September 21, 2011

OneVerse - Translating God's Word into the World's Languages

Is your bible one of your most treasured possessions?  Can you imagine living without a bible?

In our modern world it is difficult to believe that millions of people do not have access to the Bible. Would you believe 340 MILLION people?  OneVerse is working to change that:



The stories come pouring into OneVerse about the effects the bible translations are having all over the world as the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ is revealed:

  • Nesrah didn’t marry a scoundrel, but Saman had turned into one. Her bootlegging husband was drunk much of the time, and now promoted a radical South Asian sect opposed to her new Christian faith. Nesrah couldn’t turn to either set of parents for help. Both their fathers were shamans.  So Nesrah prayed. The next time Saman came home drunk and began to argue, she remained calm. She continued to do so. Finally one day he asked why she acted so differently. She told him about the peace Jesus gave her. When he sobered up, she suggested that he go to a Christian rehab facility … and he agreed to go!  Each day during his treatment Saman listened to Scripture. God’s Word gripped his heart as he heard, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household” (Acts 16:31, NLT). As Saman embraced these words, God transformed his life.  Later when a Bible translation project began for his Ula mother tongue, a local pastor recommended Saman for training as a translator. Today, Saman shares God’s life-changing Word with his people.

  • The Takuu people of Papua New Guinea live in fear of spirits. Accidents, illness and death are believed to be punishment from angering these spirits. Each clan is represented by a certain spirit, or totem.  Abraham is a member of a clan whose totem is the crab. One day after
    Abraham had accepted Christ as his Savior at a translation workshop, he and some friends spent a day at the beach. While they were there, they roasted crabs over a fire and ate them.  When his father learned of Abraham’s meal, he shouted, “How could you break the taboo? You have endangered us all!” His eyes blazed with anger. “Because of this you are no longer my son; I will not say ‘kaisuru’ for you!”  At the traditional Takuu funeral service, a particular family member performs a protective ritual, called “kaisuru,” to assure the deceased’s soul is granted entrance into “the place of the good spirits.” If the ritual is not performed precisely, the Takuu believe the angry spirits will curse the entire clan.  As a Christian, Abraham knew he didn’t have to fear curses from spirits. He realized he didn’t need his father’s intercession. “I no longer worry if I die; Jesus is my ‘kaisuru’!”

Gifts of $26 provide funds for the process of translation, which is intense and time consuming.  Each and every verse must go through the same process:
  • Creating a first draft translation of the text
  • Forming a language team to review the first draft of the translation
  • Testing the new draft of the translation within the indigenous community
  • Checking the translation by translating the draft back into English or another major language
  • Professional language consultants to review and check the translation
  • A final check of the translation prior to publication

    Undergirding each of these project steps are training and mentoring, consultation for translators, computers, printers, translation software, office supplies, transportation, salaries or the equivalent and other necessities.
It is an immense task.  But in obedience, we must tackle the challenge.  Hundreds of tribes and villages have been waiting 2000 years for the salvation found only in God's word.

They should not wait any longer!

Could you give $26 for a verse?  
How about a verse per month? 




Support Bible Translation - Become a OneVerse Partner Today

I invite you to visit oneverse and see the many different ways you can get involved in this life changing work.

8 comments:

  1. so interesting. i am thankful for the opportunity to help get the Word of God into other people's hands without language being a barrier.

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  2. This is pretty amazing when I stop and think about it - I've never thought about people not having the bible in their language! Thanks so much for a thought provoking vlog!

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  3. the bibles stacked up behind you really is a great visual reminder how lucky (maybe unlucky we are to have such access and it be too familiar we don't even care?). LOVE THIS VLOG Cherie! God bless you for using your blog as a platform for HIM !!

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  4. Now is the time to end Bible Poverty... may it be so! Thanks for this post and opening our eyes more fully to the need and the way OneVerse is making a difference!

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  5. wow! I'm sharing this with my daughter tomorrow in our Bible time in homeschool tomorrow. This will touch her heart, too.

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  6. Wow, Cherie ... thank you for sharing this. You obviously are passionate about this need and I appreciate your research and information.

    We all need to get involved in eliminating Bible Poverty!

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  7. You are precious. Check your Twitter DM's :-)

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  8. I am familiar with the Gideon's who will be speaking at our church soon, but never heard of this ministry group.

    Thank you for sharing this with us, Cherie. I am always amazed at the transforming power of Christ in any language. It is only by Him could that man feel free enough to eat for food what he once feared.

    (You are a natural, Cherie!)

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