I (John) have recently come back to Ukarumpa from Alotau where I spent two weeks checking the gospel of Luke for the Kaninuwa language. It was both a humbling and encouraging trip for me. Here’s why:

I, along with Joseph and Joyce Park (the Wycliffe advisors for the Kaninuwa translation), had an easy 2-hour flight to Alotau in a small plane and enjoyed seeing the beautiful mountains and coastline on the way. The five Kaninuwa speakers, however, had a 6-hour motor canoe trip in rough seas (they actually ran out of gas before they reached the mainland and had to paddle the last half hour!). Then one of them, Phocus, was feeling sick during the checking. He spent most of one day in bed but the next morning showed up and told me that he was really sorry he had missed some of the checking as he felt like he was letting down the team. He didn’t miss any more of the sessions even though I could tell he was still not feeling well! It was very humbling to me to see what the Kaninuwa were willing to go through for the sake of translating the Scriptures into their language.

Kaninuwa Team: (L to R): Jack, Rose, Phocus, Lynette, Lebi, Joyce, Joseph

Alotau, being on the coast, brought back memories of our years in Solomon Islands

My job as a translation consultant is to find places where there are either mistakes or the translation is not communicating clearly. It can be difficult for the translation team to be told many times during the check that they need to change things. However, Jack (photo below), the main translator, would thank me almost every time I pointed out something that needed changing! I was so encouraged by his desire to make the Kaninuwa translation accurate and meaningful.

Phocus and Lynette (photo below) are not part of the Kaninuwa translation team, but they came as helpers to answer my questions to see whether the translation was accurate and clear. After the check Joseph asked them to write down their thoughts about the time spent checking. Phocus said that he was thankful for the new insights he gained from the check and was looking forward to sharing what he learned with people in his village. Lynette said that she was thankful to learn more about how to dig into God’s Word to understand it and, “I understood God speaking to me in the Kaninuwa language.” Hearing those types of comments makes me very thankful I can be involved in this work!

Thanks for your prayers while I was away doing the consultant check. Brena managed fine at Ukarumpa, but because of a large surge in COVID cases (in all of PNG but especially in the highlands where we live) she wasn’t able to put on Cafes, Teas, or cut hair. Currently all the different departments here on the missionary center have to shut down every day at 2pm and we are only allowed to get together inside with one other family. It has made life more difficult and we would appreciate your prayers that the situation would improve so the restrictions can be eased soon.

I am scheduled to leave on Nov 5^th for another consultant check (also the gospel of Luke) for the Kope language. I plan to be gone until Nov 22^nd. We would appreciate your prayers that the check would go well and that we will stay healthy. Please pray for Brena too as she will again be staying here at Ukarumpa.

Thank you for your part in the work here through your prayers and gifts. We are so blessed and humbled by your partnership.

TO BE IN TOUCH:

john_bruner@sil.org – PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea

TO GIVE ONLINE:

https://www.wycliffe.org/partner/Bruners

TO GIVE BY MAIL:

send gifts to: Wycliffe Bible Translators, PO Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862 (The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators – include a note that says it is for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)