Literacy Training with the Owas

By Karen Hopping

 



Teachers, Students and Karen

My heart and passion for Solomon Islanders is that they will know God through a living relationship with Him and God will change their lives to be more like Jesus! We can know God is through reading of His word the Bible. Many Solomon Islanders cannot read and have not had the opportunity to go to school in their life. I am so blessed to be able to serve these beautiful people in teaching them to be able to read and write in their own language so that they have access to read God's word and know Him! This photo is the class of 9 illiterate (but slowly becoming literate!!!) women and the 6 women I trained how to teach Bible-based adult literacy classes in their language, Owa! After only two weeks of classes all 9 women can now write their name on their own and know most of the sounds in their language! Some are able to read small words in their language. The class is continuing now that I am back here in Honiara and the teachers I have trained will continue teaching through the literacy book until they finish sometime in October. Please pray for all the teachers and the students as well as the community as a whole. Their eyes are opening to the gift of reading and they are thrilled about it! Praising God for all He has and is continuing to do in their lives!

 

The teachers I trained in Gupuna village and I taught one afternoon and 4 evening reading classes while I was in the village. These classes were specifically for those adults and youth who could read English but could NOT read their own language, Owa! We had from 40 to 80 people attend each class and they LOVED learning to read their own language! We sang language praise songs while the teacher pointed to the words on the chart. I taught them the sounds in their language and they laughed and enjoyed this part greatly. We then led them in everyone reading aloud together some verses in their Owa Bible and answering comprehension and application questions in groups. The first evening when I asked who could read Owa language only 4 or so hands went up! After the 5 classes together when I asked the same question (and actually checked them individually too) all except 2 new ones could now read Owa language, some slower than others!! I was thrilled and so were they! Pray that those who have now learnt how to read their own language will continue to read their Owa New Testament Bibles and God will speak to them through His Word!

After teaching a group of people in Gupuna Village how to read their language, Owa, I noticed that some women were starting to take their Owa New Testaments to church each morning for morning service and for Sunday church! I encouraged this dear lady when I saw her with her Owa Bible and she stopped and chatted with me for a while. She thanked me for coming to their village to teach them how to read their language! She said she believes God had a plan for me to come now as her village needed to learn to read! She told me that she could read English but she didn't understand what she was reading as it was in a language that she doesn't speak and doesn't really understand! She told me that Owa is her language and she has spoken Owa all her life but no one had taught her how to read her own language! She said that she had to wait until she was at church for the Pastor to read from the English Bible and then "chew it up" and explain it in Owa language for her to understand and feed from God's Word! She told me with great joy that she is so thankful that I came and taught her and others how to read her own language as now, any time and any day, she is able to read her Owa New Testament and feed from God's word herself!! This is why I love doing what I do here! Praying this dear lady continues to read and feed from the living Word of God and may God change her and make her more like Jesus!

Meet Dorothy from Gupuna Village Santa Ana! Dorothy is a beautiful lady who has never been to school before! She has dealt with a lot of fear and shame due to not being able to read and write! Dorothy was quick to come to our Owa Bible-based literacy class as she was keen to learn to read! After doing an initial test on Dorothy, we learnt that she could not write her name, knew no sounds in her language and could not read any words at all. After only 2 weeks of classes (2 hours a morning 5 days a week) Dorothy could write her name on her own and knew all the sounds in her language! She was also able to read some small words in Owa and read half a sentence!!! Dorothy's huge smile each time I walked past her leaf house spoke volumes to me!! One day I was walking to a friend's house when I saw Dorothy sitting down on the ground (the village is totally covered in sand, not grass and dirt!) and she was writing something in the sand! I looked and there she was sounding out some words in her language and writing them in the sand! I saw her baby grandchild playing in the sand beside her and was thrilled to see that Dorothy chose to practice reading and writing while also looking after her grandchild that day! Pray for Dorothy - she has not been to church since her husband died. Pray that as she continues to learn to read that she will read more and more of her Owa Bible and God will draw her to Himself! Such a beautiful lady!!

Karen Hopping is passionate about helping illiterate people learn to read and have their lives changed through reading and studying their translated Bibles. She is teaching and training in Bible-based literacy work to build capacity in local churches and literacy agencies in the Solomons. She also ministers to a group of street girls and aside from the challenges, she loves speaking truth, life and love into the lives of these girls.

Owa New Testament Dedication
For more information on the work in the Solomon Islands, click here.

PNG: New facility improves women’s access to training opportunities

Catherine Rua of World Vision emphasized
 the role of women in bringing about positive change.



On August 11, 2012, representatives from government and partnering organizations joined SIL leadership to celebrate the opening of a new women’s dormitory at SIL’s regional Training Centre in Ukarumpa, in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG). The dormitory provides accommodations for up to twenty women. Another twenty-bed addition is planned. In attendance at the opening was the newly elected Member of Parliament for Obura-Wonenara district, Mr. Mehrra Minne Kipeta, who voiced his support for training and his appreciation of the new facility.

The new dormitory facility at the Ukarump
a Training Centre provides housing for up to
twenty women. Another section with an
 additional twenty beds is planned.

SIL PNG’s leadership is encouraged by expanding opportunities for the nation’s women in many fields, including government, education, business and community development. The dormitory provides housing for women who come to Ukarumpa from across PNG for training for leadership in a variety of language development and community development activities, including linguistics, translation and mother-tongue literacy. The campus also provides a men’s dormitory.

In addition to providing the basic need of housing, the new facility will enhance participants’ experience by allowing for fellowship and discussion outside of the formal classroom setting. This safe and secure on-campus option also eliminates the stress of locating suitable temporary lodgings and of travel to campus each day, allowing participants more time and energy to focus on their courses.

Funding for the dormitory was provided by several organizations, including the Papua New Guinea Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP). Another organization which provided funding as well as design and construction of the building was Wycliffe Associates, an organization staffed by volunteers who donate time to support language development projects around the world.

One of the first guests in the new dorm is Catherine Rua of the international NGO World Vision. Rua came to Ukarumpa to participate in the new course entitled “Literacy, Leadership, Education and Development” (LLEAD),* which equips participants to lead adult literacy and numeracy programs in their local communities. Rua expressed appreciation for SIL’s efforts to provide a safe, secure and welcoming environment for female participants. Her address to the dedication audience emphasized the important role of women as agents of positive change in their homes, communities, the workplace and the nation as a whole.

In addition to the dormitories, the Ukarumpa Training Centre has three large classrooms, a well-equipped kitchen and a large dining room beautifully finished in natural PNG timbers, which can accommodate up to two hundred people.

With over eight hundred living languages, PNG may be the most linguistically complex nation in the world. Since 1956 SIL has cooperated with local communities, government ministries and other NGO partners to support language development in nearly four hundred ethnolinguistic communities.

*LLEAD is one of three new stand-alone courses which were formerly combined in a single course known as STEP (Strengthening Tokples Education in PNG). The other newly-independent components are VERA (“Vernacular Education for Rural Areas”) and VEM (“Vernacular Education Modules”), which are designed to equip elementary school teachers in Multilingual Education.

 

PNG Bible Translation Association

"All the Nations" – A celebration of the translation effort in PNG.
20 August, 2012 – Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea – Tim Scott

"Inspiring", "Motivational", "Moving", these were some of the words expressed after the "All the Nations" service on Sunday, August 19th in Ukarumpa, PNG. It was a celebration of Papua New Guinean mother-tongue translation projects produced by SIL and BTA in the past year.

Forty-seven different efforts impacting more than forty language groups were recognised, including six completed New Testaments. Four of these New Testament publications also included portions of the Old Testament. Also receiving recognition were single New and Old Testament books, audio and video Scripture recordings, Jesus films and online publications.
The celebration began with a processional of Papua New Guineans, each holding a translated work that was completed sometime between August 2011 and August 2012. The crowd responded with enthusiastic clapping and cheering, as each participant brought a new translation to the front where they placed them on a display table. One colleague was so excited that he shouted out praise in his own language while walking done the aisle. The processional was followed by an international choir singing "All The Nations ", while a video highlighting the new translations was played in the background.
Many attenders of the celebration are directly involved in the language development and translation work in Papua New Guinea or spend a majority of their time and effort supporting the process. It was a very rewarding time for them to see the results of their labour.

For more information on PNG Bible translation click here.

PNG Bible Translation Association

PNG: Urgent need for medical workers

The Ukarumpa Clinic has some positions that need to filled - now!  Do you have a year or more to give to use your skills to further Bible translation? 

Papua New Guinea is a country of over 800 language groups many of which do not have God's Word. Translators are working hard to bring the Scriptures to the people of PNG and for many them this means living in remote communities without medical facilities. The Clinic provides primary care for these translation teams and for the local community. The work of Bible translation would have a very difficult time moving forward if the clinic is not sufficiently staffed.


Watch a 5 min. video to learn more about the Ukarumpa Clinic by clicking here.
There are open positions for:

2 Doctors

2 or 3 Registered Nurses/Nurse Practitioners/Physician's Assistants

Dental Hygienist

Physical Therapist

Medical Lab Technician

Pharmacist

Clinic Manager  click here for more information

The Ukarumpa Clinic is located in Aiyura Valley in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. To learn more about life there, click here.

If you'd like to more information, email me at pacificbible@hotmail.com

Vanuatu: South West Tanna New Testament Dedication

Nivhaar Speakers receive the Bible in their mother tongue

Article from Daily Post in Vanuatu

The 10 year project of translating the New Testament into the South West Tanna language of Nivhaar is now complete and there was great celebration at the launching of the new books last Thursday in Yanemilen village. Yasur volcano rumbled in the background as a large group of women made the ground rumble with their energetic and colourful kastom dancing. Not only was the New Testament published as a book but an audio recording was also made, and solar powered audio players were a popular item when the sales began.

Translation Team

Ken and Mendy Nehrbass, linguist-translators with the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) were invited to Yanemilen village, by the Presbyterian church towards the end of 2002 and for the next many years, they trained a team of Nivhaar speakers to translate, check and edit every one of the almost 8,000 verses of the life changing Book. The village honored the Nehrbass family for all their help to the community, and they in turn congratulated the team of Nivhaar translators and editors, presenting certificates to each of the 17 men and women.

ESL Teacher needed for PNG Bible Translators

God is at work and is raising up Papua New Guineans who want to help translate the Bible into their own language, a wonderful answer to prayer!  A major obstacle for some of them is that they don't know enough English to be able to attend training courses and read all the translation helps and commentaries in English. 

Would you consider using your training to come alongside these men and women to increase their knowledge and understanding of English and encourage them along in their studies?

What qualities are we looking for?

1. A genuine respect for other cultures, a desire to learn from and share one’s knowledge and a real sense of equality as partners in the work.
2. Skills in cross-cultural inter-personal relationships and communication.
3. Good verbal and written English language skills.
4. Competence in Tok Pisin - training provided.

Requirements:

ESL certification and experience
Some SIL classes
Willingness to look to the Lord to provide for their needs through the partnership of individuals and churches that pray and give financially to Wycliffe in support of their ministries.

Most likely you will be based at Ukarumpa but you might travel to one of our 8 regional centers.

Email Wendy for more information.

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.