Some are sent to different lands to assist in translation, while others
stay at home in order to help support the work of Bible Translation. Those that
are sent have many different ways of working.
Here in Papua New Guinea, there
are many different roles where people can get involved. Some work in translation and language development,
others support the process of doctors,
teachers,
accountants
and construction
workers. Some teach people how to read
and others teach teachers how to use heart languages in their classroom.
Meet JoAnne, a Papua New Guinean who is currently working with SIL.
JoAnne, a Kuanua speaker from Rabaul who is a compositer/printer by
trade, first came to work in the Ukarumpa Print Shop in 1989. At the time,
JoAnne didn’t know anything about Ukarumpa or Bible translation. “I just thought, well, I can try it out…and I’m
still here!” She laughed at the memory.
While she was working in the Print Shop, JoAnne came to know Jesus in a Bible study. “I really
love my job,” she smiled. “I feel that this is where God has put me…I
am really supportive of Bible translation
and the translators… We are all a part
of this. I tell my friends, I’m not a preacher or an evangelist, but
what I do here in the Print Shop, it’s part of building God’s kingdom.”
Not only
does the Print
Shop produce Scripture portions, literacy books
and hymnals, but they also create other
much needed items
like certificates, receipt
books, passport photos, letterheads, invoices, record books, textbooks
and much more.
Their reputation of high
quality work also brings in commercial jobs
from around the
country.
“We are always
running!” JoAnne
shook her head.
“We’ll work during
the night if we have to… [But]
God is always helping us. Every time we think
it’s too much for us, somehow we get
them done on time, on the plane
and shipped out. God is always good.”
In the beginning, JoAnne thought of printing as
just as another job. ”And then one day, it dawned on me—I’m
printing Scripture! I got really
excited when I realized this
is the Word, and I’m a part
of it! That
was… life-changing for
me… I feel it’s my ministry.”
How should you be involved? Pray that God would show you His plan for accomplishing the task of getting the Scriptures in
every heart language.
Article taken from the SIL PNG 2015 Annual Report
