A Missionary and Native Speaker Translate Together
A Job With Eternal Value
“There is no job in the world that you can do that will have a more lasting and eternal value than to take the words of the Almighty God and put them in the hands of a people that have thus far never heard God’s Word in their language,” wrote translator Terry Reed. And when a native speaker joins you in the Bible translation effort, it gets even better.
A Job for Native Speakers
Vicente was 14 when he began helping Terry with Bible translation. He was curious by nature, had an aptitude for the comprehension checking process, and as a native Guarijio speaker he brought a tremendous perspective to the translation process.
Though Vicente was made aware of his need for a Savior through the itinerant ministry of Mexican missionaries, "it was in the process of helping develop Bible lessons and doing translation checks that Vicente’s understanding of the Christian life really began to blossom,” Terry wrote.
His story doesn’t stop there. Vicente went on to not only do comprehension checks, but to translate as well. Terry shared that Vicente’s translation of the book of Jonah into the Guarijio language was clear, accurate and natural — and that was just the beginning of a great translation partnership, which results in a great translation.
A Rewarding Job
Terry Reed says that translating God’s Word isn’t an easy task, but a rewarding one. “Be warned,” he writes. “When you have tasted God’s goodness in bringing light into the hearts of a people that have lived in darkness for ages, no other job you can do will ever feel big enough again.”
Pray for translators around the globe as they stay focused on translating God’s Word into tribal languages in a clear, accurate and natural-sounding manner.