association, supported by SIL, and funded by the Wycliffe Relief and Development Foundation. These resources have been a huge blessing to Mary Anna and her family to learn PNGSL in a user-friendly way and at their own pace. The Bloom books and Luksave app, with their clear illustrations, definitions, and signs, made vocabulary acquisition more intuitive and accessible for the whole family.
Mary Anna’s parents have actively embraced the opportunity to learn alongside their daughter. Their newfound shared language is fostering greater understanding, strengthening family bonds, and enhancing Mary Anna’s inclusion and sense of belonging in her family. Mary Anna is so excited about the change in her family that she is sharing the app and promoting it to her Deaf friends, other family members, teachers and neighbours.
Mary Anna’s dad, Nime, is thrilled that he can enjoy communicating with his daughter. He shares:
Thank you! We are happy with the Bloom books and Luksave app. We will be very happy if short Bible stories can also be created. That will really help us as a family to broaden [Mary Anna’s] faith.
The silence and isolation that once separated Mary Anna from her family has now been replaced by a beautiful sign language. Mary Anna’s story is a powerful reminder that when communication barriers are broken, lives can be transformed and families can be brought together.
Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia has partnered with Waverley Christian College in Melbourne since 2019 to support staff and students in understanding the Bible in a deeper way. Our Biblical Studies program, like that of many churches, has a strong biblical theology based on the central gospel message of sin and salvation. There is often a gap in students’ understanding of biblical truth and its application in everyday life.
We want to help students understand that the Bible can be trusted, that its words are inspired by God, and that they can trust in God’s plan of salvation for their lives. Wycliffe Australia is helping us to teach students to read the Bible in greater depth and find richer meaning because they trust the words and the reliability of their translations.
Wycliffe Australia is helping to train Year 7 students to use their Study Bibles to read, engage with and understand God’s Word. As part of their training, students explore the introduction of Bible books to give context, the cross-references that point to other Bible verses explaining that section and the commentary notes that give richer insight into Bible themes. Over 200 Year 7 students completed the program this year.
Ewa McMaster and Helen Sahl teaching one of the Biblical Studies units.
Helen Sahl attended the graduation and presented certificates, encouraging the students about the work of Wycliffe and the importance of having the Bible in the languages that speak to our hearts. We pray that this will help them experience the true character of God as he reveals himself in the Scriptures.
Please pray:
for Waverley Christian College’s Biblical Studies program – that students will engage with God’s Word and respond to God’s plan of salvation
for the Biblical Studies teachers in this ministry
that the student cohort will inspire young people to rise up and be trained for the harvest field.
Leaning on God to light the way: Introducing Max and Helen Sahl
Wycliffe Today – June 2019
Max and Helen have been on quite a journey since they first met. These former Queensland teachers are Wycliffe members who have lived in Papua New Guinea for 20 years. Their adventures have included a short stint in professional rugby, moving to a new country, raising a family, serving in a variety of roles, several near-death experiences and establishing a new training program for local translators. They are now living at the National Centre for Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia where Max is the CEO. Come and meet the Sahls.
What was it that first inspired you to become involved with Wycliffe?
Max: Before we went to PNG, we had no idea about Wycliffe or SIL. When we first heard about the need for teachers to educate mission kids, we simply followed God’s call. We thought we would only be there short-term. When we arrived, we didn’t know much about Bible translation . . . but it was almost impossible not to catch the vision. I went from being a PE teacher to Principal of the Primary School and High School to overseeing the training program for the Pacific Institute of Languages, Arts and Translation (PILAT) and now stepping into the role of CEO for Wycliffe Australia. I would never have imagined that for myself but God obviously knew what he was doing!
Helen: During our time in Ukarumpa, we saw people’s lives changed, both at an individual and at a community level, through the power of the gospel. But the gospel is only effective when the people can understand it. Our eyes were opened to the physical, spiritual, educational and emotional needs surrounding us and we developed a heart for making God’s Word clear for all people.
How did your sports career help in that transition?
Max: I was a professional rugby league player in Queensland. My team won the grand final in the biggest sports event in Queensland at the time. This helped me to connect with my new community in PNG, as rugby league is the biggest sport in PNG and most of the people barrack for the Queensland State of Origin team.
Helen: Our experiences as PE teachers also enabled us to spend time with people in more informal ways. Max has hiked the Kokoda Trail and four times has hiked Mount Wilhelm, the highest mountain in PNG. A strong endurance for hiking helps to support translation teams by sharing the Jesus Film with remote villages. Teaching Missionary Kids was a big part of our lives as we worked in PNG and we loved the opportunities to input into their lives.
What was it like overseeing the training program for PILAT?
Max: This was a real highlight of my time in PNG. The Pacific Institute for Languages, Arts and Translation was set up to train Papua New Guineans for Bible translation, literacy and other language development work.It involved taking a huge risk but it was worth it. The program welcomes translators from all villages – the languages literally come to you! The people are hungry to learn but they are geographically isolated and educationally poor. They often make incredible sacrifices to get there, taking a boat, bus and plane. But we’ve found a real synergy in training local translators which is gaining momentum with the local churches. Last year, nearly 500 people attended courses at PILAT.
What are some of the biggest adjustments you’ve had to make going to PNG and now coming back to Australia?
Max: There is a massive cultural shock when you first move into a third world country. It can be very difficult to know where to invest with your giving and your personal social justice program. There are just so many needs.
Helen: It was hard being away from extended family and friends but transitioning back into your home country can be just as difficult. When you’ve been exposed to communities lacking food, water and basic needs, hearing about first world problems in Western media is very grating. Experiencing the hardships other people go through on a daily basis has put things into perspective for us.
Your journey has involved a great deal of change. What does this new transition mean to you?
Max: There are many transitions in life. It can feel a bit overwhelming – but you learn that God always turns up. You need him when you’re stepping out of your comfort zone. You need to pray for supernatural wisdom. One of the most challenging things as I move into this role will be to also transition the organisation. We need to be looking for new ways to do the same job in a new world. I think we also need to be more respectful of the minorities we are working with and to ensure that we are listening to the churches and enabling them to be more involved. Partnerships with other Global Alliance organisations will also be a big focus as we work with other agencies interested in Bible translation.
Helen: I also love the idea of enthusing people in the task of Bible translation. But I know that this won’t come without its own difficulties. This transition is exciting because we are relying on God to show us what he wants for the future of Wycliffe Australia. Proverbs 3:5-6 has been a verse we try to live by: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight (NIV). When you surrender your will to him, trust and make yourself available, he lights the path ahead.
Waiting is hard, isn't it. But imagine waiting 2000 years for Scripture in your language! Thanks for your patience. And thanks for your generous support which will help bring the long wait to an end...
Max and Helen have been on quite a journey since they first met. These former Queensland teachers are Wycliffe members who have lived in Papua New Guinea for 20 years. Their adventures have included a short stint in professional rugby, moving to a new country, raising a family, serving in a variety of roles, several near-death experiences and establishing a new training program for local translators. They are now living at the National Centre for Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia where Max is the CEO. Come and meet the Sahls.
Thanks for your patience...