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Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8
“yesterday…”
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Me (and some nice flowers) with the Bena language group after the ceremony |
In April I went to a region called Mbeya in southwest Tanzania to help with a grammar workshop there. There were ten languages involved in the workshop, representing about 3 million speakers - 10% of the total population of Tanzania. The idea of the workshop was to get a sketch of the grammar of each language, which can then be used when Bible translation starts.
I was there to try and help with the different language groups and to guide them when they needed help with the language analysis. And also to try and improve my Swahili since most of the participants didn’t know any English.
The workshop was hard work, but I really enjoyed it and was very glad I went. The grammar stuff was fascinating – it was like trying to solve a huge logic puzzle, except all the clues were in Swahili!
And I think my language skills improved because we hardly spoke any English from 8am to 4:30pm. I think it was probably the first time in my life that I really had to communicate with people who didn’t know my language!
“today…”
Now I’m back here at Swahili language school in Morogoro trying to learn some more Swahili. I feel like I’m learning a lot of new things every day, but I keep realising how much more there is to learn too! I’ve realised that language learning is a lot more than just learning the meaning of different words – I can often understand all the words in a sentence but not understand the meaning at all!
I’m not really doing any official lessons at the moment because I’ve finished the Swahili course, but I’m just trying to continue learning the language by reading children’s books and chatting with the teachers.
I really enjoy language school – there are bits that are hard, but on the whole it’s good fun. I get the chance to play and watch lots of football, which is always a good thing…!
We had our graduation from language school at the end of May, and I had to give a speech in Swahili in front of about 600 people which was a bit scary!
“and forever…” (well the first part of it anyway)
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Martin and me giving the speech at graduation | At the beginning of June I’m hoping to move to Dodoma, which is where our office is, to start the work of language survey. We’ll be surveying several different languages over the next 2 years to try to answer questions as to where different Bible translations are needed.
In June we’ll probably be planning our first survey, which will be the Nyiha language in Mbeya region. In July we have our Uganda – Tanzania branch conference in Kenya, which is a chance to share fellowship with each other and plan some practical details too. And then after the conference, in late July or early August we’re planning to visit Mbeya region to carry out the Nyiha survey. We’ll be talking to people in the area, and analysing the languages they speak in order to establish how they can best have access to the Bible in a language they feel is their own.
Things to pray about…
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Thank God for everything he has provided in my first 4 months here in Tanzania – finances, health, friendships, safety and many other things. Please pray for the continued provision of these things.
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Please pray for me as I move to Dodoma at the beginning of June. Especially for new friendships as I move to a new place. Also for a house and all the other practical things involved in moving to somewhere new.
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Pray for the survey preparation we’ll be doing in Dodoma in June – that God would guide us as we plan how to carry out the Nyiha survey.
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Please pray for the branch conference in July – for good fellowship and good fun.
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We are due to carry out the Nyiha survey in August. Please pray for our relationships within the team, and that we would be able to work well together. Also that we would have wisdom in asking the right questions of the Nyiha people. Please pray for health and safe travel too - we expect to be doing a lot of driving, most of it on quite bumpy roads!
Thank you!!!
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If your contact details change, please let me know
at the following address:
31 Pound Close
Semington
Trowbridge
Wilts, BA14 6JP, UK
(01380 870784)
My address in Tanzania:
SIL, Po Box 1369, Dodoma, Tanzania
www.habarizamark.co.uk
mark_woodward@sil.org |
Wycliffe Bible Translators
Horsleys Green,
High Wycombe
Bucks, HP14 3XL, UK
www.wycliffe.org.uk
askus@wycliffe.org |
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