We are so grateful for everyone who has prayed and continues to pray for the translation to be completed. Especially pray the word will take root in the hearts of the Tepehuan believers and for Tepehuan speakers to have a heart for helping with finishing the translation. They are not used to sitting for long periods of time doing concentrated mental work. Kevin usually uses one person in the morning and one in the afternoon to make it easier for them.
It is amazing to complete the rough draft of the New Testament in Tepehuan and see light at the end of the tunnel. We still have some tasks to complete before we can do a final print. We are at 90%. We still have 4 checks with Tepehuan speakers for the remaining books as well as the final consultant check for those books.
The individual books we have printed off for the Tepehuan people have been well received and often read. They like having the Word in their own language because they understand it at a deeper level than reading the Spanish Bible. They can understand it.
Over the next year to two years Kevin will need to work with several Tepehuan speakers who grasp the need for the Word of God in their language to do the laborious task of going over each book, chunk by chunk until we are sure they clearly understand the passage. We will do that by having Tepehuan people come into town and by making the 10 hour trip out to the tribal location to achieve this task.
This is to make sure we are accurately communicating the truth of the Word in natural sounding Tepehuan.
It is important because, it is the Word of God, which should be communicated clearly and accurately. We want them to know that God loves them and wants to communicate/have a relationship with them. We don’t want them to say “God doesn’t speak our language so he is someone else’s God.”
After the final consultant check, we will have some final changes, then format the entire New Testament for professional printing.
Bible translation is a very spiritual aspect and having believers to use during the “check” the portions is vital to a clear understanding and clarity of the truths in each passage. Some of the fun of checking the portions is seeing the lights go on when someone understands or gains clarity in a concept about God that has been unclear or new to them. That takes a work of the Holy Spirit in the life of each person involved. Each verse that we translate is a step of faith trusting that God is guiding the choices of words as we translate HIS Word into the Tepehuan language.
The status of the Tepehuan church is of major concern to us. They live very scattered independent lives and this has translated over to the church in many aspects. We desire to see more unity among the believers, being involved in each other’s daily lives. We also want to see their increased desire to share truth with others around them. There are about 25 believers who are scattered through the region.
8/14: Rejoice with us! Kevin completed the initial draft of the New Testament in Tepehuan. This is one big milestone achieved by the grace of God. There is still a lot of work to do with the drafted books, but it is a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank the Lord with us. Pray God will prepare hearts of Tepehuan people to help with the checks needed to complete this task. Your prayers have been a big part of seeing this happen. We are thankful.
8/1: Kevin finished the initial draft of 1 John Friday. Just 2 and 3 John to go. They are the last books to work on, which are small, but mighty. Rejoice with us that the end of the initial draft is in sight. We are grateful to the Lord for this time HE has set aside for Kevin to complete this part of the task. That does not mean the work is complete. There are still several checks for it to go through before it is finished. It is always fun to spend time with the Tepehuan believers to see what they take away from it and what they understand as we go check each verse with them. Continue to pray for God to prepare hearts among the Tepehuan people to come alongside and complete the New Testament in their language.
6/1: Translation: For those who like to keep track of Kevin’s progress, he is working on Jude right now.
5/4: Translation Corner: Kevin is working through 2 Peter. There are some challenging concepts contained in that book. 2 Peter 1:19 states, “And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your heart”. Do we really understand it in English? How do we communicate this to people who take things very literally? We do appreciate your prayers for wisdom, clarity and direction as the project of translation moves forward.
2/9: Translation Corner: The draft for James is now completed. As you know, the drafting of a book is just the first step in a long process. Will you continue to pray for Tepehuan speakers who desire to be a part of completing the remaining steps? Pray for God to prepare their hearts and give them a yearning to see God’s Word in their own language and how they can be a vital part of that process. Pray for our co-workers, Matt, Starr, Chris and Rachel as they work with the believers and deal with the daily challenges of life and culture in the mountains.
1/13: Kevin finished the rough draft of 2 Corinthians on Thursday! Yeah!
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