January 2009 Update

Greetings from southern Oregon!

2008 was a year rich with lessons and God’s faithfulness! I’m so grateful for the things He’s brought me through and the stretching He’s done and continues to do! Let me start with what’s ahead, and then I’ll go back and “catch you up.”

I just spent the week between Christmas and New Years in Washington at a workshop called “TOTAL It Up!”. I went, after six months of praying for the Lord’s confirmation and direction, hoping to find out whether or not linguistics and Bible translation was something the Lord was calling me to.

My big news of 2009 is that the Lord is leading me to join the work and vision of Bible translation. He’s given me a heart to get His Word out to those around the world who have little or no access to the Bible in their native language (their “heart language”--the language in which they dream, think, interact, and share their deepest feelings). While I still don’t know exactly what role I’ll be filling---whether as an actual Translator, or a member of the Translation team--I did come away from “TOTAL It Up!” with His peace to step forward. This next step begins in June! I’ve been accepted to the Summer Institute of Linguistics at the University of North Dakota (SIL-UND) which runs from June-August.

My focus will be on Signed Language Linguistics, and my goal is to join a foundational team whose vision is to reach the unreached Deaf language communities around the world who have no access to the Word of God in any form they can understand. The latest informal language database shows over 200 live sign languages, and that number is expected to reach around 400+ as language surveys continue. Deaf communities form one of the largest minority language groups, and it is estimated that a mere 2% of Deaf people worldwide have embraced the gospel. It is often said that the Deaf are the last to hear any news. That includes the Good News! The complete New Testament is available in only one signed language—ASL, and it was recently released in 2005 (www.deafmissions.org). Thus far, no signed language has the entire Bible.

I’ve had many people ask why Deaf people need the Bible in sign language, and why they can’t read the Bible written in a spoken language. Sign languages are distinct languages which have their own individual linguistic features completely independent of the spoken languages around them. For example, English and ASL have completely different sentence structures, grammatical markers, vocabulary, etc. ASL is a visual language without any written form, while English has a written alphabet composed of letters representing sounds. English speakers learn to read by not merely connecting letters, but sounds, into units of meaning. For a profoundly Deaf individual, every English word is a “sight word” without a sound base (thus phonetically “sounding out” words is impossible). A Deaf individual reading an English Bible would be the equivalent of one of us, as mother-tongue English users, reading a Dutch Bible without ever having heard a word of spoken Dutch.

Now, how I got here. Last May, the Lord brought me to a place of asking, “What’s the purpose of my life? What am I here for?” I’d been praying about the mission field, and how I could use His gifts to further His kingdom. My summer was spent seeking the Lord and laying it all out on the table, telling Him I was open for anything. During that time, I had a chance to go visit a best friend out in Boston; as I packed, I grabbed a few unread books for my flights. One of them was And the Word Came with Power by Joanne Shelter. I read the whole thing on the flight out, mesmerized by the true story.

A week later, I was sitting with another friend in a similar season of seeking the Lord’s direction. As we shared our hearts, my phone vibrated. I checked it to find an email from a recruiter who’d contacted me after Urbana ‘06. He and his wife were going to be in my area in July, and would I be willing to meet for coffee? I was laughing as I told my friend, completely in jest, “Well, maybe that was a sign! Maybe that's what I should do!”

Several weeks later, I was driving into town to meet my recruiters for coffee. When they arrived, I apologetically shared that I had no questions for them, nor had I given much thought to the area of Bible translation. They smiled and asked, instead, where I was at. As we chatted, and I heard their story and more about the work of Bible translation around the world, it all just clicked. We were, somehow, on the same page, speaking the same language, and suddenly all the pieces seemed to come together and fall into their place. I still can’t explain it, and I’m convinced God “set me up” as only He can in His perfect, beautiful ways. Through that meeting, He began igniting an interest in my heart that I couldn’t have anticipated.

For two weeks, I just prayed, prayed, and prayed some more. He gave me such a peace and assurance that He was, indeed, leading me out in this direction, accompanied with a fearlessness to take the next step, whatever it may be. After more contact with my recruiters, other contacts, and prayer, we agreed I should attend the “TOTAL (Taste of Translation and Linguistics) It Up!” workshop in December to get a hands-on feel for the areas of work and needs.

In the fall, the Lord provided interpreting work in abundance, through freelancing and a part-time faculty position at the local community college. The most exciting part of the latter is the weekly contact with clients and colleagues, and the opportunity to build relationships with them (through which the Lord has opened doors to share His love and truth). In addition, the passion God planted in my heart to get His Word to those who don’t have it continued to grow as He opened my eyes to the needs in my own backyard. Even though the New Testament is interpreted into ASL, many low-income Deaf families still do not have it simply due to the price ($35/copy). God laid the desire on my heart to get some copies for the Deaf believers in southern Oregon, and He has been miraculously providing for them in a number of ways! I’m thrilled to share that 24 Deaf individuals/families now have the New Testament in their native sign language!

That’s the Reader’s Digest version of my 2008. I don’t know all the details of what lies ahead this year, but I know the One who does and He has promised to lead! It will certainly be an adventure! For now, the registration process continues with SIL-UND. I’ll also be starting the membership application process in order to have it all ready for submission at the end of the summer. I’ll continue to work at the community college, search for scholarships, and pay down my remaining college debt from Bethel. Then it’s off to North Dakota in June!

I won’t start raising support until I finish my first summer semester, which is when they’ll officially review my completed membership application. However, I want to start recruiting prayer support immediately!! If you would be willing to be a prayer partner as I continue to seek direction in each step, and would like to receive monthly updates and prayer requests, please let me know and I’ll add you to my email update list. Either way, I would cherish your prayers for those around the world who don’t have God’s Word, both Deaf and hearing alike!

I pray this update finds you well and trusting the One who is Unchanging, Faithful and True! May He bless you and yours with His peace and joy! May you pursue Him wholeheartedly and seek first His kingdom! He alone is Worthy.