A Celebration!

What do you think of when you think of missions or missionaries? Exotic foods, beautiful scenery, big bugs, daily excitement? Well, there is some of that, but much of life is just like in the US (or Canada or the UK…you get the idea!)—get up, go to work, go home at the end of the day, make (or reheat) supper, do some grading/lesson planning, go to bed, repeat. On a day-to-day basis, I know that I personally tend to forget WHY I am here and doing what I do in PNG instead of in the US.




All the publications from November 2015 to date!
Photo by Jo Miller

But God is good, and every so often, He sends a reminder of my purpose: to support the work of Bible translation so that the nations will turn to Him and glorify His name. Last Sunday was one of those reminders—we had a special service at church to celebrate the completion of many New Testaments, other Scripture portions, Jesus films, and AudiBibles in 33 languages in Papua New Guinea in the last year. A Scripture portion was read in English, Korean, and two PNG tok ples (mother tongue). Then there was a parade of Scripture, with Papua New Guineans holding up completed Scripture publications, Jesus films, and AudiBibles, then as each language group was named, that language’s materials were placed on a table at the front. It is a powerful thing to look at the work that God has called us here to do, or to support, and see what He accomplishes!

The New Testaments, Scripture portions, Jesus films, and AudiBibles
that were published this year

This is the list of languages that had a publication completed since November 2015, as well as what was published in each language:

Adzera—Jesus Film/Genesis and Luke audio/app

Anuki—Mini Bible

Are—Mini Bible

Bariai—Audio & Video Scripture

Buhutu—Mini Bible

DeduaRevised NT and OT selection

Doromu-Koki—Jesus Film

Ghayvai—Acts

Hinsaal-Patpatar—New Testament

Iamalele—Mini Bible

Iduna—Mini Bible

Kakabai—Mini Bible

Kanasi—Mini Bible

Kaninuwa—Mini Bible

Kasua—New Testament & AudiBible

Kuni-Boazi—New Testament & AudiBible/Jesus Film

Maiadomu—Mini Bible

Mandara—Audio Bible

Menya—Luke AudiBible

Mussau—Audio New Testament

Nek—Ruth & audio

Sudest—New Testament audio

Teop—Mark, Colossians, Titus, & Philemon

Tungag—Audio Bible

Uare—Jesus Film

Urat—New Testament

Urim (Kalpm)—Mini Bible

Wagi—Luke & AudiBible Luke

Wantoat—New Testament & OT selection

Waris—Mini Bible

Wedau—Mini Bible

Wedau (Topura dialect)—Mini Bible

Yopno—New Testament (web published)

 

Below is a video of a recent New Testament dedication in the Urat language (located in the Sepik, circled in yellow), which was started in the 1970s. Praise God for His faithfulness and for the God-given perseverance of the three different language teams that had a part in completing this New Testament!