My coworker Doug and I just returned from the Pacific Area (www.silpacific.org) where we visited offices in Brisbane, Australia; Honiara, Solomon Islands (Guadalcanal); andPort Vila, Vanuatu. We left August 19 and returned 16 days later with a new understanding of how God is blessing Bible translation and how we can help them with their technology challenges. There is no way to describe all we experienced, but here’s a glimpse of what we saw in the South Pacific. For more pictures and stories, just ask Loren.
FIRST STOP: Brisbane, Australia - headquarters for SIL Pacific Area. Years of work have resulted in file cabinets overflowing with notes, photos, illustrations and recordings that need to be archived. We estimated several months of scanning and uploading and about 8 TERABYTES of data! We also discussed the unique demands for technology in areas where Internet is poor or nonexistent. Email and translation software runs intermittently or, with expensive satellite connections, at scheduled intervals. Definitely different than in the US where over 75% of homes have Internet.
We had the help of three translators with 100 years combined experience in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Solomon Islands.
We joined our host, Mark Taber (Pacific Area Director), for worship at his church in Brisbane. Trivia: Only 2% of Australians attend Evangelical Churches (26% in the US).
The CityCat public ferry is a scenic ride down the Brisbane River to Southbank where there are nice markets and eateries. Watch out for hungry ibises! They’ll snap up your fish and chips faster than you can say “Oi, mate!”
NEXT STOP: Solomon Islands has 71 living languages. This center is home base for 27 language projects and 11 translation teams on the nearby islands. They stay in the villages for several months and then “commute” by ferry (6-12 hours) back to Honiara to resupply, download email, and upload translation work via ParaTExt software. Fortunately, we were there at the right time so we could meet with these translator teams. They wereincredibly hospitable inviting us to dinner and taking us to market to show us how to buy food. Our time in Honiara was very productive and fun.
Directors Tim and Martha Matzke, took us in like family and helped us understand their team’s IT needs.
Hot server! Air conditioning/ electricity is expensive, so they circulate air from under building to cool things down.
SI Internet download speed compared to Waxhaw, NC is over 50x slower in the Honiara using DSL and 70,000x slower for translators in remote locations using HF radios. This newsletter would take 10 weeks to send! Think about anti-virus and Windows updates!!!
These cooks at a local church build a fire in an old gas oven to heat stones used for traditional cooking in banana leaves on the ground. Here they made “laplap” out of taro root paste and coconut milk. To me, it tastes like corn bread casserole. MMM!
NEXT STOP: Port Vila, Vanuatu
- Vanuatu is a volcanic island archipelago.
- There are 82 island and 108 living languages which makes Vanuatu has the highest number of languages per capita of any country in the world.
- SIL started language development in Vanuatu in 1982. Currently, there are 16 active translation projects.
- Malaria, Dengue fever and TB are more of a threat to the people of Vanuatu than hunger.
This is Legacy building where we stayed and worked.
This is our neighborhood market where we got bananas, coconuts and all sorts of fruits and veggies that were safe for tourists!.
Sunday worship was such a blessing followed by sweet fellowship outside under the mango tree.
We met with the local cellular provider, Digicel, who trained us in setting up receivers for improved wireless Internet service on several islands in Vanuatu.
We met Pastor Peter (right), who coordinates several language projects, and presented him with the first printed copy of the Whitesands New Testament he had worked on for six years with Vanuatu director, Greg Carlson (left)
Terminators! Doug and I helped with a couple wiring and network cleanup jobs. We learned about Euro ethernet standards & that rats like to chew on Cat.5 cables. Work is so much better when you’re well connected!
Praise God!
- Thankful for safe travel & all went well at home.
- Took a few days to visit with my Dad and family in California.
- Opportunities afforded our family through your prayer and financial support.
Please pray with us:
- The needs in the Pacific Area seem overwhelming, but God does NOT grow weary! Please pray for the translators and support workers to remain encouraged.
- Saturday, OCTOBER 11 is JAARS Day. Several members from my hometown church in Wilmington are coming up. Pray for safe travel, good weather and fun. HOPE YOU CAN COME, TOO!
- We are $400/month under in support and praying God will provide new partners.
- Pray for Michelle and boys in home school. PSATs are coming up soon.
- Pray for Matthew and Zack as they decide to pursue Eagle Scout rank.
- Pray for our family to be wise in our time commitments that we stay true to His will.
Serving Christ with you,
Loren, Michelle, Matthew & Zack
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Loren and Michelle Rothmann
Supporting Bible Translation through IT Support and Healthcare
Phone/Text: 704-451-1596 or 704-806-4039
Email: loren_rothmann@wycliffe.org or michelle_rothmann@wycliffe.org
Website: www.EveryTongueAndNation.com
NEW MINISTRY VIDEO: Walk through JAARS and hear our testimonies of how God called us into ministry. If this link doesn’t work, go to YouTube and search for “Rothmanns at JAARS”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyNsbUeqJ_8
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak. Isaiah 40:28-29
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