Hannah Felsbourg
17 August 2024
Bible translation workers in the Northern Territory are empowering Indigenous communities to understand the nature of God by bringing the Scriptures to life in their heart languages.
Translator David Strickland and translation teachers Father Mark Woloszyn and Hannah Harper are helping Indigenous communities reconnect with their heritage and faith.
“As a Christian I have a passion for God’s word. It’s changed my life. It changes my life. And I did yearn to have that available for more people,” Mrs Harper said.
Father Mark Woloszyn and Hannah Harper are training the next generation of Indigenous Bible translators at Nungalinya College in Darwin.
They collaborate with four Indigenous teachers to help their students build first language and English literacy skills, along with competency in biblical texts.
Father Woloszyn said Indigenous people are taking ownership of the translation process, and the younger generation is rising to the call.
There are now second and third-generation Indigenous translators who have a deep commitment to preserving their languages and beliefs.
Living remotely and making a long-term commitment to the work are significant challenges faced by many Indigenous language translators.
Father Woloszyn and Mrs Harper want Indigenous people already in remote communities to have the opportunity to try translation work without a long-term commitment.
Read more: Church group explores Indigenous faith, culture at Nungalinya College
They desire more people to join this work, as more translators and better support for them will achieve greater reach, transforming individuals, families, and communities.
Making the Bible available in people’s heart languages affirms their identity and the way God made them.
Hearing God’s word in their heart language resonates on a deeper level with people and makes the message more clearly understood than hearing it in a second language.
“It’s important that people understand what God is like and what God has done from his word. And also, perhaps just as importantly, what God is not like,” Mrs Harper said.
The need for Bible translation efforts is ongoing. Mrs Harper and Father Woloszyn say God’s blessing, pastoral care, and prayer support are vital for their work to continue.
More than 20 years of translation work
Translator David Strickland has spent more than 20 years on Bible translation work. His motivation: millions of people do not have access to the Bible in their heart language.
He believes this is vital work to give access to God’s word to Christians in remote areas to strengthen their faith.
Since starting an Anmatyerr language project in 2002, he has collaborated with others to translate about half the New Testament.
Read more: Bible translation turns a new leaf for 21st century
The Bible Society has printed the translation as a mini-Bible, and it has been made available online in both text and audio formats to provide greater access.
The translation process is lengthy. Each passage must be checked with fluent speakers to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance, but these speakers are not always available.
Mr Strickland always loved language. He felt called to Bible translation and joined Wycliffe Bible Translators.
After receiving training, he joined an SIL program in the Northern Territory and collaborated with David Blackman on an existing Alyawarr language project.
Through his journey Mr Strickland’s faith and patience have been met with unexpected blessings, both in his work and personal life.
He was single when he moved to the Northern Territory to become a translator. He thought it was unlikely he would find a wife working in the desert. But he did.
He met his wife, Ming Fang, when he was in transition between two language projects. After getting married they still needed to find a place to live.
God provided for him when Finke River Mission, with which he was collaborating, stepped in to buy a house where he and Ming Fang could stay.
Mr Strickland is planning to retire soon and stressed that more workers are needed to continue the important work of bringing God’s word to remote communities.
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