TOO THANKFUL TO PRAY
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| Checking the Lauje New Testament |
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May 15, 2007
by Ian Fallis
When was the last time you were so joyful that you couldn't even finish a prayer of thanksgiving? What could make you that happy?
For Melki, it happened last week. His people, the Laujes of Indonesia, took a giant step toward having the complete New Testament in their language.
Barrie Williamson wrote that with last week's check of the book of Luke, "every verse of the Lauje translation of the New Testament has been checked and approved by a qualified translation checker."
It's a task that has taken 15 years. "To put that in perspective, we began translating using a once-popular machine called a manual typewriter and made copies with something called carbon paper," Barrie wrote.
Melki, a Lauje believer, has helped Barrie through much of the Bible translation. For this final check Atriise, who has never done translation checking, joined them. Bob Clark, a missionary with experience and skill in Bible translation, served as a consultant on the check. They checked an average of 165 verses a day, reading through them and asking well-thought-out questions to expose any weaknesses in the translation.
"When we completed the final verses, we stopped and thanked God together for this marvelous achievement," Barrie wrote. "Melki was unable to finish his prayer of thanksgiving as he was so overcome with emotion."
To translate God's Word, Barrie needed a good understanding of the Bible and of the principles involved in translation. That's why the specialized training he received from New Tribes Mission included Bible school and missionary training.
Friday, 70 students will graduate from the New Tribes Bible Institute in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Another 75 are graduating from the New Tribes Bible Institute in Jackson, Michigan, on Saturday. Many of these students will go into missions, most of them proceeding to the Missionary Training Center in order to serve with New Tribes Mission.
Please pray that nothing will hinder those who desire to go on to serve God as full-time missionaries, and that those who choose not to will continue to be involved in missions and help others get involved.
Also Saturday, commencement will be held for 67 students who have completed the missionary training course. Virtually all of those students will go on to be missionaries with New Tribes Mission and embark on perhaps the scariest part of being a missionary, partnership development. Please thank God for these people who are giving their lives to Him, and pray for wisdom and guidance in the difficult decisions ahead.
The Missionary Training Center is expecting as many as 120 new students in the fall, but has classroom and housing space for only 110. Please pray for the necessary funds and work for further construction, so this center can train even more missionaries to help expand the reach of the Gospel to every tribe.
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