Eyes to See, Ears to Hear

Archive for September, 2008

We have now been back in Tanzania for five months and oh, how that time has flown by! But it hasn’t been without progress. Literally, we have spoken to you about vernacular media and Jonathan’s role for years now. The milestone of the start of actual media production is finally about to pass and you have the opportunity to contribute directly so millions can hear God’s Word in their heart language.
The Old Testament books of Ruth and Jonah have been translated and published. Since the literacy rate is extremely low for one’s heart language, the need is urgent to record these books into audio form. Between now and next June, our goal is to accomplish this in all nine languages in which the books are complete. This is a large initiative that needs a considerable amount of planning, prayer, coordination and funding.
We estimate that each language will be able to have 250 cassettes produced at a cost of $350.00 per group. So, to completely fund the project of recording Ruth and Jonah we will need $3,150.00.
Please pray God will provide for this project to be successful to completion. Also, please continue to pray for the people to whom we are ministering and that these translation audio recordings will impact their lives.

(To contribute to this recording, write a note stating MICP Vernacular Media (UTB 44410356253) with a check payable to Wycliffe, and place both in an envelope addressed to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862. Just like other regular and one-time gifts, this is tax-deductible.)

What is your first feeling when someone says that to you?  Do you see them Pharisee-like, proclaiming the fact only to be recognized for their own personal glory?  That’s been my tendency because why announce it, right?  Wrong.  In the body of Christ, we should share each others burdens and pray for each other.  How can you pray for someone while they’re fasting if you don’t know they’re fasting?  Kinda hard, huh?  In this prayer and fasting guide Bill Bright said:

By isolating ourselves from the support of other Christians, we will be more susceptible to doubts and negative influences (both human and demonic). We need the prayer shield of our Christian friends and family members to help us continue when we feel alone and when the enemy tempts us to give up Our Lord as he did Jesus Christ.

So, back to the title of this post.  Indeed, I am fasting today.  I’m fasting to get back close to God.  Too long have I just done the things a good Christian missionary should do all-the-while neglecting the very person all of these things are for – Jesus.  Please pray for me as I want to experience the real reason of doing those things… and He does too…

I encourage you that if you’re fasting, make it a point to tell fellow believers so you can be supported.

I just got off the phone with Rev. Labord, team leader for the Kinga translation.  Man, he speaks Swahili very fast! Nevertheless, I was able to tentatively make arrangements to travel to Makete in late October to record more biblically-based songs as well as Ruth & Jonah.  This is EXTREMELY exciting for me.  Audio production is the part of my role that gets my blood flowing.  I’ve got six hours of actual recording planned for each of six days.  That way I’ll have some time with the Rev each evening to do any onsite editing that’s needed. Things are really moving right along over here!

Below is my tentative schedule for the recording of Ruth & Jonah in the MICP languages.

2008
Sep 29 – Oct 3: Sangu
Oct 20 – Oct 24: Kinga
Dec 8 – Dec 12: Nyakyusa

2009
Jan 12 – Jan 16: Bena
Feb 9 – Feb 13: Safwa
Mar 16 – Mar 20: Malila
Apr 13 – Apr 17: Vwanji
May 11 – May 15: Ndali
June 8 – June 12: Nyiha

If you’re keeping up with all of the langauge groups with which we are working, you’ll notice one is missing from that list… Bungu.  That is because Ruth & Jonah are not finished in that language due to a lack of translators.  Although we aren’t able to move forward with the Bible translation, we have offered to help in Bible storying & songs.

Kinga Songs

You may remember from these two posts (To Makete and Beyond, Project 2) that I’ve had the opportunity to record some Bible-based songs in the Kinga language.  Did I write them?  No.  Did our translators write them?  No.  The old man in the picture has written them all… wait, I can’t say written because they aren’t written down.  He has inscribed them upon his heart for more than 50+ years… thought them up… made them without pen and paper.  See if you can comprehend what he’s put into this task and the path which God’s Word has travelled…

These songs (I wouldn’t doubt there are at least 100 in his memory) are every single one in his heart language, a language which has never been in written form until within the past 6-8 years or so.  He told me his first song was from his teenage years.  He is 70+ now.  That means all of his songs have come from him hearing stories from the Bible in another language, probably Swahili.  Go further… the Bible didn’t exist in Swahili when he started creating his Kinga songs.  So, the person the old man heard speaking about the Bible in Swahili heard it from yet another bilingual person who told these stories to him in a language he knew.  I’m going to ask the old Kinga man from where the stories came by which he has made all of his songs.  I can tell something extremely interesting is to be discovered.  I like where this is going…

See the video from the studio recording of a Kinga song here.

My intention is to make sure all of his songs are recorded before he meets the One which they are all about, if you catch my drift.  So, hopefully next month I’ll be able to travel to Makete again to record all of the rest of the songs he knows and the books of Ruth and Jonah in Kikinga.

Here’s a better map of the language group and the area around Mbeya:

A week ago this past Friday, I helped a translation advisor, Tat-Yu, by recording the last four chapters of The Gospel of Mark in Kimalila.  On the map, you can see the name Malila in green.  That is the name of that particular people group but if you refer to a language, you always put Ki- at the beginning.  That’s why you’ll sometimes see us refer to Swahili as Kiswahili.  Anyway, Tat-Yu works with Kimalila and is going to do some community testing on the latest draft of the Mark translation.  She asked if I would help put it into audio form for her to allow test groups to listen in order that she may assess comprehension levels.  But, of course I would help!  She still has a long way to go before Mark is finalized, approved and eventually printed.  But I’m glad I can help like this.  As of today, I’ve finished editing two chapters and will hopefully have the other two ready for her this week.

Vernacular Media (my work) is really getting into full-swing here in Mbeya.  I have tons to do and the going is still slow as I gather my bearings.  I’ve spent a lot of time researching material resources; cassette tapes from Dar es Salaam, cassette labels from New York, character speakers from remote villages.  Now things are on the verge of actual recording!

I can’t remember if I’ve posted this but here it is again…

… the map of languages around Mbeya with whom we’re working.  Since there are so many and each at a different point in having audio in their mother tongue, I’m creating a new category & subcategories.  So, if you become interested in a particular group and how the recordings are going for them, you can just click their category in the section in the sidebar of my main page.

I’ll start with a post tomorrow about how I helped with some of the translation of The Gospel of Mark in Kimalila.