Tomorrow we head to the Northeast again, this time to work with Pastor Hori, training him to check Pastor Minamida’s first draft of Genesis. Pastor Matsumoto may also join us for a bit and talk about translating Ephesians and training materials. I’m also hoping to contact a Deaf friend from our Sendai days. Pray that it will all work out. We’ll be at the Fukushima Deaf church on Sunday, where Hori pastors. We're looking forward to meeting the people there--our first time at the church though I've met people from there before.

I was just on the internet webcam this morning talking with Pastor Matsumoto (Deaf) of the Yamagata Deaf Church where we began our work in Japan. He was excited about a man who came to church with some real problems some time back, but through studying the Word in the JSL version, has made great progress in his relationships with people. Pastor Matsumoto is also thrilled at how the leaders he is training in the church are able to dive into tough passages in the some of the epistles we’ve translated and learn the deeper truths of Scripture on their own, and then share them with him and others. God is building His church!

 

The main reason for going was for me to interpret for Pastors Hori and Matsumoto at the Church-Based Theological Education seminar in Sendai. The main reason I said yes to interpreting, something I rarely do, was that Hori was the one who asked. I wanted to get face time with him so we could get started on translation checking (see 6/23/08 update), and just connect.

Well, not only did we connect and set a date to start work on translation checking of Genesis, the seminar itself turned out to be a huge boost. Both pastors are interested in testing the leadership training concept in their Deaf churches, and are working together on developing the materials. But it doesn’t end there.  Because the materials focus heavily on the epistles and Ephesians in particular, they were wanting to get started on a translation of Ephesians. (ViBi already has Galatians, Philippians, and Thessalonians available.) Pray for them both as they seek ways to get their churches involved in the translation.  I am especially excited that Pastor Hori is so eager to get involved. The only Deaf person I know of in Japan who knows both Greek and Hebrew can now be a part of the translation process via the internet without uprooting his whole family. Praise God for the new possibilities.

 The momentum that was building there for Wheelchairs of Hope (see 6/23/08 update) resulted in a stunning Sunday at Mito Bible Baptist Church.  After a stirring message from Pastor Kawasaki in the morning service, we had lunch, and then rolled out the covering for the floor to get ready for the wheelchair cleaning day. 24 people came to help, the youngest aged 10 and the oldest 84 (and the 84-year-old lady dove right in with gusto, using wrenches to remove wheels for cleaning and even had the big electric drill/screwdriver out taking off seats).  Three people came who had never been to church before. All three want to continue being involved in the project, and two are coming back for other events as well. God is at work already right here in Japan, before the chairs even get where they’re going! One of the members wrote the Pastor, “this is what it means to be Church!” He’s right.  Working together, all ages, using their various talents, connecting with their community, serving the world—what a tribute to the life of Jesus in his Body, the Church.

 

Praise God for a great board meeting. They just keep getting better. Momentum is building with the successes in Mito with Pastor Kawasaki as he prepares for a “wheelchair cleaning day” at his church this coming Sunday.   Two bike shop workers, a father of a disabled child who also runs a wheelchair rental shop, and a teacher from a Special Ed school all are interested in being part of the 15 who will gather to clean the chairs.  Also interested are some 6^th grade boys. Outside the church is an open area where upper elementary and middle school neighborhood boys often gather and play.     The pastor approached them last week and asked if they wouldn’t come help clean the wheelchairs.  They were very enthusiastic.  The pastor mentioned that these were boys who probably would never accept an invitation to Sunday school who were going to come and help out.  Some who heard the announcement on the public radio station have called the city office to ask where to go to help clean chairs, and the city office called the public radio station to find out the information.  News is spreading that the church is going to be involved in helping the needs of the poor who lack wheelchairs.  The pastor said that people who have been curious about church, but don’t feel free to just show up, now have a reason to show up and learn more what Church is about.     

 

Pray for equipment that will allow us to use a bar coding system to track wheelchairs in the project. 

 

Pray for the cleaning days July 3 and 29.

 

Pray for the wheelchairs going to Bangkok July 4.

Give praise for God’s amazing work in Taiwan!  “Nothing happens this fast in Taiwan” was the comment of a long-time expat present at Saturday’s main exploratory meeting. Six of the eight groups known to have Deaf ministries in Taiwan were there, and even though there was a lot of “history” between the various groups, God’s Spirit brought unity around their common need for a Taiwanese Sign Language (TSL) Bible. Not only did they decide on the date for the next meeting (September 27), they also formed a working committee to proceed with the project until they meet again. During the final prayer, the interpreter (from TSL into Mandarin) was so moved by God’s work there she could hardly speak through her tears—shared by many others in the room as well.

 

Pray for the leaders in Taiwan as they meet to proceed with the translation project.

 

Meanwhile, back in Japan . . . we finished recording Genesis 36-42! Since Pastor Minamida, the translator and signer, has still not fully recovered from his neck, shoulder, and arm condition, we are only allowing him to sign 2 hours a day. At two days a week, it took a full month just to get the recording done. But looking at it, it is clearly his best work yet. Pray for Mr. Ogata as he edits and prepares the DVD, for Ms. Kuwahara and Mark as they do the final checks on versification and computer graphics, and for Pastor Minamida as we begin tomorrow translating the last portion of Genesis—chapters 43-50.

 

We’re also excited that Pastor Hori, a Deaf man who knows Greek and Hebrew, has agreed to help with original language checks. Though he lives too far to commute, he can get the translation work via the internet, check it, and send the results via internet. Pray that the training will go well, and we’ll be able to work out a good system for “distance checking.”

 

PS Pastor Minamida is happy to be able to get is hair cut now that the recording is done.

 

More Details on Taiwan:

 

There were LOTS of meetings. Visits with the Taiwan Bible Society and some of their major donors proved productive. Mark was even a guest lecturer for all of 20 minutes at a freshman Deaf Culture class at Tainan University. He also spent hours with various Deaf groups and individuals.  Though TSL began from Japanese Sign Language (JSL) during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, it has diverged significantly in the past 60 years, so Mark had to strain to follow what was going on, and missed a lot. Fortunately, his first contact was with Pastor Wu, who knew a fair amount of Japanese Sign Language (JSL), and the bits and pieces of TSL learned from Pastor Wu helped during the intensive meetings on Saturday and Sunday. Pastor Wu interpreted for Mark on Saturday when he presented the JSL translation work, but the rest of the day, he was pretty much on his own. Interestingly, when the signing was “Deaf”, he could get by, barely, but if it followed Mandarin sentence patterns or included fingerspelling, he was totally lost. He came home exhausted, but very, very happy.

 

Mark’s been in Taiwan—arriving June 8, the eve of Shavuot (in Greek its called Pentecost). Shavuot is an agricultural celebration of first fruits and commemorates God giving the Law on Mt. Sinai.

At Babel, God confounded the languages; at Pentecost, God gave the gift of tongues to the disciples who stayed obedient and had gathered together in Jerusalem.  Jews from every nation under heaven were gathered in Jerusalem and heard the mighty deeds of God in their own tongues.  The harvest of first fruits that day was 3,000 souls.  How fitting for Mark to be in Taiwan during the festival, studying, and working with others so those who do not yet have God’s Word in a language they can understand, will someday.  Pray for fruitful results.

 

Please keep praying for the necessary staff for the Japanese Sign Language Bible project and for adequate funding to salary them.  

 

Pastor Kawasaki (Vice Chair for Wheelchairs of Hope) was interviewed for 10 minutes on Ibaragi NHK  (for you in the U.S., its the equivalent of NPR in your state). As a result, he has had so many wheelchairs donated that he’s having to turn down offers.  Pray for more storage area.  We are thankful for volunteers to build shelving in our new storage area in Tokyo.  The construction project is in the competent hands of Mark and Mary Esther’s former 8^th grade science teacher who is visiting Japan this summer.  Praise God for his provision.

 

Next week is a board meeting.  Please pray for wisdom for the board members.  

 

Today, Mark leaves for Taiwan, where he'll be for a week. Unbeknownst to him, a meeting was scheduled for this afternoon. He’s hoping to catch an earlier flight. Pray that he will make it. Pray also that God will grant him favor with the Deaf leaders, Bible Society leaders, and SIL leaders as we seek to find a way to get a Sign Language Bible translation project going in Taiwan. This is a first for him, and he really needs your prayer support.

(PS. This will also be the third and final mentored training experience for the translation consultant training he is engaged in.)

 

Thanks for praying for our U.S. trip.  We come back to Japan rejoicing. All our children are finished with school. It’s the first time since 1983 that we’ve had no children in school. Both Andrew and Anna have jobs and are (or will soon be) getting used to a brand new environment. Also, Mary Esther’s dad, who has been living alone in a very large house is moving to an independent living complex where he will have meals supplied, and much more company on a daily basis. So we come back to Japan much lighter than when we left.

 

Thanks for praying. Friday's board meeting went very well.
On one hand, we were keenly aware that we are just a small group of weak people sitting around a table for a few hours. On the other hand, we were energized by the realization that God's power is at work in us, and that what God is doing here in Japan among Deaf people with the Good News is affecting the rest of the Deaf world as well.
 The directions we set, the quality we seek, and the systems we put in place affect sign language Bible translation projects around the world in various phases who are looking for models. Pray that the board members specifically will be able to find the funding needed to implement plans and realize dreams.

Pray also for Pastor Minamida, Mr. Ogata, and Ms. Kuwahara as they continue recording Genesis 39-42 while we are in the U.S.

 We will be in the U.S. from May 19 through June 6.  We’ll be at Aromas Bible Church (Aromas, California) on the 25^th,  and Woods Chapel Bible Fellowship (Blue Springs, Missouri) on June 1. Pray that we’ll be able to re-connect and share our passion with the sending part of our team.

 

We’ll also be at graduation ceremonies for Andrew (Berkeley) and Anna (Biola). Pray for them as Andrew starts a new job at UC Irvine, and Anna begins a job hunt in the San Jose area.

 

Things are really crazy here. Today is the ViBi annual board meeting, and do pray for us as we work together to set the direction for the next year. Pray for wisdom as we seek to take the project to the next level.

 

Last Friday’s recording session went pretty well. It turned out to be a rehearsal, though, because by the time the morning was up, we had found and fixed many little problems with the new studio setup, including a brilliant way to reduce shadows on the face, so decided to re-do what we had finished. (We ALWAYS had a full day for rehearsal when we used an outside studio, so this was normal.) Tuesday we recorded chapters 36 and 37 without a hitch, and yesterday (Thursday) recorded chapter 38 and went over problems in the final draft for chapters 39-42. (This will be recorded while Mary Esther and I are in the U.S.). Today (Friday) is the board meeting, and Monday, we leave for the U.S.

 

We will be in the U.S. from May 19 through June 6.  We’ll be at Aromas Bible Church (Aromas, California) on the 25^th,  and Woods Chapel Bible Fellowship (Blue Springs, Missouri) on June 1. Pray that we’ll be able to re-connect and share our passion with the sending part of our team.

Sunday’s plans include an outdoor barbecue outreach, but the weather report promises rain the whole weekend. Pray.

Praise God! Thai airlines faxed permission yesterday for another wheelchair to go gratis with a passenger to Chiang Mai. Pray that we’ll be able to line up someone at the airport to meet him and take the chair.

We're trying something new today. Instead of taking a full day to record the final draft of 30-45 minutes of scripture translation, Pastor Minamida is coming for three hours--one to get prepped and ready for recording, and two hours for recording. We're not planning on finishing the whole portion--Genesis 36-42. We will record as much as we can in the time allotted, and leave the rest for the following two-hour sessions. Pastor Minamida will continue every Tuesday and Friday until we finish. Then he'll move on to start translating the final seven chapters of Genesis.

 

Please pray. Pray that his arms and shoulders will stay loose so they can continue healing. Pray that we will be careful not to go beyond the limits of his health in our eagerness to finish the job. Pray for mental clarity. Pray for team synergy.

 

Pastor Minamida will be watching a cueing draft while he signs. The cueing draft is a patchwork of previous work--the first draft plus all the corrections we made along the way that have been edited in (This is version number ten). In the final check for accuracy, I found a spot or two in here and there that needs checking. Some problems appear to be editing errors that can easily be fixed. Some are changes in the translation that might contain errors (I say "might" because I always have to be sure I'm understanding the nuances of the signs correctly). Pray that the errors will be easily fixed, and the marginal spots clearly signed in the final draft.

 

Pray above all that we will be able to enjoy the process. Working together to do something greater than any of us individually could ever do alone. Reveling in God's power at work in us rather than trying too hard to please God. And pray that God's word will continue to transform the Deaf of Japan, both those in churches who are eagerly awaiting the next installment of Scripture in their language, and those outside who still don't know the Good News.

Mark preached last Sunday at Tokyo Deaf Baptist Church. His passage was Gen. 24, finding a bride for Isaac, and his “sermon” style this time was highly interactive, with the focus on the passage as translated by Pastor Minamida on the ViBi DVD. Mark would play a paragraph or two of the translation, ask some questions, listen, make some observations, and move on to the next portion. After the service, a new person introduced himself. He was a Catholic Deaf man, and so impressed with the clarity of the translation that he bought the whole set of available  DVDs. “I’ve never understood the Bible so clearly,” he said. Pray that we will get the funding and the personnel to complete the translation so that someday, he’ll be able to buy the whole Bible in his language. *

 

Talking with him over lunch, we found that he had a strong interest and a good understanding of his faith. His father had been of the “hidden Christian” line, so he wasn’t even aware of his father’s faith until the funeral. It was to honor his father and preserve the family faith that he began his quest into Christianity, but it appears that he has moved beyond that now. Pray for him, and for our future interactions, that God will use him to bring the Word to many of his friends, people in circles that go far beyond those we normally encounter.

 

*$3,000,000 in hand, or $300,000 pledged for the duration of the project could hire the team we need to finish the OT and NT in 10-13 years. Some have all but laughed out loud when we talk about this as if it could actually happen. So pray. Not that we can, or should even want to, twist God’s arm. We serve God, not God us. I wanted to have this in hand by the end of April so we could plan our next year accordingly (board meeting May 15), but what God is planning remains to be seen. I certainly don’t need to be right, and by God’s grace will wait as long as needed, but it does hurt to see the needs and the possibilities so clearly and yet be so far from realizing our vision.

Thanks for praying for the cleaning day. Many people came and worked, shared lunch and prayed together. We now have 20 chairs cleaned, wrapped and ready to go to the Philippines April 28th. What seemed impossible at the beginning of the day is now a reality.

 

One of the more tedious jobs during wheelchair cleaning is removing stickers from the wheelchairs—whether they are rental agency stickers or various others applied by zealous sticker–collecting children who like to adorn their individual chairs. Thanks to a very good hint from a pre-school teacher, we now have a blow-dryer in our tool box.  It works oh so much faster, (and more safely) than the razor blades we employed before! 

 

A new lady came and I was eager to hear her story.  “My mother was in a wheelchair for 17 years,” she said, “so I want to help make them available for others.”  She told about needing to walk slowly, watching the path carefully as she pushed her mother in the wheelchair. As her mother would give the name of each plant, things that she had before considered collectively as “weeds” took on new importance. Each with its own name and distinct leaves and flowers, they became items of beauty around her that God had created.  She was so glad for the time she had with her mother, the memories of laughter and sunshine outdoors together that would not have been possible without the wheelchair. “I want others to be able to get out and see God’s beauty around them too,” she said.  “Thankful” was a frequent, and intentional, theme in her conversation. It was wonderful to have her join the work.

 

 

After the morning worship time at Deaf church, we always have “announcements,” a time when people share not just what’s happening in the church, but also in their lives.  Today Mr. Tanada (an elder at the church) told of his first week of work at the Deaf school where he will be teaching when the new school year starts next week.  He is the only Deaf teacher at the Deaf school, and his first week was not easy.  But at some point, he saw a teacher with a cross in his lapel, asked about it, and learned that this man was also Christian. Better yet, he learned that the school had a portion of the ViBi’s Sign Language Bible Translation brought by this teacher!  Mr. Tanada is the ViBi project director and so was quite excited about this.  We are too!  Who knows how many students at the third largest Deaf school in Japan have encountered the Bible in the time that it has been there?