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Missing a word for that?

What do translators do when there is no word for something? Do you know what they did when the Bible was first translated into Eng lish and they got stuck looking for a word? Of ten, they coined new words! For example, they couldn’t come up with a word for angel, so they just borrowed the word from Greek into English and then taught what it meant. Simi larly, sometimes we borrow a word from Span ish when Quechua doesn’t have any creative way to say something.

There are many English words which occur for the very first time in a Bible translation. Be lieve it or not, they include words like female, beautiful, consume, crime, appetite, puberty, excellent and liberty!*

*Stanley Malless and Jeffrey McQuain. Coined by God: Words and Phrases that First Appear in English Transla tions of the Bible W.W.Norton, 2005.

One year in

The month of October marks one year since the C4 Quechua translation project began. C4 stands for 4 Central Quechua language areas. It has been a steep learning curve for the men involved. They didn’t really know what they were getting themselves into! They were nomi nated by their denominations to do the work. Most didn’t know how to read in Quechua. Some had never preached or prayed in Quechua. That just wasn’t a pattern that had ever been modeled for them. Besides, there’s a lot of cultural pressure to use Spanish to show that you are educated.

Each language area is represented by two men. Plus, there are Wilmer and Walter, who worked with Mark for years. They handle workshop lo gistics and guide the group through the pro cess. This group of ten men has been a safe place to practice reading and praying in Quechua. As they rotate giving devotionals each morning, the new men have gradually started teaching in Quechua, too.

So, what do they have to say now that they’re a year into the process? Here are some of their comments.

Family devotions

A couple men told what a blessing it is to read Quechua scripture to their families in what they call “family reading” or family devotions.

“We started with Genesis 1 and kept going. We’ve discovered beautiful lessons that will strengthen our marriage.” — Jhony Cruz

Sermon prep

Nearly all of the men commented on the fact that they have a better understanding of the passages they’ve translated. That in turn helps them prepare for the messages they give to their congregations.

“I’ve learned about the life of Joseph. How useful those passages are for sermons on God’s provi dence, perseverance in trials, and forgiveness.” — David Zárate

Energized congregations

“Quechua speakers are filled with joy when they hear the message in their own language because they can understand it easily! They listen to me when I preach in Quechua. I’m happy, too, when I see that the church is un derstanding and learning more.” — Serafín Chamorro

“When I preached in Quechua, the listeners thanked me so much for getting to hear the message in their own language. They offered to support me in the translation work by praying for me!” — Bernavé Cruz

Praise and Prayer Requests

* Praise God that, despite not being able to travel to Peru in September as planned, Mark was able to sit in via the internet for the sometimes-lively checking session with the Panatawa Quechua team. They finished checking all of Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel 1–13 before the two weeks were up. The picture shows rapt listeners as a Panatawa woman reads from the book of Judges.

* Praise God for a delightful quick weekend in Idaho for a nephew’s wedding: Matthew Krumwiede. Except for visit ing Matthew in the hospital after he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan, we hadn’t seen him or his two brothers for ages!

* Pray that the men involved in the C4 project would continue to grow in their abilities to read and teach others in Quechua as well as in their understanding and ability to translate well.

* Pray for Mark for continued concentration and attention to detail as he keeps up with both the C4 and the Panatawa Quechua projects. They both have ambitious goals for the coming year. (Project years start October 1st).

Thank you for your encouragement as God enables us to continue on.

Mark & Patti