We’ve been working on the Nukna translation of the book of John, and recently came to Jesus’ famous statement in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.” As we discussed how to best translate this metaphor, we realized that there was a problem. There is a Nukna word for light – yam – but it’s not possible to say just yam by itself. Light always has a source, and grammatically that source must be included, either by mentioning the actual source or by using a possessive pronoun – “its light,” “their light,” etc. It would be ungrammatical to just say “light.” (This grammatical feature is known as “inalienable possession.”) To literally translate “I am the light of the world” into Nukna would lead to an unacceptable Nukna sentence.
One idea we’ve had is to use a common source of light that the Nukna people are familiar with – the bamboo torch. The Nukna people live in a remote area without electricity. To see at night, they often light up a species of bamboo named kup. Kup burns with a blazing brightness, and a long piece can be held as a torch, enabling a person to walk at night around the otherwise pitch black village. So in Nukna, Jesus’ words would read, “I am like a bamboo torch [kup] that shines its light to the world.”
Our translation team needs to do further testing to see if this figure of speech is communicating accurately and powerfully. Please pray for us, that God would guide us as we seek to communicate this concept, as well as many others, into the Nukna language in a dynamic and life-changing way. “It’s like the light of a bamboo torch shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:5).
In other translation news, Matt and three Nukna men completed the team check of Matthew chapters 1-12, and another group of men are coming up later this month to continue the check beginning at chapter 13. Matt also recently resumed his training to become a translation consultant. A consultant check is the final quality check that translated Scripture must go through before it can be published. Matt recently led the consultant check of four chapters of the Enga translation of Acts, under the supervision of a more experienced consultant. He needs to lead two more checks with supervision, after which he will be able to lead checks on his own. There is currently a shortage of consultants, and many languages in PNG are stuck waiting for a consultant to become available. In fact, we ourselves are hoping and waiting for a consultant to check the otherwise-completed books of Galatians through Colossians. Would you pray with us that a consultant would be provided for the checking of this Nukna Scripture, and that God would raise up more translation consultants here in PNG, so that all the languages waiting can have their translations checked?
• In other news, Nathan was recently in the high school production of the play Backstage, while Kaitlyn was part of the backstage crew (backstage for Backstage!). They had a blast and can’t wait until next year’s school play.
• Justin has now joined the middle school band, playing percussion, and recently performed in his first concert.
• In addition to her role as supermom, Christy continues to volunteer as a 1st grade teacher’s assistant and as a receptionist for the medical and dental clinic. She also serves on the school board and just began helping as one of the coaches for the secondary school (grades 6-12) track team. We’re in the throes of rainy season here, so she, Justin and Nathan (who are both running track) come home covered in mud each afternoon! • Our organization here in Papua New Guinea just held our biennial conference, during which Matt was re-elected to a fifth year on the Executive Committee.
• During a recent storm, a tree fell on the small building next to our house. This is where Matt works on translation when the Nukna men come to Ukarumpa. Fortunately no one was using the building at the time and no one was hurt. All the needed repairs have been made in time for our upcoming translation session for the book of Matthew.