Update

The first translation course ever held on Nukuria

(October 2014) In December 2011 a small team of Nukuria translators completed the first translation training course in Buka, PNG. This year the follow-up course was being held in Buka, but due to transportation problems the Nukuria translators were not able to attend. This was a severe blow to their morale. Tom Puaria, the translation advisor for this project, then considered running a five-week translation course all by himself. This is what Tom wrote in his report on the course:
“I thank God for the confidence the Nukuria translators had in me, in wanting me to take the course myself. I knew it would be a challenge to solely take on this 5 week course.
The course commenced on the 1st September and ended on the 2nd October, and the closing ceremony on the 3rd October.”

Tom goes on to write about the topics he taught, such as criteria for a good quality translation, translating key Biblical terms, how to check a translation, figures of speech, discovering the grammar of your own language, study skills, and last but not least, Greek, which he considered the most exciting part of the course.
He also showed the “Bible Lands as a Classroom” videos as part of a series of Bible Background lectures. As a final lesson, the participants held a Seder meal together with the Hauma community, with home-made matzahs and bitter herbs.

The course happened thanks to the support of many people in the Nukurua community. The United Church offered their church at Hauma as a classroom (they had to suspend all other activities to make this possible); the Hauma community provided daily meals; Nukuria pastors participated in morning devotion, and the Nukuria Community school provided stationary. And “last but not the least, I thank God for the prayer support of our prayer partners throughout the Pacific.”

Tom concludes his report by saying:
“Although the timing seemed so short, we managed to squeeze in our lessons to fall in with our Course schedule. Lessons for the 4th and 5th week focussed mainly on translating Genesis 22:1-19 and selected texts in the NT. After going through the translations, we had a checking session so that they are familiar with the type of questions a consultant would ask in real checking.”

Participants of the Nukuria training course. Participants of the Nukuria training course.