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Summer 2012
Fighting HIV-AIDS
with Kande
A Scripture-based storybook about a little
girl dispels myths about HIV-AIDS and
fuels compassion for its victims.
Race Engages Young Men + Scriptures for 40 Languages + Note to Self: Pray for Translators
Summer 2012 Volume 30 Number 2
Foreword
Word Alive, which takes its name from Hebrews 4:12a,
is the official publication of Wycliffe Bible Translators
of Canada. Its mission is to inform, inspire and involve
the Christian public as partners in the worldwide
Bible translation movement. Hope in the Midst of HIV-AIDS
Editor: Dwayne Janke
Design: Laird Salkeld Dwayne Janke
Senior Staff Writer: Doug Lockhart
Staff Writer: Janet Seever
A
Staff Photographers: Alan Hood, Natasha Schmale
few months ago, Word Alive writer Doug Lockhart and photog-
Word Alive is published four times annually by
Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada, 4316 10 St NE, rapher Alan Hood took youvia the pages of our magazine
Calgary AB T2E 6K3. Copyright 2012 by Wycliffe (see Fall 2011)to the trauma-filled African nation of the
Bible Translators of Canada. Permission to reprint Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). They reported on how trauma
articles and other magazine contents may be healing workshops and materials, created by Wycliffe staff, are bring-
obtained by written request to the editor. A ing hope and healing to many Congolese. But emotional trauma in
donation of $20 annually is suggested to cover
the cost of printing and mailing the magazine. that war-torn country has a dreadful colleaguethe HIV-AIDS virus.
(Donate online or use the reply form in this issue.) Once again, Wycliffe personnel have created materialsthis time, the
Printed in Canada by McCallum Printing Group, Kandes Story bookletto assist the people there and in a growing
Edmonton. number of other nations. And once again, Doug and Alan tell the story.
Member: The Canadian Church Press, Evangelical On their trip, Doug and Alan were privileged to meet several
Press Association.
For additional copies: media_resources@wycliffe.ca Congolese believers in the city of Bunia who are working hard to com-
To contact the editor: editor_wam@wycliffe.ca bat the spread of HIV-AIDS in their region. Armed with translations of
For address updates: circulation@wycliffe.ca Kandes Story and related educational seminars, theyre equipping their
countrymen to protect themselves from the HIV virus.
However, these brothers and sisters in Christ work in extremely
harsh conditions, due largely to a devastating war over two decades
that killed millions and crippled an already-ailing infrastructure.
The plight of DRCs people was clearly seen when Alan and Doug
accompanied some of these Congolese Christians to visit a community
garden on the outskirts of Bunia.
On our way home, we made an unscheduled
Wycliffe serves minority language groups worldwide Jesus is interested stop at a packed medical clinic that had just opened
that morning, recalls Doug. Inside, a small crowd
by fostering an understanding of Gods Word through
Bible translation, while nurturing literacy, education in the physical and had gathered to dedicate it to God and pray for
and stronger communities.
spiritual well-being badly-needed supplies and medicine. Community
members are battling malaria, intestinal parasites,
Canadian Head Office: 4316 10 St NE, Calgary AB T2E
6K3. Phone: (403) 250-5411 or toll free 1-800-463-1143,
of all humankind. respiratory problemsand HIVbut the only ser-
8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. mountain time. Fax: (403) 250-
2623. Email: info@wycliffe.ca. French speakers: Call toll
That is why Wycliffe vice the clinic could offer them that morning was to
weigh their babies. (See related photo on page 20.)
free 1-877-747-2622 or email francophone@wycliffe.ca. does what it does. With medicine in short supply, prevention is cru-
Cover: Holding a Swahili translation of Kandes cial to conquer HIV-AIDS. The Kandes Story booklet
Story, a Congolese woman listens intently during a and seminars are helping DRCs people protect
HIV-AIDS workshop in the Democratic Republic of themselves and their families. But they provide much more than medi-
Congo. Photo by Alan Hood.
cal facts about the pandemic.
Theyre helping people throughout DRC to know God and apply
biblical principles to their lives, explains Doug. For those already
infected by HIV, Kandes Story offers the hope found only in Christ.
Jesus, the Great Physician, is interested in the physical as well as the
spiritual well-being of all humankind.
That is why Wycliffe does what it doesserves minority language
groups worldwide by fostering an understanding of Gods Word
In Others Words through Bible translation, while nurturing literacy, education and
[The Bible is a] most wondrous book! stronger communities.
Bright candle of the Lord! Star of Eternity!
The only star by which the bark [boat] of In this issue, we introduce a new column under an old name.
humans can navigate the sea of life, and Beyond Words is now the title for a new department in Word Alive
gain the coast of bliss securely. giving insights into the challenging Bible translation process (see pg.
Robert Pollok (1798-1827), 24). Our existing department that features a parting shot photo each
Scottish minister and author of the issue is now called A Thousand Words (after the old adage).
epic poem The Course of Time,
tracing mankinds religious history.
Contents
Features
Articles by Doug Lockhart Photographs by Alan Hood
18
Field of Dreams
14
Departments
2 Foreword Hope in the Midst of HIV-AIDS
By Dwayne Janke
By Hart Wiens
By Roy Eyre
22
Word Alive Summer 2012 wycliffe.ca 3
Watchword
W ycliffe Canadas Race to 2025 was designed to engage males in Bible translation
ministryand it is doing just that. Sixty-eight per cent of the 450 participants of
Race to 2025 have been menmany young single adultssince the first event in 2007.
M ore than 50 mother tongue speakers in South
Asia are preparing Bible stories in 14 of their
languages.
The adventure race with eternal impact, as it is billed, was initiated by Derryl The vital thing is that minority language speakers
Friesen of Wycliffes NextGen Ministries. He was discouraged by the disproportion- are getting training and learning the value of having
ate number of young women expressing interest in joining Wycliffe. stories from the Bible in their own languages, says the
We are targeting young guys and creat- Wycliffe translation consultant working with the local
ing opportunities for them to learn about, translators. As people hear the stories, they develop a
and engage in, the Bible translation move- hunger to have actual Scriptures in their own language.
ment in ways that they connect with, says In addition, more than 30 South Asians are enrolled
Derryl. Race to 2025 is definitely one of the in classes for the Serampore Diploma in Bible transla-
key ways we have done that. tion, which so far has produced the Gospel of Luke for
Teams competing in the race (www. six more languages.
wycliffe.ca/raceto2025) raise funds for
A
Bible translation, learn about Wycliffes
global ministry, and are encouraged to join African n increasing number of Africans
are receiving training to do Bible
the work themselves. Between 2007 and Language translation and related language work.
2011, racers in 13 events have raised more Workers In Kenya, the Institute for the
than $340,000 for Bible translation proj- Get Development of Languages and
ects in Sudan, Cameroon, Ghana, Congo,
Southeast Asia, India and Nepal. Training Translation in Africa (I-DELTA) held
its first set of courses in English for 50
Boost students from nine African countries.
A
Alan Hood
SIL Releases New Working new Bible transla- In Burkina Faso, I-DELTA courses using French as the
tion project has instructional language are also underway for franco-
Anthropology Software for a begun in India for a phone Africans.
W
Guatemala got a surprise recently. They received
ycliffe Germanys first deaf
members are headed to Asia to
advance sign language Bible translation
letters containing reports of people listening to record-
ed Scriptures in two villages they did not even know
T wenty-seven students celebrated their
graduation this past December from the
International Course of Linguistics, Translation
existed.
in that region. Olaf Kaiser and his wife and Literacy (CILTA) in Lima, Peru.
The translators were amazed to learn that there were
Wipawee will work out of Chiang Mai, The graduating class broke down as follows:
nine groupsof 50 persons eachlistening to record-
Thailand, training to be sign language five from Colombia, five from
ing of Gods Word they had translated for their people.
consultants. They will help review the Costa Rica, five from Mexico,
The letters included comments such as: Now it is
accuracy, clarity and naturalness of Bible three from Peru and nine
easy for us to understand the Bible because we have it
translations for the Deaf in Asia. from Venezuela.
in our own language; Friends and people from other
Meanwhile in Europe, Bible transla- Course leaders are praying that the 27 peo-
churches say they would like to have this material as
tion projects are underway in more ple will continue in ministries that accelerate
well; and Never before have we been able to have
than 20 sign languages, under the guid- the work of linguistics, translation and literacy
material like this.
ance of staff from various agencies, throughout the world.
including Wycliffe. However, there are
more than 70 known sign languages Old Testament for
used by the Deaf on the continent.
Qualified people are needed to survey
Amish on the Way
deaf communities to give direction
about which sign languages need Bible
translation.
orth Americas 200,000 Amish people
(including those pictured at left)
will soon have the Old Testament in their
N
Photo by Bill Coleman, No ToCo, LLC/AmishPhoto.com
In Africa, translation for the Deaf was Pennsylvania Deitsh mother tongue to add
given a boost in recent months. Three to the New Testament, published in 1994.
graduates of a sign language consultant- Hank Hershberger, a native speaker of
training program in Burundi recently Pennsylvania Deitsh and long-time mem-
were recognized as full consultants. And ber of Wycliffe Bible Translators, has com-
for the first time, teams from Burundi, pleted translating the Old Testament, with
Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda and Tanzania help from four speakers of the German
translated three sets of Scripture in a dialect. He expects the 10,000 copies of
DVD story format, which were distrib- the newly translated Scriptures will be
uted to their fellow Deaf in the five printed by the end of the year.
countries. If the response to the New Testament17,000 copies have been soldis any indication, the Old
It is estimated that up to 400 sign Testament should also be well accepted by many Amish.
languages could be in use around the My wife Ruth and I have received many letters telling how they appreciate the New Testament, says
world. 88-year-old Hershberger, who translated that book with several Amish men. When the New Testament
was so well received, with requests for the Old Testament too, we felt we had to do the Old
Testament, as well.
Word Count As one Amish lady using the New Testament wrote in a letter to Hershberger: . . . I have
read it clear through and am so excited about it. I have found my native language. . . . It adds
1,100 Number of different language versions
of The JESUS Film that Wycliffe staff new meaningwhich thrills my soul. At times I weep at such great clarity in simple everyday
language. It speaks to my heart.
have helped produce.
Hershberger says there is a movement among the Old Order Amish away from works righ-
248 Number of different Luke videos
Wycliffe personnel have helped produce.
teousness and the Pennsylvania Deitsh New Testament may have influenced this. It is being
used mostly by individuals or in family devotions, he adds. Some ministers are beginning to
247 Number of different Faith Comes by
Hearing audio New Testaments Wycliffe
read from the Pennsylvania Deitsh New Testaments.
With the whole Bible available, Hershberger hopes that Amish ministers will begin using
staff have helped produce. their mother tongue Scriptures in church. There Luthers Gothic Script High German Bible is
education program,
it only stops at the larger centres. It doesnt get into the villages. . . .
Some even give themselves to the
Lord because of the teaching.
(Above, left) Pierre Alimasi, seen here behind a French-language sign, heads
a local Christian group that reaches out to people with HIV and AIDS. The
sign, at the Congolese Union of Organizations of People Living with HIV-
AIDS (UCOP), urges visitors to seek treatment for sexually transmitted
diseases and thus avoid contracting HIV. Although French is the official
language of DRC, Pierre and other AIDS activists say more mother tongue
materials like Kandes Story are needed. Such materials are especially help-
ful in remote, rural areas of the country that lie outside the reach of DRCs
national AIDS-awareness program. (Left) A young woman reads her Bible
during a Swahili-language church service in Bunia. Approximately half of
DRCs 215 language groups have full Bibles, New Testaments or Bible por-
tions. Bible-based, mother tongue materials like Kandes Story often help to
promote interest in the translated Scriptures, as readers come to appreciate
the Bibles relevance to the issues they face.
Real Benefit The men confided to Freddy that when he first came to teach
Freddy is grateful for the growing network of individuals and in their village, they were sexually promiscuous. But after attend-
organizations that are battling HIV and discrimination using ing the seminar, they felt convicted by Gods Word . As a result,
Kandes Story and mother tongue Scripture, translated with the they had changed their behaviour and were even helping people
help of Wycliffe personnel and training of locals. While he won- they knew who were afflicted by HIV.
ders at times if hes making a difference, Freddy sees progress, Those and other encouraging responses help Freddy persevere
albeit slow. through the hard times, especially when hes on the road and
Two years ago, Freddy visited one village to hold a seminar. misses his family.
Afterwards, three young men came to himin tears. They had Its really hard for me. But my wife understands and she says,
first heard Freddy teach in 2009, and when he returned the fol- You are working for the Lord.
lowing year, they came to thank him. Some even give themselves to the Lord because of the teach-
They told me that my teaching made their lives better. They ing, says Freddy. Thats the real benefit of this work. Thats what
said before, their lives were full of bad things. makes me happy.
Personal Motivation
Watters shared the pastors urgency to help prevent the
spread of HIV. Back in the 1980s, she had watched as a dear
Cameroonian friend grew ill and eventually died from what was Kande and her siblings
likely AIDS. learn that Mama is
The stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS was so great that she going to have a baby.
was never tested or treated. After that, I learned about more and
more people . . . who were infected and dying.
A survey of existing materials on AIDS eventually led Watters
and Hill to Shellbook and Kandes Story. However, at that time
Shellbook was not equipped to write a teaching manual for the
story, nor were they able to do much field testing of the materi-
als. The two SIL women took on
The stigma surrounding the job, with help from many of
HIV and AIDS was so great their colleagues in Africa.
that she was never tested We had our first pilot training
course in Cameroon in 2005 with
or treated. After that, I After Kandes father dies as a
five languages, says Watters. result of AIDS, Mama grows ill
learned about more and Since then, the little booklet and learns she too has AIDS.
more people . . . who were has had significant impact in
infected and dying. the majority of the 178 language
groups where it has been trans-
lated, most of them in Africa. It is often the first AIDS-education
resource available in local languages where Bible translation and
literacy efforts are
More on the Web: Watch a video about Kandes
Story at: <videos.wycliffe.ca>.
underway.
Im really amazed
how quickly these materials have spread, Watters says. It has
been almost all by word-of-mouth and by freely sharing the elec-
tronic shells for the book so that others can translate and make
their own versions.
D R E A M S
t ivate hope by reaching out to victims of HIV-AIDS.
remembers when churches consistently resisted his efforts to come
and teach about HIV-AIDS. Furthermore, sexual topics were seldom
talked about in public or even in peoples homes.
But nowadays, things have changed because of Kandes Story,
says Pierre. Now more parents talk to their children and help them
to protect themselves from HIV.
Theres another benefit that has come from increased openness Now more parents talk
and dialoguemore and more people are being tested for HIV. to their children and
After they hear the teaching from Kandes Story, people are help them to protect
ready . . . to be tested, says local pastor Pirwoth Ulul. Before the themselves from HIV.
training, many people with HIV hid themselves.
And before, adds ACLS secretary Kahindo Jolie, people with
HIV or AIDS did not have hope. They were only waiting for death.
Through the teachings of Kandes Story, they know they can still
have a life.
T
this past year, for 16 million people. ect over the years: Paul and Kathy Kelly for several years, then Lee
and Shanon Higdon from 1993.
By Janet Seever Tremendous Cost
his past November, the dedication of the Gangam New Testament
was held in Gando, Togo, with an enthusiastic crowd of about
J ean worked on both translation and literacy until 1997. In July of
that year, leukemia, which was caused by a malaria prophylaxis,
forced her to return to Canada. A bone-marrow transplant led to
2,000 people. Eager to own Gods translated Word in their own a total cure; however, it was wiser for her to remain in Canada. So
language, 620 people bought copies. Finally, after 30 years, the since then, Jean has put her energies into research on the Gangam
Gangam peoplewho number more than 66,000 have the New languages phonology, tone and verb systems.
Testament in the language they understand best. Lee and Shanon continued working with a team of nationals
I was very moved today to see the arrival of the cartons of until 2003, when a local manwho had been sent to Ivory Coast
Gangam New Testaments, said senior translator Andr Gnanl to obtain an advanced degree in Bible translationbegan leading
Lamboni, because now, at last, the whole population of Gando the project.
will know that what we have been doing has been serious and On the day of the dedication, the Higdons felt a surprising
useful work. mixture of emotions. We experienced a deep sense of joy and
Wycliffe Canadas Jean Reimer, along with her first translation satisfaction at seeing the Gangam people finally gain access to
colleague Bonnie (Walker) Price, from the U.S., began working in Gods Word in their own language, says Lee. But at the same
the Gangam language in 1981. The Gangam community leaders time we were sobered as we realized the tremendous cost to both
agreed to a translation project even though the majority of the the expatriates and the nationals who have been involved in the
ethnic group followed the traditional religion. translation process. Its clear that we were all involved in a spiri-
Over the years, various Christian denominations have started tual battle.
churches in the Gangam region, which overlaps with the neigh- Looking back on the work, Jean sees Gods hand in it all.
bouring nation of Benin. Today, more than 30 churches and mis- Even before our arrival in 1981, she says. God was putting
sions work in the area. When churches were first planted, the only many pieces into place to prepare the way for the Gangam people
Scripture they had was in French or was translated on the spur of to have His Word in their language. It has been breathtaking to
watch His plan unfold.
Really Clear to Me
T wo other Wycliffe Canada members are also celebrating this
year with the language group in which they served. Since
March 2011, thetranslated New Testament has been available to
more than 100,000 speakers in a sensitive area of Asia.*
A wonderful answer to prayer is that the New Testament is
being distributed bya national organization, saysCanadian mem-
ber Paul*, who with his wife Cathy*, has worked in this sensitive
area of the world for many years.
In the past, the believers received individual New Testament
books or photo copies in their language, he says. Now they have
the whole New Testament.
From one of the national workers, Paul learned that believers
from otherorganizations in this area, who had the Scriptures only
__________________________________________
*Because of sensitivity, the real names of the translators and the name of the language
group cannot be given.
Marianne Harvey
Editors Note: This is the first in a series of articles reflecting on to a Bible study where participants are each assigned to read one
the verse John 3:16 word by word. The series will illustrate some of several verses scattered throughout the Bible? Such a process
of the challenges Bible translators face as they seek to present results in a serious loss of continuity. Reading Bible verses in isola-
Gods Good News in every language spoken on earth. tion should therefore be avoided, both when studying and when
translating the Bible.
Part 1
Translation in Context For Six Ways
The Greek word may be translated by a number of different
T he first fact that a person used to reading the Bible in English words, depending on the context in which it is used. It is
English must face is that the John 3:16 verse was originally found eight times from John 3:16-4:8. In those eight occurrences,
written in Greek. To fully understand and appreciate all of the translators of the NRSV have used six different ways of rep-
the nuances of the text we must look at what John actually wrote. resenting it. In 3:16 it is for; in 3:17 indeed; in 3:19 because;
Here is the text in Greek with its English meaning under in 3:24 of course; in 3:34, it is left untranslated in its first occur-
each word: rence; and in 4:8 it is represented by ( ) to set the verse off as
parenthetical.
In linguistics, we call this little word a discourse particle
because it has no specific meaning alone, but together with other
words it helps to connect what is being said in the overall con-
text. English versions frequently do not translate this particle by
any single word, but rather let its meaning come out in the way
that sentences are put together in the overall flow of the text.
F
person used to reading isolation. It is part of a larger text. In fact
or God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
the chapter and verse numbers found in
the Bible in English our Bibles were not in the original text.
so that everyone who believes in him may not perish
but may have eternal life.
must face is that this This is an important point, not only for
the translator, but also for the reader or
One of the most important challenges a Bible translator faces
is translating the expression for God. The importance of this
verse was originally student of the text.
small word is captured in the following statement by Lawrence
Every verse of the Bible should be read
written in Greek. and studied in its entire context rather
O. Richards in his Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Multiple
volumes have been written to explore this short word.
than as a verse in isolation from the
The Bible assumes that God exists. It opens with the words,
larger text. To read, study or translate a verse of Scripture in isola-
In the beginning God. . . . But to the Hebrew people, in whose
tion violates the integrity of the text. Yet how often have you been
language the Old Testament was originally written, the names
Far-reaching Decision
In cultures where the Christian tradition is already well
entrenched, there is often not much of a decision left; an accept-
able way of referring to God has already been established.
However, in those languages where Christian teaching is new and
the Scriptures are being translated for the first time, the decision
about how to translate the
Greek in this verse
One of the most can be quite far-reaching.
I recently heard a speaker
important challenges
Dave Crough
supreme or ultimate reality. Reprinted with permission from the Canadian Bible Societys Translating the Gospel
article series, written by Hart Wiens, CBS director of Scripture translations. Wiens
Translators who choose this solution of and his wife Ginny served with Wycliffe Canada in a Bible translation project among
using a common native term for God, frequently face an impor- the Kalinga people in the Philippines for 19 years. More recently, Hart has been the
tant reality: the indigenous term may have meanings associated Wycliffe Canada board chairman.
Open to Interpretation
Alan Hood
Pirwoth Ulul, a cheerful Congolese pastor and missionary who speaks
several languagesincluding Englishinterpreted for the Word
Alive team during their visit to Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC), this past year. As they met the various people featured in this
issue, the veteran minister patiently explained who they were and
how they were contributing to HIV-AIDS education in that region of
DRC. Pastor Ulul and others like him are among the many unsung
heroes who faithfully serve God in their home nations, and gra-
ciously assist Word Alive writers and photographers to bring you the
stories and photographs featured in this magazine.
explained that there are more than 20 different Inuit the idea that if
words that English attempts to encapsulate in the someone killed Cain,
word snow. hed receive a larger punishment than the punishment
But other languages have a more limited vocabu- he meted out to Cain.
lary. Wycliffes Ken and Mendy Nehrbass are Bible The manuscript of the New Testament is currently
translation consultants on an island in Vanuatu, in the being printed and the Southwest Tanna will soon have
middle of the South Pacific. Ken once tried to convey Gods Word in a form they can understand.
to me the difficulty of translating into the Southwest I may never know everything that translators, like
Tanna language: Ken and Mendy, face. But I do know this: Wycliffe
Translated Genesis 2-4 yesterday. Youd think that Canada is just as committed in 2012 to accurate, clear
the difficulty with translating would be that there and natural translation for every remaining language
are so many ways to say somethinghow do you as we were 60 years ago when our personnel first
narrow it down? But every chapter of the Bible starting serving in this amazing and life-changing
presents the opposite problem for a language like work.
SW Tanna: theres no way to say it! Like [in Gen. Roy Eyre is the president of Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada.
PM 40062756
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