Dear friends who pray,
How grateful I am for the software that helps us do Bible translation! Earlier this month I attended a week of training in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for using one of the most important software tools for Bible translation, called Paratext 8. It was travel and time very well spent as I was able to receive top-notch training for using the software and was able to set it up to use in our Roma translation projects. It was also a helpful time to meet other Bible translators who work around the world.
Let me give you a quick peek into how it helps me. The screen shot above shows what I see when I start checking one of the Roma translations.
The A window shows the Roma translation (here in the Gurbet dialect) of Mark 1. The B window shows the original Greek text we are translating. In the C window is access to other translations I can compare with and a set of notes and handbooks with notes about how to translate various parts of each verse. In the D window I will fill in notes in Serbian of things I have observed about the translation that seem incorrect which I will want to discuss with the translators when I sit down with them in person. The E window has links to important words in the passage so we can keep track of how we have been translating them across the various Bible passages. In the F window is an earlier draft of the translation used as a basis for a back translation. In the G window I will keep notes for myself of why I made decisions to translate a passage a certain way. In the H window I have access to notes that other Bible translation consultants have written as advice. And in the I window we have the back translation into Serbian, giving a word-for-word translation so I can understand the Roma drafts.
Praise God that this software is available and for the great trainers who taught me to use it. Pray that I will use it well and that it will multiply my efficiency and effectiveness in Bible translation for the Roma.
Here are a few prayer requests:
1) The pastor of the Baptist Church in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, is starting the paperwork to enable us to get visas to live in Croatia. Please pray that that will go smoothly and that we will receive visas to live in Croatia beginning in March or April 2018.
2) Pray for one of the Roma translators as he and his supervisor decide whether he will remain on the translation team. He is doing a great job and I really don't want to lose him, but there are some time and money disagreements to work through.
3) Even though I gave brand new computer tablets to two of our translators when I was in Croatia last month, the tablets are not working with the software program the translators are using. Please pray that this can be resolved quickly. The Roma translators can't use their time to translate if the tablets/software don't work correctly.
Thank you so much for your prayers!
Blessings,
Todd
Below: trainers and fellow trainees at the Paratext 8 workshops in Grand Rapids
