Mary Esther’s mother underwent orthopedic surgery this week involving “a metal plate, a bunch of screws and wire.”  Her aging body is dealing with the results of 10 years of kidney dialysis. 

This was a truly amazing week. We accomplished more than we dared hope.  We set out to work on a comprehensive plan for the various Sign Languages in Asia that need translation work, and in the process, the Deaf participants went on to form an ad hoc group to take responsibility for the promotion and development of SLBT (Sign Language Bible Translation) work in Asia.  ViBi will serve as the interim Asia office until a group of five Deaf people from China, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, and Japan chosen by the participants meets again in January. We have a good start on the comprehensive plan, and are putting systems in place for continuing the work.

Please pray for me.  Last week‘s meeting took a huge toll  between late nights,  interpreting, working to follow conversations in Sign Languages related and unrelated to Japanese SL, and transporting people unfamiliar with Japan. Life has not slowed down much since then either. The comprehension check for Matthew is going full swing every day, and we have two guests (Japanese Deaf Pastor and Korean Deaf missionary to a restricted access nation) staying overnight part of this week.  Next week we have a Deaf couple from Costa Rica stay with us.  Life is not always like this, but every once in a while it happens, and we need extra strength. Thanks so much for standing behind us.

When I offer breakfast to our guests,  the Korean missionary and Japanese pastor ask for fried eggs and toast.   Mark、he prefers his rice and fish.

After weeks of bulging inboxes of e-mails and countless webcam conferences, it's finally happening. Ten leaders interested or engaged in Sign Language Bible translation (SLBT) from seven countries will be converging on Japan to join ViBi leadership in planning Deaf Bible access in Asia. Our aim is to lay the groundwork for the creation of a comprehensive plan for SLBT in all of Asia, including a funding proposal.

Pray! With all the time, energy, and funding that has already gone into this endeavor, we want these next four days to be the crux of something new. Beginning with arrivals and someone to meet each person coming, there are seemingly endless possbilities for things to go wrong. Pray that everyone will make it, sleep well, and be ready for the first day. Pray that we'll find ways to communicate in the various Sign Languages we're using. Pray that we will find a way to begin building a solid plan that includes all of the Sign Language Bible needs in Asia. Pray above all that the Holy Spirit with fill us with wisdom and unity, that what comes of this meeting would surpass our dreams. Bible translation needs in the Asian Deaf community have gone unnoticed for years--its time to start moving.

Some who have supported us for years and know our commitment to Japan's Deaf might be wondering:  How does this all fit in with ViBi's needs and goals for Japan's Deaf? The way I see it is this:  The  main thing keeping ViBi from really moving quickly is insufficient funding. Since ViBi's strong Deaf leadership and committment to excellence and innovation have already positioned them as world leaders in SLBT, they are sure to be part of any funding proposal that is made. Funding ViBi's translation needs will meet the needs of Japan's Deaf, while at the same time showing the way and providing resources for other Deaf groups in Asia and beyond.

·         New funding for a new full-time translator for the Japanese Sign Language Bible!

·         Preparation for an Asia Comprehensive Sign Language Bible translation Plan meeting September 10-12.

·         Pastor Minamida’s arm/shoulder/neck condition improving.

·         Check it out!  Wheelchair cleaning lessons. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvWx_6AInlU

Praise God!! We just received word last week of long-term funding that will enable us to hire one new full-time worker. This is a huge answer to prayer, and we thank you for being a part. Pray for wisdom now as we make decisions soon as to who we should hire, and re-adjust our budget. Also, do keep praying. We still have one more request out that will be decided soon. It could, in the best case, enable us to hire a full team of six and finish translating the whole Bible in 10-12 years.

September 9, Sign Language translation leaders from across Asia will arrive in Japan. Our task is clear, to move as far as we can toward a comprehensive Sign Language translation plan for Asia, and then appoint a smaller group to finish the task and report back to the larger group. By March, we need to determine all the Sign Language translation needs in Asia and come up with a comprehensive plan for meeting those needs, including a budget to present to major donor organizations.  ViBi is partnering with SIL International Asia area, who is providing funding, know-how, and logistical support for these meetings. This is a major strategic opportunity that could provide a breakthrough in funding not just for Japan, but for Deaf people all across Asia, but it comes at a very busy time. Pray for us as we plan and prepare.

Praise God!  When pastor Minamida went overseas, it was to minister, but while there, he was ministered to in return. One of the workers there has used podiatry and massage to reach out to others, and was able to provide relief to Pastor Minamida for the arm/shoulder/neck condition that has been hampering him for so long. Pray for his continued healing. Maybe it’s not what Jesus had in mind when he said “it is more blessed to give than to receive”, but our outreach to Sign Language Bible translation in other countries seems consistently to benefit our own project.

This morning we finally received a positive response from an overseas partner organization saying they have found a way to get an import permit for the container of wheelchairs from Japan.  Please pray the process will go smoothly and we can send the container of wheelchairs soon.  Even with the amount of storage space we do have, keeping 150 chairs until they can be shipped takes up valuable space.

We are now both back in Japan. Mark returned August 7 and left on the 8th for a wheelchair event and other activities in Northern Japan. Mary Esther returned on Monday the 17th.  She stayed on in Kansas City after her father's funeral for a while to care for things there.[MP]  People who knew dad from Germany, Japan and the US joined us for dad's service and we are grateful.  To all who sent cards and messages,  thank you. We learned so much about dad, and are humbled to have had such a father.

While Mark was in the U.S. for the funeral, and Pastor Minamida, our translator, was in China, work continued unabated at ViBi. Ms. Yano, our new translation helper was on the webcam almost daily with Pastor Hori. He would explain what the passage meant, and she would sign it. Working together, they recorded Matthew 11-25, and edited all the best takes of chapters 11-20 together into a seamless first draft. Praise God for these wonderful additions to our team, and pray the we fill find the funding to continue working with them.

While you're praying for funding, here's another prayer opportunity. September 9-12 we're partnering together with SIL to host a meeting of representatives from the various Sign Language Bible Translation groups and donor groups operating in Asia. Our aim is to come up with a comprehensive plan for the region that will include funding for the various projects, including ours. The window of opportunity is a small one, and we need to work fast. Pray that the many details and schedules of the people we hope will attend will come together. 

Mary Esther's father, Wilhelm Baum, is now with his Lord and Savior and we rejoice.  

His prayers and ours were granted in that he died in his sleep and didn't seem to experience any distress or discomfort.

Before going to bed he asked for graham crackers for his night-time snack and sat in bed munching away enjoying his treats.  We are thankful he was spared the move to the Long Term Care facility.  He has now moved to his real home!  Rejoice with us.

For those in the Kansas City area, there will be a memorial service on Sunday afternoon August 2 at Blue Ridge Bible Church.

Thanks for all the help—and so quickly too. Consensus so far seems to be that Jesus was fairly young, anywhere from toddler to five-ish, but probably closer to the younger end of the spectrum. Here is an answer that summarizes the details quite well. If anyone has something to add (or debate), this should be a great place to start.

Here’s a quick question for anyone who’s interested:

How old was Jesus when he came back from Egypt to Israel with Mary and Joseph?  (Matthew 2:20) The Greek could be anywhere from infant (not likely) to pre-puberty. Any other evidence one way or another? Archelaus is a clue, but without a bit of research, I don’t know how he relates to the timeline, particularly the slaughtering of the innocents. I read a novel once in which Jesus was six or seven coming out of Egypt, but don’t know the sources involved.

Why do I ask? Well, commentaries and even translator’s handbooks often don’t answer the kinds of questions that come up in Sign Language translation. SL translation is visual. In natural signing, as often as not, action is shown, rather than told about. So when Joseph  “takes the child “ in draft one of our JSL Matthew, the signer briefly takes on the role of Joseph looking down at a child in his arms. The way he holds the child would be very different depending on the age—past a certain age, he wouldn’t likely be holding the child at all. In draft one, Jesus looks very much like an infant. That didn’t seem right to me, but I would like to have more information on it if possible before discussing changes.

ViBi/Japanese Bible Sign Language Translation (Mark)

·         Pastors Matsumoto  and Minamida are consulting on a SL translation project in the big country west of us. Pray for them and those they work with.

·         Pastor Minamida completed a first draft of Matthew 1-10, 2^nd draft of 1-6. Keep praying for arm pain.

·         Two requests for funding will be decided very soon. PRAY!!

·         Translation helper doing great work. Keep praying.

 Wheelchairs of Hope (Mary Esther)

·         Last minute negotiations got three chairs to Mongolia. We thought it might be zero.

·         Pray for an import permit to be granted

Personal

·         Mary Esther’s dad (age 94) has stabilized, but is still struggling. Pray for decisions regarding his future care.