A few years ago I wrote a few words down. My intent was nothing more than an effort to try and communicate what it was that was in my mind at the time. More specifically, the passion and fervor I had for Bible Translation and the baffling reality that millions and millions of people (250 million at last calculation) don’t even remotely have what I have. Nearly countless hundreds of language groups (1,956 at last ‘count’) that don’t even have one verse of the Bible in their language and here my language, my ‘mother tongue’ (which may or may not be obvious depending on how well you think I write, LOL), has hundreds of complete versions in different translation renderings alone!

Where was the ‘outcry’ from the ‘church’? Where were my friends hiding? Why wasn’t this the #1 hashtag on Twitter? Well, tempered reality aside, not too much has changed from my elementary musings that follow. I even approached two musician friends I was sure (hopeful) would “see” the need and ‘feel’ the burden and put music to the below cry. I even posited that they could write their own.

Well…nothing transpired. But I still have a vision and dream of pursuing such activity further in the future. Engaging the arts while engaging others to the reality that exists—that bible poverty is a very significant reality for very significant and important people all across the globe—could potentially be just one wave of awareness in a tidal wave that does in fact #endbiblepoverty

“Love In Every Language”

Every tribe, tongue, & nation
A Bible Translation

There’s a boy who is growing
Yet he’s not knowing
Of The One whose Love is Pure

A Bible Translation
Every tribe, tongue, & nation

There’s a girl who is trying
Yet she’s still crying
Out for The One whose Love is Pure

Hundreds of translations in my language alone;
Yet there are hundreds of languages that have never even known…
Of the Love, Peace, & Joy
That is found in His Word,
Coming to life for the first time in a language that has never heard.

To love in every language is to give the Word of Life to every tongue.
To love in every language is to give the Word of Life…to everyone.

The boy is a man now
and he still has not heard
That God loves him deeply,
As promised in His Word.

And for the girl who’s grown
There’s a Love she’s known,
Now she’s teaching Good News
In a language of her own.

(Click on PIC to enlarge)

This hair piece is actually Drew’s (a gift I got him while working in Lae). He put it on me and then someone I had only just met snapped this photo. Good times, haha.

So…do you think I should go all-red, all-yellow, all-black, or just ‘maski’ (‘mah-ski’; forget) the whole thing? 🙂 Such hair ‘bilas’ (‘bee-loss’; decoration) is often used in PNG for ‘sing-sings’ (celebrations) and other traditional custom purposes. 🙂

The below picture was taken while I (tOdd) was on a buying trip in Goroka–which is located a few bumpy hours away up the Highlands (west of where we currently are). The Goroka area is also home to another missions organization called New Tribes Mission.

Below is a picture inside the ‘coveted’ (I use that term loosely, of course :)) Blue Mountain Coffee production warehouse–where Arabica Coffee’s most popular coffee is manufactured. This, as some might say, is where the ‘happiness’ is packaged. LOL 😀

We been here over a year now and we’d like to share some thoughts . . .

*

Things I got used to sooner than I thought I would:

“Swimming in the river” – Alyssa

“Walking barefoot” – Andrew

“Hearing Tok Pisin” – Alyssa

“Walking/driving on the left” – Cathy

“Hearing birds every morning” – Cathy

“Not having a hot shower in the morning” – Todd

“Smelling jasmine and gardenia frequently” – Cathy

*

Things I still haven’t gotten used to:

 “The talking parrot next door” – Alyssa

“Rats in the attic” – everyone

“Speaking Tok Pisin” – Andrew

“Flipping the light switch up to turn a light off” – Cathy

“Having summer sun all year” – everyone

“Cold nights. Like camping cold.” – Cathy

“Saying ‘Good night’ as a greeting” – Todd

“Candy being so expensive” – Alyssa

“Poinsettia plants the size of hydrangeas” – Cathy

“Not having a chiropractor” – everyone

“Knowing the sun RISES on the Pacific here” – Cathy

*

Things that were different than I thought they would be:

“Houses. I thought we would live in a village house.” – Alyssa

“Trees. Lots of the trees look like the Northwest. I expected more of a rainforest.” –Andrew

“I always saw blue trucks in Oregon and they have them here too!” – Andrew

“No bartering.” – Todd

“I didn’t know I would have so many friends here.” – Alyssa

“I didn’t know they would have unicycles here.” – Andrew

“I didn’t expect same-day medical care like we have here in the clinic.” – Todd

“We have a three-story tree house in our back yard!” – Alyssa

“They have computers at the school.” – Andrew

“The internet speed and availability is much better than we expected it to be.” – Todd

“Kids here eat vegetables.” – Cathy

“I didn’t know there was such a strong tea culture in PNG.

It brings with it a lot of sweet cracker-type treats.” – Todd

*

Things I really like:

“Horses!” – Andrew and Alyssa

“Tennis and riding ripsticks” – Andrew

“Swimming in the river” – Alyssa

“Burnables. I like burning the trash.” – Andrew

“All the amazing people here and the culture of community” – Cathy

“Walking to a friend’s house almost every day” – Alyssa

“No traffic jams” – Todd

“It’s sunny more than it’s cloudy.” – Cathy

“Going to the store and yard sales” – Alyssa

“Living around and interacting with Papua New Guineans” – everyone

*

We are thankful to be here as we continue to learn how to thrive in the part of the earth where God has placed us. Thank for the prayers and partnerships that sustain us! We are blessed to be on this journey.

Christmas traditions and activity are a mite different here as compared to those from our home in Oregon. There are cultural nuances–both PNG’ian as well as from other expats–but the most obvious one is: weather. Essentially, it’s summer here and, as such, we’ve enjoyed the following over the past few days: singing Christmas Carols at night around a campfire, swimming in the river, wearing shorts and flip-flops, and, of course, eating watermelon. Sound familiar? 🙂

I recently read this and it pretty much sums up my feelings during this time period “What I’d like to have for Christmas I can tell you in a minute, the Family all around me and the home with laughter in it“.

As you gather–and I hope you’re able–with family and friends during this season, I pray you’ll be encouraged by our King’s Sacrifice of Love and the Promise we embrace of His Return.

The following is the annual Wycliffe Christmas Greeting video, we hope you enjoy seeing just a glimpse of what is transpiring around the world in Bible Translation.

From our home in PNG to yours–Merry Christmas!

Wycliffe Christmas Greeting – 2012

So stoked AND excited (there is a difference, lol) to share the following updated stats re: Bible Translation needs throughout the world:

***For the first time ever, that number has dropped below 2,000! The new translation need number is 1,967—worth celebrating!

***For the first time there are more translation programs in progress than there are translation needs.

***With a world population of over 7 billion, the number of people without access to God’s Word in the language that serves them best is now approximately 209 million.

***More people have more access to Scripture than in any previous generation.

***Every generation before us saw the numbers increasing as more and more languages were discovered, and more translation needs were verified. Now that trend has been reversed.

***The finish line is in sight, and the last translator for the last Bible translation program is alive somewhere in the world today.
(view the info plus additional stats from Wycliffe Global Alliance)