“It Just Sounds So Good”

Since 2004, the Taylors have been living and working with the Nukna, a Bibleless people of Papua New Guinea (PNG). They recently completed a revision of the Nukna translation of Genesis 12-22, and the next step in the process is called “village-checking”. The translated portions are read aloud to the people in the village to test the clarity and flow of the text. We’ve been receiving email updates from the Taylors while they have been in the village, and we want to share how God has been speaking to the Nukna people through the newly translated Scripture. The Taylors write:

“It was so exciting to be reading a passage, and hear the people laughing at the right spots, or smiling as I or one of the village men read. I would ask them, ‘Why are you all smiling?’ And they would answer, ‘Because it just sounds so good. We've heard this story before in Tok Pisin (the trade language), but we've never heard it like this before!’

As we were checking Genesis chapter 21, which tells the story of Hagar and Ishmael dying of thirst in the desert, and God hearing their cries and revealing a well of water to save them, a large downpour with thunder and lightning hit the village, the first heavy rain in almost three weeks.

One of the village leaders said to me, ‘It has been so dry lately, and we have been very worried that the food growing in our gardens would dry up and die. But just like God heard Hagar's cries for water, He has heard our cries for water and sent this rain.’

Wow, great timing, God!”

Reading Matt’s story renews our excitement for Bible translation, and we look forward to returning to PNG to support the work through aviation.  Ask us how you can help bring God’s Word to the Nukna people and other Bibleless people of Papua New Guinea.  Bible translation requires a lot of team work, and God uses ordinary people like you and me to accomplish this task.