We have finished proof reading our New Testament translation in both dialects :-). Carol expects to finish formatting the mountain dialect NT in about two more days. Gene has started scrolling through mountain dialect files to see if there are any problems in the formatting. Carol has already done this, but asked Gene to do it too as it is so easy to miss something that is misplaced. He has done Matthew, and the only thing he found was one place that just needs another space.
The lowland dialect NT has been slowed up a bit because we’ve decided that because there are areas of the lowlands that haven’t yet been reached where some of the words are different than the areas already reached it would be good if we make adjustments in our lowland translation to accommodate those other areas. We are still researching words. They will be put in parenthesis and placed after the lowland words that are already in the translation so for some words there will be two words, one in parenthesis. Like this: “pigyotajan (nahagu’).” Anyone reading the translation will be able to read the word that relates to their dialect. Pulding and Mahan will be going to the lowlands tomorrow to check words in a couple of villages. Please PRAY for wisdom as we decide just which words need to be included as alternates in the translation.
Gene is busy cutting paper. No, not dolls. The Philippine Bible Society (PBS), which will be printing our two NT’s, requires both PDF files and a copy on paper. So Gene is cutting pieces of paper 5 38″ x 8 14″ out of sheets of 8 12″ x 11″ paper. We only need 2,400 of those pieces of paper! Our paper cutter will only cut through six sheets of paper at a time so it is going to take awhile!
Our goal is to have everything ready to take to the printer by August 15.
In our last update we asked you to pray for Jujin, the new Bible teacher who has been very faithful teaching kids the evangelistic phases of the teaching. But, he is a teenager (19) so subject to all the peer pressure and worldly things that Satan could use to draw him away from serving the Lord. He has missed a couple of teaching sessions lately and will also miss teaching this coming Saturday as he is in the lowlands having helped to raft logs down river to sell. He did not arrange for someone else to take his place teaching before he left for the lowlands. Please KEEP PRAYING for him.
HOT OFF THE PORCH
We have mentioned many times how disappointing it is to have school teachers teach reading in our village but using languages that the children don’t understand. Rare are the ones who learn to read. Two school teachers who just started here in our village a few weeks ago came this evening and are excited about using our literacy material to teach the children to read and write in their own language, Manubu’. So, tomorrow we’ll be printing 43 copies of the first literacy book in the series.
We pray that you too are excited as you see the fruit of your prayers and giving. Completing the NT is a major milestone. But, it is not the end – still much to do in providing the Manubu’ churches with teaching and learning materials.