Hello Friends,
I am out of the jungle and using the opportunity to send some pictures and news. We recently printed some more of our Bible books and we also had some people making donations towards getting it printed and into people’s hands.
As you know we have many Old Testament portions translated and also Mark, Acts, Rome and Ephesians. All this still needs to go though some testes but it is great to see people at last being able to read Gods Word in their own language!
This is all possible due to your prayer and support! So a special thanks to you today!
Step 1
The process started very long ago when you guys send us out to come and work among the Mengen people. After years of training, field orientation, building airstrips etc we could at last start learning the language and culture. And only after all of that we could start to translate the first verses in Genesis! All the translation work then goes through many steps before it can finally be printed and distributed. It needs to be checked for correct content and comprehension and then it is checked by or translation consultants. And only then is it ready to be printed. Here in the picture we are visiting with some people from another village who have not heard any of Gods Word yet in their own language. We will typically use such guys to help with comprehension checks.
Step 2
Long before we start printing any books we need to teach people how to read and write. It is thus so that we analyzed the language, developed an orthography and eventually developed a literacy program that is now used to teach people to read and write. We have also trained teachers to teach others and the literacy program is currently running independently from us.
Step 3
After a lot of very hard work and rigorous tests the books are now ready to be printed. We send copies to our friend on our support centre who helps us with printing. He then digitally prepare everything and gets the books printed.
Step 4
He then sorts out all the pages and gets it all cut up neatly. He has all the equipment that is needed to do this kind of job and played a crucial role in seeing the Mengen people reached.
All the cover pages are also printed and laminated and the cut to size. This is nothing less than a huge task! Some times any loose hand is appreciated to come and help with cutting and binding! We really do appreciate these guys helping us in this way!
Step 5
Now each book gets bound with a spiral binder. At the moment we are only printing and binding individual books until later when we have the whole Bible translated and then we will have it printed as a single book.
Here our missionary friend is holding the first ever printed book of Mark in the Mengen language.
“Op die oomblik druk en bind ons een Bybel boek op ‘n slag tot al die boeke vertaal is.”
Step 6
Here is a missionary named Dan who was our supply buyer. He buys all our supplies and keep us alive in the bush. Here he is holding on of the containers with the books all packed sealed and weighed and ready to be transported. He played a crucial role in the chain to ensure we are linked properly with all and everyone that is needed to get our task done sufficiently.
Step 7
The next step is to get it transported into the tribe. We are so thankful for a pilot to help us with all of that! Just think how it would have been if we had to hike 3 days long carrying all these books and stuff on our shoulders through tough jungle and rivers etc.
So we are thankful to have a pilot and an airstrip to get our Bibles delivered in our village.
Step 8
At last we can give the people the books into their hands. Here on this picture is the day we gave the people the book of Mark for the first time. And here is a guy reading it in his own language!
Step 9
We are also working on other books at the moment! We are getting the books of Acts , Rome and Ephesians ready to go through its final checks and then to be printed and distributed.
Here I am standing and holding a test copy of the book of Ephesians.
Step 10
As you know the gospel is suppose to go to other tribes and people groups and also other villages in our own people group. So here I am standing with the guys who went and visited other villages a while back. They are carrying with them copies of the printed portions of the Bible.
Nothing that you see here is possible without your prayers and financial support! So we thank you guys for all your effort! W do not even know all the people praying for us or supporting us financially but we know that God knows and He will reward you!
The last step would be to come and visit and have a look for yourself!
Love and thanks from the Mengen believers