Go (Away) Steelers!

Earlier this month, I sent a thank you card to the pastor of my parents' church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Because we are in the heart of Steelers country, I thought it would be fun to say 'Go Steelers!' in Enga on the front of the card. You wouldn't think that translating 'Go Steelers!' would be all that difficult. After all, there are just two words, and I wasn't planning on translating 'Steelers', just the word 'Go'. However, the process to translate 'Go Steelers!' into Enga turned out to be much more complex than I had anticipated, and so I included in my thank you card an explanation of the translation process. I am reproducing part of the card below for your reading pleasure.

Dear Pastor David,

I wanted to send you, the staff, and the missions committee a postcard that said 'Go Steelers!' in Enga The problem is, if you translate 'Go' literally it would mean that you want the Steelers to go away, which isn't what we mean when we say 'Go Steelers!' So I decided to translate 'Win Steelers!', which is what I think we really mean when we say 'Go Steelers!'

But there is no single word for 'win' in Enga. Instead they use the idiom 'hold count'. This idiom is derived from the idea that the person who wins is the person who has the most votes or who 'holds the count' of the votes, and it has been extended to mean 'winning' in general.

But if you just say 'hold count', it applies only to the immediate timeframe, and, although sometimes when we say 'Go Steelers!' we are saying it in the immediate context of a particular play, when writing 'Go Steelers!' on a postcard, we are really talking about our general desire that the Steelers win all the time and not just at a particular moment. So instead of just saying 'hold count', we need to say 'hold count, huh'. That little 'huh' at the end makes it clear that we don't just want the Steelers to win in a particular moment but over a duration of time.

But the true word order in Enga would be 'count hold-huh' since the verb always comes last in a sentence. Also notice that 'huh' is hyphenated to 'hold' since in Enga they are just one word.

Finally, we must put 'Steelers' first since they are the ones being addressed. Although one could make the argument that this saying is not addressing the Steelers directly, but rather it is stating our desire that the Steelers 'hold count' without directly commanding them to do so, in which case another verb form would be required ('Let the Steelers hold count'). But let's assume that we are in fact meaning to address the Steelers themselves, regardless of whether or not they will ever read this postcard. That leaves us with...

Steelers, count hold-huh!

So we go from 'Go Steelers!' in English to 'Steelers, count hold-huh!' in Enga, which is actually 'Steelers, ita minalapape!' Imagine, now, that you are translating not 'Go Steelers!' but a difficult verse like Mark 9:49, which says, "For everyone will be salted with fire." No wonder Bible translation is such a difficult task! Yet it is well worth it for people to hear God's Word in the language that speaks to their hearts!

P.S. I'm still working on a translation of 'Deflategate'!

 

An Engan man wearing a Steelers jersey in Wabag town

Talk is Cheap

In Enga just saying that you are going to do something doesn’t mean very much. What’s important is when you actually do what you say you are going to do.

In Enga, talk is cheap. Just because somebody says he is going to do something, you shouldn’t necessarily believe him. There is a joke about a politician in the Highlands talking about all the things he will bring to the people if he is elected: good schools, roads, medical care, and even nice beaches. When the people remind him that they live in the mountains and that the ocean is hundreds of miles away, he promises to bring them the ocean as well.

Unlike the politician in that joke, most Engans are not trying to be deceptive in their speech. Rather, because they are highly relational people, they are apt to say what they think the other person wants to hear in order to maintain a good relationship (whether it is true or not).

Because people cannot always be taken at their word, when we tell people that we are translating the Bible into Enga, there is probably some suspicion as to whether or not it is actually going to happen. That is why we have made it a priority to release audio recordings of individual books of the Bible as we complete them. That way people can see that this work is really happening and moving forward.

In October 2014, we released the Gospel of Mark and portions of Genesis. Now on November 11 and 12, the Enga Bible translation team will release audio recordings of the Gospel of Matthew on solar-powered audio players, memory cards, and as an Android phone app. Please pray for this event. Pray that more Engans will have the opportunity to hear God’s Word in their own language. Pray also that Christian leaders in the Enga community will continue to support this work with their prayers as well as their giving.
 

Community members putting money into a cardboard box to help support
the Enga Bible translation project in October 2014

The Lord's Prayer in Enga
Most English speakers have never learned another language that isn’t related to English, and so they are surprised to discover just how different languages like Enga can be. One method that we’ve used to demonstrate the differences between Enga and English is to take the Lord’s Prayer in Enga and translate it word-for-word back into English. Read the word-for-word English translation of the Lord’s Prayer in Enga below and find out just how different the two languages are. For extra credit, try reading it out loud without stumbling over any words!

Of us Father top in sky stands the,
Of you name the well doing be say.
Of you ruling place the it shall come say.
Top in sky of you as thinking they do,
Even that down below land in this do say.
Even today as we will eat doing, food the give.
Against us bad they do of them,
Payback the we are abandoning,
You of us bad the payback the abandon.
Bad do saying trial happening to the,
Go saying leave don’t.
Bad from the you us doing get.

October Travels
After sharing at the Brooklyn Tabernacle and Ingomar Church in September, Martha and I were delighted to get some time away to ourselves during the first week of October, taking a five-day vacation to Gettysburg. Thank you to those of you who gave specifically for us to enjoy some personal time away. The last week of October, our family traveled to Florida, where we shared at Life Church in St. Petersburg before heading to Orlando for the Wycliffe Connection. The Wycliffe Connection is a five-day conference for missionaries on furlough to debrief from their time on the field, to learn how to make the most of furlough, and to prepare to return to the field after furlough. Wycliffe places such a high value on this conference that they pay for the entire trip, and we are thankful for the wonderful support!

How are the Kids?
The kids are doing well, enjoying things they don’t normally get to do like going to the pumpkin patch, apple picking, and kayaking. Because we are traveling so much, we are homeschooling the kids this year. Martha is teaching Jacob and Bella, while I am working with Asher on his reading and math each morning before heading to my parents’ church for my regular work of translation. I am also teaching Martha and the kids Enga, so please be sure to keep us all in your prayers!

Bella, Jacob, and Asher at the pumpkin patch

Brooklyn and the 'Burgh

After four years away, September was the month when we were finally able to return to the 'Burgh (Pittsburgh) to spend a few months with my (Adam’s) parents. A few days later, on September 11, we were scheduled to be in New York City to visit the Brooklyn tabernacle. Amazing, when we arrived that Friday afternoon there was virtually no traffic, even in downtown Manhattan! Upon arrival, we were rather concerned about where to park, but a tiny space opened up for us. However, I didn’t know how to fit our minivan in such a small space. Thankfully, Daniel, our host, helped me out. He showed me that in Brooklyn you need to bump the cars in front and behind in order to carve out some space for yourself! Thank you, Daniel and Aida, for providing us with a wonderful apartment and for being such wonderful hosts!

During the weekend we were privileged to share our story at the Missions Ministry on Saturday. It was a great blessing to pray for many people who responded to a call to missions. On Sunday, though it was not planned, Pastor Jim Cymbala showed our video and asked us to share about our work, at both the 9 a.m. and 12:00 noon services. We were humbled to have the choir dedicate the song 'It Will Be Worth It All' to us. On Tuesday evening, we were able to share a bit more deeply at the prayer service. We were overwhelmed by the many wonderful people who greeted us and told us of their faithful prayers for us during our first term in Papua New Guinea. The people of Brooklyn Tabernacle know how to pray, and not only were we blessed and encouraged, but also empowered to seek God with greater fervency in our own prayers. Thank you to the missions team at Brooklyn Tabernacle and Pastor Cymbala for making us feel so welcome, and for encouraging us so much! We will remember our time with you when we return to Papua New Guinea. By your prayers and encouragement, we will continue stepping forward in faith, knowing that we have a great team of prayer warriors at the Brooklyn Tabernacle!

While we were in New York, we also had the opportunity to do a little sightseeing. We took the kids to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Brooklyn Bridge Park, which both offer fantastic views of Manhattan. We also visited Times Square, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the new World Trade Center Observatory, Wall Street, and Battery Park. Needless to say, by the time we arrived back home in Pittsburgh, we were ready for some rest!

Overlooking Manhattan from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Last Sunday, we were honored to share again at Ingomar Church, where I grew up, and where my parents have attended for over 30 years. I never imagined as a young boy, that I would one day be standing in front, as a missionary to Papua New Guinea! It was wonderful to share about our work with so many who have been praying and giving to support the work in Enga. It was very special to share with my parents in attendance, knowing how much they pray for us and support our work. My Aunt Kerry also flew to Pittsburgh to hear my message, and we enjoyed the opportunity to have deep, meaningful conversations about God during her visit with us. Thank you, Pastor David Streets, and the congregation at Ingomar Church, for making us feel so welcomed, for receiving us with open arms, and making us feel at home. Thank you for your continued prayers and support!

God is good and it is good to be back in Pittsburgh, at a place that we can call home.

Asher and Bella enjoying the beginning of fall at my parents' house just north of Pittsburgh

Cross-Country

Greetings from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where we have just finished our three-week cross-country trip. What a blessing it has been to visit Martha's cousin and his family in Durango, Colorado; camp in Ouray, Colorado; speak at supporting churches in Greeley and Montrose, Colorado; visit supporters in Wellington, Colorado; see old friends in Plymouth, Minnesota and Geneva, Illinois; and reconnect with all of my (Adam's) family as we celebrated my grandmother's 100th birthday in Madison, Connecticut!

Celebrating my grandmother's 100th birthday

It has also been a joy to see the children get so excited about seeing things that many of us take for granted like squirrels, chipmunks, and deer. (They don't remember seeing any of those things before!) For Martha and me it felt wonderful to be on the open road and see the country from the California deserts to the mountains of Colorado and from the plains of the Midwest to the forests of the East Coast. Nevertheless, we are so glad to finally be able to settle down in Pittsburgh with my parents after weeks of living out of suitcases. Martha is now starting to homeschool the kids as I return to work, checking the Enga translation of the book of Luke and continuing to compile my grammar of the Enga language. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support!

El Nino Causes Drought and Frost in Enga The people of Enga are currently facing a major disaster as they face the worst frost to hit the area in 40 years. While Papua New Guinea is on a tropical island, most of Enga is over 5,000 feet in altitude and some areas are over 8,000 feet. Frost destroys the vegetable gardens that people rely upon for their daily food and entire crops of sweet potatoes have been lost. Sweet potatoes are the main staple in Enga, and so those in affected areas are virtually without food. El Nino has also caused a drought, which has left people with dangerously low water supplies. Papua New Guinea's government has promised immediate disaster relief funds for the region, but please keep the people of Enga in your prayers that they would have food to eat and water to drink.

Frost-burnt sweet potato crops in the Highlands region of Papua New Guinea. (The darker brown colors
are not dirt but withered sweet potato vines. Normally these mounds would be green.)

Home Away From Home

After four flights ranging from a ten-seat Kodiak airplane to a 247-seat Airbus A330, we are back in America to begin our one-year furlough.

Greetings from San Fernando, California, where we have begun our year-long furlough. After a relatively smooth trip home, we are now getting adjusted to life back in the States. Of course we knew there would be adjustments, especially for the kids. Asher did not remember America at all, and had no concept of how long our furlough was going to be or where we would be living. On one occasion he thought that our most recent two-week trip to Enga was ‘furlough’, and on another occasion he thought that ‘furlough’ would be five days long. At one point during our travels, Asher asked ‘When are we going home”, and we didn’t know if he meant our home in Ukarumpa, the guest house where we were staying, or where we would be staying in America. Bella and Jacob remember a little bit more, but we still had to train them to use water fountains, automatic sinks and paper towel dispensers, and what a red light is and why you have to wait for the light to turn green before you can go. The kids absolutely love escalators and elevators, which seem like fun rides (although the kids got stuck in one elevator because they didn’t get out fast enough).

A tired Asher enjoying an In-N-Out cheeseburger, fries (which we call chips),
and chocolate shake for his first meal back in America

As for Martha and me, we have our own adjusting to do as we experience some reverse culture shock. (No we don’t have a rewards card and no we don’t want to sign up for a credit card to save 15% on today’s purchase! Please stop asking!) The first time on the L.A. freeways made driving the horrible roads in Papua New Guinea seem not so dangerous after all, and we are still trying to figure out why people would power wash their already clean driveways during a severe drought!

Meeting Somaya

One of the highlights of our brief time back in America so far has been meeting our niece Somaya for the first time. Somaya is Martha’s sister Ruthie’s daughter, and she is the only niece or nephew on Martha’s side of the family. She was born just a couple of weeks after we first arrived in Papua New Guinea. So even though she is now three years old, we had not had the opportunity to see her and hold her before now. She has gotten along great with our kids, and she is already calling Martha her auntie.

Bella and Asher with their cousin Somaya

Getting In Gear
It was strange to leave our home in Papua New Guinea with no keys whatsoever (to a house, car, office, etc.) and no working phone. We’ve since been getting back in gear, first getting our driver’s licenses renewed, then getting car insurance, then getting a car (great deal on a used Toyota Sienna from good friends of ours), then getting cell phones. Besides that we’ve been spending lots of time with Martha’s family, swimming in the pool at the house of our dear friend, Roberta, where we are staying this month, going on outings with the kids, eating yummy food, and enjoying a few dates now that we actually have somewhere to go at night! It has not been the most restful time, but it has been wonderful to reconnect with friends and family!

What Do You Do On Furlough?
While furlough is a great opportunity to enjoy some personal time and catch up with friends and family, it is definitely not a year-long vacation. The Enga translation team continues to work on drafting the book of John, and I will be checking the book of Luke. I have also started brushing up on my Greek, and I hope to complete writing my grammar of the Enga language. It is amazing how writing a grammar of Enga forces me to really think through how the language works, which really helps me to learn the language on a deeper level. We will also do a bit of traveling over the year as we visit friends and family. We are currently in Southern California, but we leave on August 7 for a three-week trip cross-country. After spending the fall with my parents in Pittsburgh, we will drive cross-country again after the New Year, spending January through June back in Southern California. We want to thank you all for your continued prayers and support!

Six Days Until Furlough

This past month has been a whirlwind of activity. As Martha has worked tirelessly to clean the house, purge unwanted items, and get the house ready for furlough, I (Adam) have worked hard to finish editing the audio recordings of the Gospel of Matthew so that the Enga translation team can distribute them in October. In Enga culture, it encourages people to see tangible results of our translation work, so it is important to keep releasing books as we finish them. So I praise the Lord that He enabled me to finish Matthew. And I'm so encouraged that the Enga translation team will be launching Matthew even while we are away on furlough. They have really taken ownership of the translation work.

As we have planned and prepared for furlough, there have been a lot of unknowns such as Who will take care of our dog? Who will rent our house? Will our house be safe if nobody rents it? What will we do with our car? How will we be able to monitor the work of the translation team from overseas? Where will we spend our time on furlough? Where will we live? God in his timing has answered all of those questions, and we are grateful for His providence. It is so reassuring to know that we have a God who loves us and cares for us, even in the details of life.

As we prepare to go, we are sad to say goodbye to so many good friends whom we have come to know during our first term here in Papua New Guinea. We are especially sad to see some of our dear friends 'go finish', which is a Tok Pisin way of saying 'go for good (not to return)'. It helps us understand a bit of what our own family and friends may have felt when we made the decision to come here in the first place.

Bella enjoying time with her friends before furlough.

On July 7, we fly into Los Angeles, where we will be staying until August 7. Then we will drive cross-country, stopping in Colorado, Minnesota, and Connecticut before settling down in Pittsburgh for the fall. Then after the New Year we will drive back out to California and stay there until the end of our furlough next July. It will be a whirlwind of activity, but such a wonderful blessing to our family and friends again.

Some supporters may be wondering whether or not they should continue their financial support during furlough. The answer is Yes. We are still just as reliant upon gifts for our supporters during furlough as we are during our time in Papua New Guinea. We have truly been overwhelmed by the faithfulness of our supporters over our first term, and we can't express just how thankful we are for your continued support!

We hope to see all of our supporters during our furlough time, so please don't hesitate to contact us to schedule a time to get together. We would love to see you! Until then, please pray for traveling mercies as we travel from Ukarumpa to Port Moresby to Brisbane to Fiji to Los Angeles over the course of two days. See you soon!

Redeeming the Time

The last two months have been a whirlwind of activity as we have sought to make the most of the our time before returning home on furlough on July 7.

During the last week of April and first week of May, we spent our time in the village of Birip in Enga Province, polishing up the book of Matthew for recording and saying goodbye to our friends and coworkers. Our translation coworkers sent us off with a good Engan meal, including boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, potatoes, cooked bananas, broccoli, Japanese parsley, ginger, and rice. It was a good trip, and we found ourselves wishing that we could have stayed a little longer.

Our last day in Enga before furlough.

One of the highlights of the trip was when I (Adam) got to see my good friend Benjamin graduate from a short pastoral training course sponsored by the Wabag Assembly of God church. You may remember my story about Benjamin from a couple of years ago. (At that time I referred to him as Joseph.) Benjamin used to be a mercenary hired out by other tribes to do their tribal fighting for them (and he did a fair amount of fighting for his own tribe as well). At one point he showed me the shotgun that he used to use (a Winchester Model 37A). But God got ahold of his life, and he became a Christian. When we lived in the village of Immi for five weeks, Benjamin became one of our good friends, and I gave him a Tok Pisin Bible, which he received with great emotion and tears. Later he helped us to consultant check the book of Mark in Enga, and now he has graduated from a basic pastoral training course despite never having had any formal schooling. At the graduation he told me that our stay in Immi and my relationship with him was one of the driving factors that led him to pursue this training. Now the Assemblies of God church has appointed him to plant a new church in the Kompiam District of Enga Province. This is an area where many pastors who go to formal Bible schools won't go, but Benjamin is open to serving God wherever God chooses to send him. What a blessing to see God use Benjamin in this way! Please pray for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide Benjamin as he takes on this new role as a pastor.

Benjamin's graduation ceremony.

After returning to Ukarumpa, we didn't have much down time as two of our coworkers, Martin Harty and Maniosa Yakasa, arrived the next day to begin recording the book of Matthew. Martin did a tremendous job of recording. The recordist told us that many Papua New Guineans read phrase-by-phrase, practicing each phrase two or three times before reading it. Martin would often read multiple verses with no mistakes, and sometimes we had to stop him so that we could scroll the text up on the screen that he was reading from. Not only that, but his voice sounds like a professional radio broadcaster. With Martin's help, we were able to record the whole book of Matthew in just over six days! The Enga translators have already begun planning the launching of Matthew in October (while we are on furlough), so pray for me as I edit the recordings and prepare the book for print in time for them to launch it. It is so encouraging that the team is planning on continuing their work even while we will be gone because it shows how much ownership they have in the translation. Please pray for them to work well and be able to upload their work to the Internet while we are on furlough.

Martin recording the book of Matthew.

On a final note, Martha had her annual heart checkup a few days ago, and her heart is doing well. Thank you for your continued prayers for her health.