My language is very sweet July 29, 2014 – Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea – Written by Karen Weaver with Tim Scott “The Audibible goes where we cannot,” explained SIL translation advisor Rich Mattocks, speaking of the hand-held, solar powered audio player. “These are excellent in Papua New Guinea where many areas do not have electricity.” Rich and the team of translators recently completed the translation of the Kamano-Kafe New Testament. Although the written form is still at the printers, the audio recording is available on the Audibible and is already making an impact. The team is now forging ahead with the translation of the Old Testament. One day one of the translators, James, received a message that his elderly Aunt Beniftio had died and he asked to be excused from the translation work to visit his extended family during the days of mourning. Months before her death, his aunt bought an Audibible. Bedridden, Benifitio asked others to take the Audibible outside each day to be charged in the sun, but she warned them not to carry it away from her house. As friends and family stopped by to visit her in the evenings, Benifitio’s Audibible was playing. When her younger brother Marco* came and listened to the Scriptures, he accepted Christ and his life was changed. Many others also heard the Word of God spoken in their heart language on Benifitio’s Audibible. When James arrived for the days of mourning, the family welcomed him and asked, "What have you been doing?" When he answered, "I've been translating the Kamano-Kafe scriptures," Marco’s face brightened and he said to James, "Thank you for turning God's talk into our language. The Kamano-Kafe language is very sweet and I understand it. I quit going to church because the message didn’t make sense to me in the trade language or when pastors used English. But when I heard God's talk being spoken in our own language on the Audibible I understood it and now I believe in Jesus." After the time of mourning was completed, James returned to the translation table, more convinced than ever of the need to get God’s Word to people in written and audio form in the language they understand best. *Not his real name. For more information on this release, contact ThePNGexperience, PO BOX 413, Ukarumpa, EHP 444, Papua New Guinea Phone: 011 + 675 + 537-3544 ext. 4431 or Email: thePNGexperience@gmail.com
Pictures do not always depict actual event, activities or people. Photos by Tim Scott use by permission only. “Tok Save” is the PNG “Tok Pisin” term for announcement or “For your information.” The English spelling conforms to Commonwealth English spelling.