TRANSLATING THE WORD WHEN WORDS ARE LACKING
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| Matt Arnold teaching a Northern Tepehuan man |
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November 15, 2006
by Ian Fallis
This week, the translations of Romans and Ephesians in the language of the Northern Tepehuan people of Mexico are moving one big step closer to completion.
Kevin Case has worked with Gregorio and some other Tepehuan men to translate the two books, which are now being checked for comprehension. This means some Tepehuans who have not been involved in translating the books will have the opportunity to read them, one passage at a time, and then talk with missionaries about what they understand the passages to mean.
Each passage they understand correctly moves the Romans and Ephesians closer to printing. Each passage they do not understand correctly is a passage that needs to be revised. This is one of the final stages of checking. It began Monday and is expected to be completed Saturday.
"Within months," wrote missionary Matt Arnold, "the [Northern] Tepehuan believers will have those two precious books to add to the Old Testament portions, Mark and Acts in their language!"
One of the biggest hurdles is the fact that the Northern Tepehuan language lacks words for some key concepts in Romans and Ephesians, such as sin, righteousness and holiness. Through New Tribes Mission's specialized training, Kevin, Matt and other missionaries have learned that language reflects the culture, and the language lacks those words because the concepts are also lacking in the Northern Tepehuan worldview.
They learned how to dig deeper into the culture to unearth ways to express these concepts, as part of the overall process of not only learning the culture and language, but developing relationships and planting a church. Sound complex? It is! And that's precisely why NTM's training is so important.
This means the role you're playing in the ongoing improvements at NTM's Missionary Training Center is also important. You're helping make it possible to expand the reach of the Gospel to every tribe. Thank you!
Please pray:
• The training center is very much in need of a new classroom building. Pray for finances for this building.
• Praise! More student housing is vital in order to train more missionaries and reach more tribes, and there's been progress. The third student four-plex has been inspected. On the fourth four-plex, the pad has been poured, and a volunteer group has come to frame the walls.
• Pray for the sale New Tribes Mission properties in Oregon and Indiana. Proceeds will be used to help complete the Missionary Training Center, so more tribal people can hear the Gospel.
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