I got a great reminder last week about why we do what we do – why Bible translation into minority languages that people know the best is really such a “big deal.” To be honest, I get sick of all the hype of raising money to fund these Bible translations and to support myself. Same cliché’s, same words and phrases such as “heart language,” “Mother tongue,” “national translators,” “minority languages,” etc. Gag me!
But… at the end of the day? You know, it’s true. People really DO need to be able to read or listen to the Bible in their first language – the language that they understand the best. And here my friends, is an example of WHY it’s so important!
A week ago on Palm Sunday, in a church in Bundibugyo District, on the very western edge of Uganda in the foothills of the Ruwenzori mountains, a pastor read Mark 11, Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, to his Babwisi congregation in their own language, Lubwisi. After the service a man told Charles, the translation project leader, that that was the first time he’d really ever understood the passage because it was read in Lubwisi instead of Rutooro (the neighboring predominant language that most people are bilingual in). It seems that he misinterpreted Mark 11:8 where it says, “Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields.” (NIV) when he heard it read from the Rutooro BIble, which is usually the bible that they use in churches. You see, he always understood it to say that people took all of their clothes off and laid them in the road! That they were completely naked “and that is not good” he told Charles! No, no that is NOT good! I’m not so sure how old this fellow is but it definitely gave him a totally different picture of “Jesus’ Triumphant Entry” and sent his mind in a different direction than where it was supposed to go! Something you’d definitely never see depicted in a children’s bible…
So since hearing the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem read in Lubwisi, this dudes own language, he can now hopefully get past images of a bunch of naked people waving palm branches for Jesus, and move on to the actual meaning. And I’m glad for him! Because no, that is NOT good! And I wouldn’t recommend you try it next Palm Sunday…
Happy Easter everyone! He is RISEN!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Easter Fun!
For not thinking about Easter much until Friday night, I'd say we had a pretty good one!
Now I am TERRIBLE at holidays. I never plan for them and hate decorating so basically holidays come and go without a lot of pre planning on my part. I tell the kids that there IS a holiday usually a day or two before, then scramble to tell them what the holiday is about. Like Jesus being born, pilgrims thanking God, Jesus dying and raising from the dead, etc. And this Easter was no different.
I was skyping with my Mom on Friday night after a DREADFUL day (which I won't get into!) and she reminded me about the resurrection eggs that we had (and I'd forgotten about!). So that was a start to our Easter! I got them out and sure enough Ella remembered them from 2009 when we were in Montana with Granny. She still knew the story! It seems like anything about Jesus or the Bible that my kids know their Granny taught them. Sigh. Maybe someday I'll get the hang of it...
Saturday we went to our friends house in the afternoon for an Easter egg hunt - Frankie's first ever! The kids were read the Easter story ( a quick kid version!), they hunted eggs (three times because it was so much fun!), ate their candy, Ella and I showed Abi our resurrection eggs and rambled on about them, then the kids played. Fun!
Sunday morning I got a call at about 9:15am from an American pastor from the East Coast who had just landed at the airport - with a package from Granny! He was a relative of a family friend from, get this, West Virginia!! We have one determined Granny let me tell ya, who does not trust nor forgive the Uganda mail system! Ha! So we met him at the P.O here and picked up our package, then came home and dug into the loot.
Oh my. What timely loot it was! Ella got a new Easter dress, Frankie several new shirts (all on sale!), some spaghetti sauce packs and cheese packs for mac n cheese (think EASY prep for nights I don't want to cook!), two candy filled chickens with symbols (so cool!), some "undergarments" for me (I feel SO supported now! ;), books for the kids and last but not least, little veggietale egg wrappers for Easter eggs. So even though I, the children's MOTHER, didn't think of Easter baskets, God, through their Granny and a guy from W. Virginia, provided the kids with some memorable and timely Easter treats. Isn't that COOL? God can totally make up for a mother's inefficiencies!
We went to church - the children in all their finery and me looking, well like a frump (but a fully supported frump!) - then in the afternoon "dressed" our eggs. So easy and they looked GREAT! Which was a good thing because I don't quite have the hang of coloring them yet. Then we were off to yet ANOTHER Easter egg hunt at friends. What fun!
Seriously listening to the Easter story on Saturday
Opening their eggs and eating their candy after the hunt
Proudly showing their new outfits and symbol playing candy filled chickens. Thanks Granny!
All dressed up and ready for church
Toothless L in all of her purple glory!
My little cowboy. I can't believe how long these jeans made his legs look!
After naps we dressed the eggs. So easy and they looked GREAT!
Our egg offerings for the hunt. I exploded a couple eggs boiling them...
The H Huntress going after her prey
Finding one in the bbq
Diving into the pumpkins after an egg
Banana trees are great for hiding eggs!
Proud!
Ella and her friend Abi on the trampoline. These two are quite the pair! Abi is a huge kick in the pants.
All of the hunters convening after the hunt. Telling hunting stories I'm sure ;)
The proud hunters!
And the spread :)
Eatin' with friends up away from the dogs!
Now I am TERRIBLE at holidays. I never plan for them and hate decorating so basically holidays come and go without a lot of pre planning on my part. I tell the kids that there IS a holiday usually a day or two before, then scramble to tell them what the holiday is about. Like Jesus being born, pilgrims thanking God, Jesus dying and raising from the dead, etc. And this Easter was no different.
I was skyping with my Mom on Friday night after a DREADFUL day (which I won't get into!) and she reminded me about the resurrection eggs that we had (and I'd forgotten about!). So that was a start to our Easter! I got them out and sure enough Ella remembered them from 2009 when we were in Montana with Granny. She still knew the story! It seems like anything about Jesus or the Bible that my kids know their Granny taught them. Sigh. Maybe someday I'll get the hang of it...
Saturday we went to our friends house in the afternoon for an Easter egg hunt - Frankie's first ever! The kids were read the Easter story ( a quick kid version!), they hunted eggs (three times because it was so much fun!), ate their candy, Ella and I showed Abi our resurrection eggs and rambled on about them, then the kids played. Fun!
Sunday morning I got a call at about 9:15am from an American pastor from the East Coast who had just landed at the airport - with a package from Granny! He was a relative of a family friend from, get this, West Virginia!! We have one determined Granny let me tell ya, who does not trust nor forgive the Uganda mail system! Ha! So we met him at the P.O here and picked up our package, then came home and dug into the loot.
Oh my. What timely loot it was! Ella got a new Easter dress, Frankie several new shirts (all on sale!), some spaghetti sauce packs and cheese packs for mac n cheese (think EASY prep for nights I don't want to cook!), two candy filled chickens with symbols (so cool!), some "undergarments" for me (I feel SO supported now! ;), books for the kids and last but not least, little veggietale egg wrappers for Easter eggs. So even though I, the children's MOTHER, didn't think of Easter baskets, God, through their Granny and a guy from W. Virginia, provided the kids with some memorable and timely Easter treats. Isn't that COOL? God can totally make up for a mother's inefficiencies!
We went to church - the children in all their finery and me looking, well like a frump (but a fully supported frump!) - then in the afternoon "dressed" our eggs. So easy and they looked GREAT! Which was a good thing because I don't quite have the hang of coloring them yet. Then we were off to yet ANOTHER Easter egg hunt at friends. What fun!
Seriously listening to the Easter story on Saturday
Opening their eggs and eating their candy after the hunt
Proudly showing their new outfits and symbol playing candy filled chickens. Thanks Granny!
All dressed up and ready for church
Toothless L in all of her purple glory!
My little cowboy. I can't believe how long these jeans made his legs look! 
After naps we dressed the eggs. So easy and they looked GREAT!
Our egg offerings for the hunt. I exploded a couple eggs boiling them...
The H Huntress going after her prey
Finding one in the bbq
Diving into the pumpkins after an egg
Banana trees are great for hiding eggs!
Proud!
Ella and her friend Abi on the trampoline. These two are quite the pair! Abi is a huge kick in the pants. 
All of the hunters convening after the hunt. Telling hunting stories I'm sure ;) 
The proud hunters!
And the spread :)
Eatin' with friends up away from the dogs!The kids had a blast! Frankie started the day just a wee bit cranked but snapped out of it and HAD FUN. It is amazing to watch him now - I'm not sure if it's his age or a result of his working through his trauma issues but he can actually interact and play with a bunch of kids now and not only have fun, but totally hold his own! This mama ain't raisin' no wimp ;)
Great day. Great mom. Great pastor from W. V. Great friends. Great God!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
April pictures for Granny
I realized that I hadn't posted pictures for a while. Sorry Gran. Hope I took enough of your grandpups for you ;)
Great find on the beach! A dead crab!
We stuffed it in our backpack to carry along for later play. It started to stink after an hour or so :(
A Pack Picnic in the Gardens with our neighbors
Aftermath of a Pack Picnic and Walk
Ms Dave checking the sandwich bag
We were amazed to be visited by two Afghan Hounds!
Or clowns...
Frank and his friends
Girl Power!
Performing surgery upon the horse
"Hmmm, I know I can do it - all I need is a knife."
This child's mother was once a sheep farmer and even moved to Africa with an old personalized H sheep tag!
Which can be worn in a variety of places (no, not THOSE kinds of places!)
Or even put on your dog
Ella longs for puppies. Look! Madea had one!
But what's this? A blond, pajama clad little person too! 
"You've got a friend in me..."
Don't fart Ranger, please don't fart!
Great find on the beach! A dead crab!
We stuffed it in our backpack to carry along for later play. It started to stink after an hour or so :( 
A Pack Picnic in the Gardens with our neighbors
Aftermath of a Pack Picnic and Walk
Ms Dave checking the sandwich bag Thomas the Train underpants + Mom's fuzzy slippers = Stylin'
We were amazed to be visited by two Afghan Hounds! 
Or clowns... 
Frank and his friends
Girl Power! 
Performing surgery upon the horse 
"Hmmm, I know I can do it - all I need is a knife." 
This child's mother was once a sheep farmer and even moved to Africa with an old personalized H sheep tag!
Which can be worn in a variety of places (no, not THOSE kinds of places!)
Or even put on your dog
Ella longs for puppies. Look! Madea had one! 
But what's this? A blond, pajama clad little person too! 
"You've got a friend in me..." 
Don't fart Ranger, please don't fart! 
What's the big deal about school anyways?
Paratext 7.1 Training!
So last week I branched out and did something a little bit different. I attended a workshop!! I rarely blog about my work because not only would I then need it to be approved by our organization (Hello Big Brother), but I rarely haul my butt out of the office and do anything very interesting anyways. Until last week!
Last week I was able to attend an advanced Paratext 7.1 workshop here in Entebbe. Paratext 7.1 is a translation program that provides all sorts of helps for translators – a ton of different Bible versions (eg. NIV, NLT etc. as well as other languages such as Luganda, Rutooro, Swahili, Greek)and other cool stuff.
Translators these days have to be very versatile. No longer is it a lone white missionary (usually with big glasses) with his half naked “native” counterpart, hunched over his clunky desktop or, God forbid, a notebook and papers. These days it’s some smartly dressed black dude with a shiny laptop, internet modems, external hard drives and other fancy gadgets, who is not only required to be a godly sterling exegete, but a linguist (who usually helped write the language in the first place), editor, but a computer and software whiz to boot (got to know how to use all those fancy gadgets and keep them working!). As if that’s not enough, about half of them are ordained reverends of various denominations. I coordinate and supervise six translation projects full of these types of chaps. Think I’m a little out of my league?
At least that’s how it is in Uganda. I can’t speak for other places.
So anyways, Paratext 7.1 is a way cool software program. Last week all of the six translation teams added to their inventories of correctly spelled words so that they could use the spell checker, checked all of their book headings in books already translated, made character, punctuation, matched pairs punctuation , repeated words, no word after capital style, no capital after punctuation and mixed capitalization inventories and then starting running basic checks on all of their previously translated work . All of these different inventories build a database of valid and invalid occurrences. They also selected quotation rules, learned how to check Key Biblical terms, check footnotes and cross references, set up glossaries and use the interlinearizer. All in a days work, you know? Being as two of the teams are over 80% finished with their translations and three others have over 75% finished, getting the inventories done and doing checking on all of those translated scriptures was no mean feat!
So now for some pictures of the blessed event!
The newest team, the Kwamba, with MA our operations manager/IT expert "overseeing";) 
The Aringa team (who will be finishing their NT next year!) with office colleauges SZ (comp software course instructor), SO, and DO (IT/Comp software guy) 
EW, translation consultant and ex Lunyole translator, current Lunyole translator AG, and the Lugwere team, GC and DD, with translation consultant and ex Lugwere translator, SM. 
The Lugungu team, Rev JM and MB, with consultant and course instructor, JM from the UK.
Last week I was able to attend an advanced Paratext 7.1 workshop here in Entebbe. Paratext 7.1 is a translation program that provides all sorts of helps for translators – a ton of different Bible versions (eg. NIV, NLT etc. as well as other languages such as Luganda, Rutooro, Swahili, Greek)and other cool stuff.
Translators these days have to be very versatile. No longer is it a lone white missionary (usually with big glasses) with his half naked “native” counterpart, hunched over his clunky desktop or, God forbid, a notebook and papers. These days it’s some smartly dressed black dude with a shiny laptop, internet modems, external hard drives and other fancy gadgets, who is not only required to be a godly sterling exegete, but a linguist (who usually helped write the language in the first place), editor, but a computer and software whiz to boot (got to know how to use all those fancy gadgets and keep them working!). As if that’s not enough, about half of them are ordained reverends of various denominations. I coordinate and supervise six translation projects full of these types of chaps. Think I’m a little out of my league?
At least that’s how it is in Uganda. I can’t speak for other places.
So anyways, Paratext 7.1 is a way cool software program. Last week all of the six translation teams added to their inventories of correctly spelled words so that they could use the spell checker, checked all of their book headings in books already translated, made character, punctuation, matched pairs punctuation , repeated words, no word after capital style, no capital after punctuation and mixed capitalization inventories and then starting running basic checks on all of their previously translated work . All of these different inventories build a database of valid and invalid occurrences. They also selected quotation rules, learned how to check Key Biblical terms, check footnotes and cross references, set up glossaries and use the interlinearizer. All in a days work, you know? Being as two of the teams are over 80% finished with their translations and three others have over 75% finished, getting the inventories done and doing checking on all of those translated scriptures was no mean feat!
So now for some pictures of the blessed event!
Our pristine conference room at the Catholic convent in EBB
The Lubwisi team, CM and Bishop HB, and WT, a translation consultant who lived over 10 years in Bundibugyo with the Babwisi.
The newest team, the Kwamba, with MA our operations manager/IT expert "overseeing";) 
The Aringa team (who will be finishing their NT next year!) with office colleauges SZ (comp software course instructor), SO, and DO (IT/Comp software guy) 
EW, translation consultant and ex Lunyole translator, current Lunyole translator AG, and the Lugwere team, GC and DD, with translation consultant and ex Lugwere translator, SM. 
The Lugungu team, Rev JM and MB, with consultant and course instructor, JM from the UK.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
God can even heal brains
We have seen a LOT of improvement in our little Frank in the last couple of months. He is more assertive, less angry and can snap himself out of a “brain lapse” quicker.
An example was the other night. He was trying to get a banana from off the counter which was proving difficult since the power was out and there was a candle in front of it. I was “busy” sitting on my butt at the computer and so I asked Ella if she would help get him a banana. Oops, that was a mistake that I tried to correct by then asking Frank, “Do you WANT Ella to help you get a banana?” Well, he did and then of course when he got the banana he started to complain about how Ella had “crunched” it as he unhappily began to peal it. I was CALM and didn’t get annoyed with him but just said, “Ella got you that banana so that you didn’t get burned. She didn’t want to see you get hurt.” Hmmm, you could see him thinking about that. Then I asked, “Why don’t you think Ella wanted you to get hurt?” He paused and it was like a light bulb went off in his little head. His face lit up and he said, “Because she LOVES me!” Then he HAPPILY devoured his banana and it wasn’t an issue! Halleluiah! Seriously, before this would have totally ruined his evening and he would have been cranky and pissy for the rest of the night. All over someone getting him a banana.
Understanding how and why he thinks the way he does has helped us all SO MUCH. I deal with him completely different and don’t get so mad at him as much. He inturn seems to far less unhappy with himself and others and in less turmoil. He is finding peace with himself! I think his injured brain would send him one message (she's helping you because you're helpless and stupid) while his heart would tell him something else (she's your best friend and loves you!), which put him into constant confused turmoil. Poor baby :(
I think that Christian parents especially have to be careful not over react to seeming “character flaws” that they see in their injured children – such as lying, anger, discontentment, sexually acting out, etc, that can all crop up because of deeper issues. We need to focus more on the injury and not the symptom even though our religious selves tell us different. Sometimes kids truly just can’t help it as their brain has been rewired a different way. BUT God CAN heal them, just like we’ve seen Frankie being healed in the last couple of months! He doesn’t have to end up a depressed, alcoholic, suicidal adult who hates his family!
An example was the other night. He was trying to get a banana from off the counter which was proving difficult since the power was out and there was a candle in front of it. I was “busy” sitting on my butt at the computer and so I asked Ella if she would help get him a banana. Oops, that was a mistake that I tried to correct by then asking Frank, “Do you WANT Ella to help you get a banana?” Well, he did and then of course when he got the banana he started to complain about how Ella had “crunched” it as he unhappily began to peal it. I was CALM and didn’t get annoyed with him but just said, “Ella got you that banana so that you didn’t get burned. She didn’t want to see you get hurt.” Hmmm, you could see him thinking about that. Then I asked, “Why don’t you think Ella wanted you to get hurt?” He paused and it was like a light bulb went off in his little head. His face lit up and he said, “Because she LOVES me!” Then he HAPPILY devoured his banana and it wasn’t an issue! Halleluiah! Seriously, before this would have totally ruined his evening and he would have been cranky and pissy for the rest of the night. All over someone getting him a banana.
Understanding how and why he thinks the way he does has helped us all SO MUCH. I deal with him completely different and don’t get so mad at him as much. He inturn seems to far less unhappy with himself and others and in less turmoil. He is finding peace with himself! I think his injured brain would send him one message (she's helping you because you're helpless and stupid) while his heart would tell him something else (she's your best friend and loves you!), which put him into constant confused turmoil. Poor baby :(
I think that Christian parents especially have to be careful not over react to seeming “character flaws” that they see in their injured children – such as lying, anger, discontentment, sexually acting out, etc, that can all crop up because of deeper issues. We need to focus more on the injury and not the symptom even though our religious selves tell us different. Sometimes kids truly just can’t help it as their brain has been rewired a different way. BUT God CAN heal them, just like we’ve seen Frankie being healed in the last couple of months! He doesn’t have to end up a depressed, alcoholic, suicidal adult who hates his family!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The Reluctant Homeschooler
So, it’s happened. My mom is ordering Ella’s 1st Grade curriculum tomorrow and we will indeed be “real” homeschoolers. I never really wanted to homeschool, being a working parent, it’s a lot of work and all, but that’s really been our only option and is what is the best at the moment for Ella anyways.
Not that I have anything against homeschooling. In fact, I was homeschooled from Kindergarten – 12 grade, in the mid 80’s through the 90’s, back when not only was homeschooling just plain weird but a hairs breath away from being illegal. When the esteemed Attorney General, Janet Reno, included homeschooling as an example of cultic activity which could be a threat against the government, it really gave us homeschoolers a shot of self esteem in the arm.
So far we’ve been doing kindgarten with a hodgepodge of different workbooks that my Mom got from Cosco, the Dollar store, etc. Ella still can’t read well and I don’t read to/with the kids nearly enough. Bad me. So she’s not reading well but can do phonics (??) and is working through a Grade 1 workbook. Kind of a little preview to 1st Grade I guess. We’ve only been focusing on reading and math and we needed something a little bit more well rounded for the 1st Grade. So mom is ordering Lifepac for Language/Arts, Science, History/Geography and Bible and we are doing Math U See for math for 1st Grade. And the weird thing is, I’m looking forward to getting and starting them! We hope to get them in June and will probably start them in July after we’ve moved.
So, there. It looks like whether I like it or not I am truly committed to homeschooling now!
Not that I have anything against homeschooling. In fact, I was homeschooled from Kindergarten – 12 grade, in the mid 80’s through the 90’s, back when not only was homeschooling just plain weird but a hairs breath away from being illegal. When the esteemed Attorney General, Janet Reno, included homeschooling as an example of cultic activity which could be a threat against the government, it really gave us homeschoolers a shot of self esteem in the arm.
So far we’ve been doing kindgarten with a hodgepodge of different workbooks that my Mom got from Cosco, the Dollar store, etc. Ella still can’t read well and I don’t read to/with the kids nearly enough. Bad me. So she’s not reading well but can do phonics (??) and is working through a Grade 1 workbook. Kind of a little preview to 1st Grade I guess. We’ve only been focusing on reading and math and we needed something a little bit more well rounded for the 1st Grade. So mom is ordering Lifepac for Language/Arts, Science, History/Geography and Bible and we are doing Math U See for math for 1st Grade. And the weird thing is, I’m looking forward to getting and starting them! We hope to get them in June and will probably start them in July after we’ve moved.
So, there. It looks like whether I like it or not I am truly committed to homeschooling now!
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