“There’s a lot of need in the world. Let’s respond to the need that God has put at our door.” Pastor Ancho gave the final challenge to his congregation after Bob Creson, president of Wycliffe USA, and Pastor Lloyd Estrada, director of Sa Bawat Wika, addressed the crowd about the work of Bible translation. When Pastor Ancho first let the words issue forth, I thought, “yes, that’s right.” A few minutes later, as one young woman sang beautiful praises to God, I realized I was still letting the words roll around in my head. I thought, “yes, that’s so right. He’s got it. This is the challenge. This is how God moves. There are always going to be needs - the poor will always be with us. But, Jesus did not expect us to sit back, overwhelmed. He asked us to pick up just that one starfish out of hundreds lying beached on the sand. Because for that one, getting thrown back into the ocean did matter!”
The Philippines is a unique country; God has created it with multiple cultures, 171 language communities, many lives. In addition, He’s given this country a remarkable spirit of hospitality; the kind were you walk away thinking, “Wow, that’s the easiest lunch with ‘strangers’ I’ve had in awhile.” Filipinos let you feel comfortable, they value your presence. I may even go so far as to say that Filipino Christians make you feel loved, right from the moment they look at you. And, chances are they are catching your eye, grabbing your hand, smiling your way, before you’ve even had a chance to think to do the same!
So, since God has created and developed these people in such a way, they are well-suited for sharing Christ’s love. It has been said that many Filipinos pick up languages incredibly quickly (one friend I met today told me that fellow classmates started speaking Mandarin after just one month of studying). Filipino communities are popping up all over the world. These people are ready, willing, and equipped to go. And, God is sending the workers.
When Pastor Ancho instructed his flock, he did so with an apparent sense of love and faith in his people. To him, it was no accident that even the guests at church that day had heard this message about Bible translation. I believe that God is moving, calling, prompting His Filipino children to respond. And, like Pastor Lloyd said, the Filipino church will receive a wonderful “well-done” from our God in heaven when the time comes for every nation, tribe, people and tongue to stand before the throne.
Erica
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Blessings
These are just some of the blessings we have received so far, they are not in any order and there are so many more:
1. Al Williams – He has been our helpful guide getting us around the city to different places helping us capture the stories and interviews. He has also shared with us the stories of his service to the Lord here in the Philippines for the past 22 years as a pilot and other positions the Lord has used him in.
2. Dr. Tony Evan’s morning devotional – He talked about how Bible translation is foundational and how the Bible is tool to use for life. He made it clear: you can’t use the tool if you don’t have it in a form you can understand.
3. The beauty of the countryside, the fields of rice, groves of jackfruit and more around the city of Puerto Princesa.
4. The pastor at Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm who is a prisoner himself. He serves patiently, trusting in the Sovereign God.
5. The buku juice – Buku is a green or young coconut. Sweet and fresh, served fresh off the tree.
6. The Kagayanen pastors at the medical mission. These pastors shared with us how the lives of their people have changed by having the Bible in their own language. Previously mocked by others, these people are now proud to be Kagayanen. A written language will preserve their culture, tell their stories. They are being empowered by the word of God is so many ways; it was amazing to listen to the stories.
7. Dave Herrman Is a wonderful member of the team here. He and his wife have welcomed us with open arms and, as an IT guru, connected me toll free with my daughters and husband. I was able to talk to them before they went to bed – it was great.
8. We had a great driver and van that took us where we needed to go. The van died at one location and they were trying to push start it – they even tried pushing with all of us in it – they are too kind. We jumped out and said a quick prayer – it started and we were off to the next location.
9. Leah Grace – the sweet daughter of Kagayanen translator and Pastor Jehu, who visited with us at the medical mission and at the dedication. She practiced her English with Erica (Jon’s wife) and told Erica that her “wife” Jon was cute. It was a joy to spend time with her and watch her with Erica. We have learned here that there is really no “I” in their languages or culture, everything is a “we” and so the pronouns of he and she are a bit tough for a 7 year old. It is amazing to me though that almost everyone knows English and it is probably one of the 3 to 5 languages they speak.
10. Beautiful Kagayanen Music – The dedication ceremony today was beautiful and the music the Kagayanen performed was especially sweet and moving. It was an honor for us to be able to be there and share the dedication moment with the people.
Kristie
1. Al Williams – He has been our helpful guide getting us around the city to different places helping us capture the stories and interviews. He has also shared with us the stories of his service to the Lord here in the Philippines for the past 22 years as a pilot and other positions the Lord has used him in.
2. Dr. Tony Evan’s morning devotional – He talked about how Bible translation is foundational and how the Bible is tool to use for life. He made it clear: you can’t use the tool if you don’t have it in a form you can understand.
3. The beauty of the countryside, the fields of rice, groves of jackfruit and more around the city of Puerto Princesa.
4. The pastor at Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm who is a prisoner himself. He serves patiently, trusting in the Sovereign God.
5. The buku juice – Buku is a green or young coconut. Sweet and fresh, served fresh off the tree.
6. The Kagayanen pastors at the medical mission. These pastors shared with us how the lives of their people have changed by having the Bible in their own language. Previously mocked by others, these people are now proud to be Kagayanen. A written language will preserve their culture, tell their stories. They are being empowered by the word of God is so many ways; it was amazing to listen to the stories.
7. Dave Herrman Is a wonderful member of the team here. He and his wife have welcomed us with open arms and, as an IT guru, connected me toll free with my daughters and husband. I was able to talk to them before they went to bed – it was great.
8. We had a great driver and van that took us where we needed to go. The van died at one location and they were trying to push start it – they even tried pushing with all of us in it – they are too kind. We jumped out and said a quick prayer – it started and we were off to the next location.
9. Leah Grace – the sweet daughter of Kagayanen translator and Pastor Jehu, who visited with us at the medical mission and at the dedication. She practiced her English with Erica (Jon’s wife) and told Erica that her “wife” Jon was cute. It was a joy to spend time with her and watch her with Erica. We have learned here that there is really no “I” in their languages or culture, everything is a “we” and so the pronouns of he and she are a bit tough for a 7 year old. It is amazing to me though that almost everyone knows English and it is probably one of the 3 to 5 languages they speak.
10. Beautiful Kagayanen Music – The dedication ceremony today was beautiful and the music the Kagayanen performed was especially sweet and moving. It was an honor for us to be able to be there and share the dedication moment with the people.
Kristie
Friday, April 18, 2008
Turning off the phone
As we were about to leave Detroit the moment came in the airplane when it was time to turn off your cell phones. I knew when I did, my phone was going to be off for the next 8 days. I must admit it was really hard to hit the “off” button. I think I may have even twitched a little when I did it.
This got me thinking about translation teams and how the work of Bible translation was done in the past without modern day connectivity. The work part is not what I thought about the most though-- it’s the connection to family and friends. What was it like for Uncle Cam, Wycliffe’s founder, to be so disconnected from his family and friends? How hard was that loneliness for those who were in remote areas without anyone that spoke their heart language?
It is very hard for me to imagine.
For me this is probably the longest I’ve been away from my daughters - they are 10 and 12. They went to Alaska for 3 weeks this summer, so they were away from me for longer, but I talked with them every night. While I am gone for just 9 days and have email connection to them, I don’t feel it is the same as hearing their voices and listening to the little things they have done throughout the day. What was it like for translators and support teams in the field to go for months without word from their families? How precious the mail they received must have been. The strength and character of those who have been and continue to be so brave in this commitment to deliver God’s word in the heart language of people groups around the world is amazing to me. How did they stay committed and faithful? Did they reread the letters from home on the tough days to give them strength?
Tonight, I saw the dedicated translation team for the Kagayanen people group, the MacGregors since 1974, and watched as those who have supported them with prayers, finances and so much more joined them on stage. The group was over 35 people when they all got up there. As we prayed for them, for the days ahead with the Dedication ceremonies and all the guests, I realized that yes the commitment is hard but so worth it for the people’s lives it changes. It is exciting for me to be able to witness these activities and get a better understanding of the power of Bible translation, even if means being away from my family.
-Kristie
This got me thinking about translation teams and how the work of Bible translation was done in the past without modern day connectivity. The work part is not what I thought about the most though-- it’s the connection to family and friends. What was it like for Uncle Cam, Wycliffe’s founder, to be so disconnected from his family and friends? How hard was that loneliness for those who were in remote areas without anyone that spoke their heart language?
It is very hard for me to imagine.
For me this is probably the longest I’ve been away from my daughters - they are 10 and 12. They went to Alaska for 3 weeks this summer, so they were away from me for longer, but I talked with them every night. While I am gone for just 9 days and have email connection to them, I don’t feel it is the same as hearing their voices and listening to the little things they have done throughout the day. What was it like for translators and support teams in the field to go for months without word from their families? How precious the mail they received must have been. The strength and character of those who have been and continue to be so brave in this commitment to deliver God’s word in the heart language of people groups around the world is amazing to me. How did they stay committed and faithful? Did they reread the letters from home on the tough days to give them strength?
Tonight, I saw the dedicated translation team for the Kagayanen people group, the MacGregors since 1974, and watched as those who have supported them with prayers, finances and so much more joined them on stage. The group was over 35 people when they all got up there. As we prayed for them, for the days ahead with the Dedication ceremonies and all the guests, I realized that yes the commitment is hard but so worth it for the people’s lives it changes. It is exciting for me to be able to witness these activities and get a better understanding of the power of Bible translation, even if means being away from my family.
-Kristie
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Halo Halo
Halo Halo. A mix. Immediately stepping into the Manila airport, wisps of Sri Lanka and tints of Hawaii seemed to swirl into this completely new environment to me. I’ve had some exposure to Filipino culture through my best friend, born in the Philippines. Over the last three days, a missionary perspective, a business mindset, and a tourist outlook have been stirred into my mix. And, yes, the American expectation has been sprinkled on top. Already, I’m creating my own experiential halo halo.
Enter a new environment and instantly the experience rushes through your own filters. Which means that the experience, ultimately, becomes about ‘you’. So far, this has been the case for me. How do I feel? How am I going to be involved? What is expected of me? How will I be treated? What will I get out of this?
Funny enough, as I sit in the quiet and try to make sense of everything, I realize that maybe my role here isn’t clearly defined. Maybe I’m not going to be productive every minute of the day. Maybe things like sitting and hearing someone’s story, taking a ride in a Jeepney, watching and respecting… this is the point. Already, this is the impression that’s being made on me. It’s more about the experience and the relationships than it is about ‘getting it done,’ perhaps this sounds obvious, or at least repetitive. Chances are, you’ve heard this idea before. But, to be here, in it, makes it real.
So, now I’m thinking… how can I serve? How can I make this not-so-much about me? It’s always going to be partly about me… I AM the one living this life. But, what if the focus on my life shifted? What if the perspective slanted? I’m still me, but I’m here. A mix... Halo Halo.
Enter a new environment and instantly the experience rushes through your own filters. Which means that the experience, ultimately, becomes about ‘you’. So far, this has been the case for me. How do I feel? How am I going to be involved? What is expected of me? How will I be treated? What will I get out of this?
Funny enough, as I sit in the quiet and try to make sense of everything, I realize that maybe my role here isn’t clearly defined. Maybe I’m not going to be productive every minute of the day. Maybe things like sitting and hearing someone’s story, taking a ride in a Jeepney, watching and respecting… this is the point. Already, this is the impression that’s being made on me. It’s more about the experience and the relationships than it is about ‘getting it done,’ perhaps this sounds obvious, or at least repetitive. Chances are, you’ve heard this idea before. But, to be here, in it, makes it real.
So, now I’m thinking… how can I serve? How can I make this not-so-much about me? It’s always going to be partly about me… I AM the one living this life. But, what if the focus on my life shifted? What if the perspective slanted? I’m still me, but I’m here. A mix... Halo Halo.
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