Our work involves three main components:
Bible Translation,
Training others,
and using the Written Word to communicate God's love.
Shatikha Translation
We are advisors for the Shatikha Translation Project.
- We spend about half of our work time directly involved in translating the New Testament into the Shatikha language
- Shatikha is a pseudonym for a Bibleless people group in Asia
- There are about 15,000 speakers in several countries
- There are only about 50 Shatikha believers
- Currently, we have completed over half of the New Testament
- We hope to complete the New Testament by 2018
- We also have an active Literacy Component that has trained mother-tongue teachers and hundreds of students across many villages
Training/Equipping
We train nationals and others through the auspices of a small local
university.
- We spend half of our work time training nationals and others at this university
- Doug's PhD in linguistics, allows him to build vision and mission into the next generation of workers
- Many of our students go into full-time language development work back in their home countries
The Written Word
We both like to write. And so, we work with the printed word in several ways.
- Doug's writing primarily includes language research and journal publications, as part of his role with the university (He also writes poetry)
- Connie is part of a writer's group and blogs
- Connie also is writing an historical novel, Enlightenment, which is based on the life of a Shatikha lady
- Connie will tutor and help edit English with some of our nationals who are in our university training programs