The right tool for the job
Sitting in the Amazon with missionary Lindy Drake, Gustavo views the Bible lessons for Ephesians.
In his office in the United States, Barry Spor has the same lessons open on his screen.
Conversing back and forth about the lesson in the Guanano language, reading, making comments and suggestions for change, edits appear immediately. They work on the texts until they are both happy with the results in order to continue the translating of Bible lessons and checking by the missionary team.
“Progress was only limited by the coming and going of our internet signal, but even that couldn’t dampen my wonder at what was happening!” Lindy says.
The excitement over technology is an amazing change from Lindy’s February 2011 update where he expressed frustration. He had said of all the languages he’s learned he couldn’t seem to get the language spoken by his computer. The difficulties that arose in the past using his computers for translation and literacy were hard to work through in order to keep going.
Gustavo is encouraged too by how continuing to work on the editing with Barry via this computer program is growing his understanding of the truths from God’s Word. He likened his deeper understanding to how the people in his tribe clear jungle paths:
“When we make new trails in the dense undergrowth of the jungle, we move quickly, just breaking branches as we go, so we can find our way back. Someone trying to follow that path of broken branches can get lost pretty easily.
“If we are going to use the path repeatedly, then we use a machete and take time to clear the brush and undergrowth away. That well-made path is easy for anyone coming behind us to follow.
“When I heard lessons from Romans taught for the first time, it was like making a broken branch trail in the jungle. We were moving through the truth pretty quickly, and I was just getting the gist of what God was saying. If anyone wanted to follow me, or learn the truth of Romans from me, he would have gotten lost pretty easily.
“But since working on these Bible lessons, and carefully thinking about and expressing God’s truth in my language, I feel like we are clearing a wide and straight path through the jungle. Anyone who desires to come after us can easily follow.”
Let’s keep praying for Gustavo and others as they are learning while helping with the lesson planning from the Word of God.
You can also share Firm Foundation Bible lessons from Romans--no translation needed! Find out more.