PNG: Bible Translation Awareness Weekend

Good friends of ours, Jim and Ginny Tomlinson, are currently serving as Madang Center Managers.  The center is used as a hub for translation teams in the Madang Province. 

They shared this encouraging news:


Students from Divine Word and several Madang technological  schools – Friday eve

The last weekend in April a team of volunteers came from Ukarumpa to help us with creating awareness of translation needs for the 100 remaining groups without scripture in Madang province. This initiative was designed to bring awareness and to trust the Lord to move in the hearts of some to become involved in helping in the work. It was a huge success, we were able to see how God had prepared the hearts of the local congregations for this challenge.

Pastors from all across Madang province interested in translation progress

 Friday evening a group of several hundred college students gathered for a praise and worship service which included two hours of in-depth explanation of the what, why and how of doing a translation and the need for indigenous translators and literacy workers to be trained to work in groups still without scripture. Saturday  afternoon Jim and few others spoke to a group of pastors attending their denominational conference. They serve in villages throughout the province and want their people to help with next steps towards needed translations. We will follow up with these groups. Sunday morning the group divided up going to 7 different churches each giving a presentation as part of the morning services. Church times are very flexible and invitations to share about translation of scriptures ranged from 40 minutes to 2 hours in length with most churches opting for the longer presentation.

MegaVoice: Orally Communicating God's Word

Jimmy, an older man who had practised divination and magic all his life, first heard the Scriptures in his language on someone else’s MegaVoice. He was intrigued, obtained his own machine and listened intently to God’s Word. ‘All my life I have practised magic, but after hearing God’s Word, I know that this is the truth?’ He became a Christian, gave up his magic and immediately began sharing his new-found faith in Christ. He still doesn’t read but continues to grow in faith by listening to his MegaVoice, and faithfully sharing Christ with others.

Not everyone will be able to read the translated Scriptures in their own language but that will not stop them from hearing the translated word with new technology like MegaVoice. MegaVoice is a small solar-powered self-contained digital audio player onto which the North Tanna New Testament has been recorded. They are in hot demand and making a difference in people’s lives.

From Beyond Words,

To read more how technology is being used in Vanuatu and else where,  click here. 

For more information on our work in Vanuatu click here. 

To read another story of MegaVoice use in Papua New Guinea, click here. 

Managers are needed in Papua New Guinea!

One of the greatest needs/roles we have in the work of Bible translation is managers and administrators. Did you know that the managerial skills you have could be used to further Bible translation? These are critical-mission roles and when they aren't filled, quite often a Bible translator is asked to fill a role until someone else can take over.  Thus, serving in this role not only contributes to the Bible translation efforts in all of Papua New Guinea, it also might allow a translator to continue in their work.

Click here to learn more about the opportunities and see all the manager/administrator roles that are needed.  If you have further questions you can email manager_recruiting@wycliffe.org or pacificbible@hotmail.com

School Teachers are needed in Papua New Guinea

I have a special place in my heart for MK (missionary kid) teachers.  Not only have they blessed me by teaching our kids while we were at Ukarumpa but they played an important part in each of our children's lives.  I am so thankful to God for bringing teachers to PNG!  One of the greatest need in missions is for MK teachers. If the kids are happy and taken care of, the parents are happy and can continue on in their work.

Here's a short video from a teacher at Ukarumpa.

If we don't have enough teachers, usually a translator is asked to fill the need until someone else can take over.  If you're a teacher, would you be willing to give a year or 2 or 3 or ? to be involved in Bible translation by using your skills as a teacher?  We have needs for traditional teacher roles as well as non-traditional teacher roles.

Read more about the needs here. 

Ukarumpa International School website

For more information about Ukarumpa click here.

What lengths would you take to hear God's Word?

Worth the Trip
by Karen Weaver

What would you be willing to do to hear God's Word in your language? Would you hike for half a day? Would you cross a rugged mountain? Would you navigate a vine bridge suspended over a raging river?

Vine bridge over the Yuat River
Phot by Markus Melliger

That's what Wapena Mei did in order to obtain a small solar-powered device that has a recording of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts in the Pinai-Hagahai language. You see, Wapena knew it would be worth the trip because he had already been listening to the oral Scriptures for more than a year. But when his family's player broke and they learned that 70 more would be distributed in a village across the mountain, his wife gave him the charge, "Go and get us another one of those MegaVoice units."

Wapena was successful in his mission and he and his wife Makome will again be able to listen to the Pinai-Hagahai Scriptures in their small dwelling as they go to sleep at night. Wapena also uses it as a resource to prepare sermons for preaching in area churches.

Wapena Mei listending to Scriptures
Photo by Karen Weaver

Convinced that God's Word is applicable to every area of life, Wapena is eager to share the truth with others. Because hospitals are not easily accessible to everyone, the Papua New Guinean government trains people to work at Aid Posts in remote areas. Wapena is one of those aid post workers. As he does his job, he does not forget the Scriptures he's heard. When he hands out medicine he tells the men, "You can swallow these pills, but they won't do you any good if you take another man's wife."

Hearing God's Word daily keeps it in the forefront of Wapena's heart and mind. Now that he has a way to continue hearing God's talk, Wapena will keep sharing that Good News with others in his home, his church, and in his work. Yes, it was definitely worth the trip.

 Read more about the revival amongst the Pinai-Hagahai.

PNG: Revival Amongst the Pinai Hagahai

Recently I received news of a revival that broke out amongst the Pinai-Hagahai people of Papua New Guinea and I wanted to share it with you since it was such an encouragement to me.  Markus and Liisa Melliger, began their work amongst them in 1993 and while there was a church there, criminal activity in those days was so severe that Markus sometimes thought, “This is indeed a God-forsaken place.”                                                                                                                                                             

 In 2008, they completed the 4 Gospels and Acts and had it printed for distribution.  Due to the literacy rate amongst the people, they were excited about the opportunity to use the MegaVoice  machines (solar powered audio Bibles) with recording of this portion of Scripture. They strategically spread the MegaVoices to each village.  Recently they made a trip to the village to see whether or not it is worth it in the future to make all of the New Testament available not only in book form but also in oral form.  They came away very encouraged so see the impact of God’s Word amongst the people.

Markus said, “To us, the testimonies which the people gave are truly amazing and nothing short of a miracle. Here are some of their responses which speak volumes and which make the years of extremely hard work all worth it.”  (I remember the difficult times they have had but yet God enabled them to continue on in the work.)

Here are a few quotes:

 Kukume, a young woman and wife of one of the pastors: “I got my MegaVoice player three years ago. It still works. I listen to it daily with many family members. Stories I remember from listening are for instance how Jesus helped Peter to catch a lot of fish or how the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples.”

 Ikowa, a young married man: “I got mine three years ago. I take good care of it and it still works. One story I remember is how the Word is God and created everything.”

 Wadaag, an old man and widower: “I used it often until children destroyed it. I was very happy about it. I want a new one. One of the stories I remember is the water of life that Jesus gives.”

 Kandama, an old man: “I used it often. But the rain destroyed it when I left it on the roof of the house for it to be charged in the sun. I was very happy about it. When the pastors speak in Tok Pisin or Enga, I did not believe. Now I heard it my own language and I believed. The talk is clear now. I heard that we should not slander or judge others. I saw my guilt. I stopped doing that. I also wanted to remove the splinter from the eyes of others but I myself had a log in my eyes. I saw my guilt. I stopped doing that. When I help others I must help them in secret. My wife also wants a MegaVoice player, but I said no. The others have nothing at all, so we must share ours.”

Kauwasa, a middle-aged man: “My wife has one. I was a man of gambling and playing cards. Now I want one, too. I don’t understand Tok Pisin. I want to hear my own language. We listen to it daily. At noon we listen to it. We listen to it before going to sleep. Then we pray. Then we sleep.”

Kodap, a young married man and bilingual speaker of Pinai-Hagahai and Enga: “I didn’t go to church. I never had a MegaVoice player. I listened to the one of others. I listened to it, and last month I got converted. I gave up gambling, smoking, and chewing betel-nuts. I remember that Jesus is the Word of God.”

Noane, a young pastor who now works in a bilingual village at the edge of the language group: “I got one three years ago, but now its volume has gone down. I want a new one. I use it daily. It helps me do my work as pastor.”

 Todame, the bilingual wife of Tande: “I want one. I never had one. Others had one. I listened to it, and it is sweet. I listened to it, I understood it, and I believed. I really like the word of God. My husband Tande got one three years ago, but he did not give it to me. Tande listened to it and believed and joined the church.”

Mogome, a middle-aged woman: “I heard the story of Zacchaeus, the short man who climbed up on a tree to see Jesus. That story spoke to my heart. He was not a good man, and I’m not a good woman. I want to change a few things in my life. I need to pray.”

Sagalia, a young mother: “I heard Matthew 7:7 about asking and receiving, seeking and finding. My faith went to this verse. It’s my memory verse. Now when I have a problem, I pray. It helps me and my husband. Before I was married, I was like the woman in John 4. I heard this story, and it spoke to my heart. I changed my ways. I go to church.”

Read another story about what it took one man to obtain the MegaVoice by clicking here.

Help is needed to put Bible texts on the MegaVoice recorder!  Email me for more information on you can get involved.

Solomon Islands: Owa Dedication

I never get tired of watching Bible dedications and I wish everyone had the chance to attend one. Take a look at the Owa  dedication in the Solomon Islands.

For more information on the Solomon Islands, click here.