Ever been asked to do something way, way beyond your perceived ability?
THINK ABOUT IT ... would you, personally, feel confident if someone asked you to do the following? Would you agree to even attempt to do it! to sign up?
- Tell multiple Bible stories or passages of Scripture BY MEMORY chronologically and accurately (no mistakes - no missed details)?
- Translate passages of Scripture into your first language from another language. All CANA - Clear, Accurate, Natural and Acceptable! And, oh, by the way, NO TRANSLATION TOOLS are available in your language for you to use.
- Video tape yourself telling those passages of Scripture - again NO MISTAKES - in a studio with lights, back drop and a sophisticated video camera. Sorry, there is no manual in your language for you on how to operate the video camera
- Take what you videotaped, enter it into the computer, edit it (please make it look real professional), and render it to a DVD with a menu. Sorry, no manual in your language for the computer and/or the editing software.
- And - sorry I forgot to mention this before -- each passage of Scripture also needs an introduction that includes a brief explanation of what happened before the story, maybe a map of where the story took place, list of people's names in the story and any necessary explanation of cultural issues and/or unknown terms mentioned in the Scripture passage. Then, after telling the story, please add a lesson plan for people who watch the DVD to use. You will have to do both of these without any resources in your language.
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Because we have several other translations going on at the same time, you will need to share studio and computer time with the other translation teams. This means you need to stay on a very strict schedule. We also expect you to complete 32 stories in 8 months as you are scheduled to return to your community to do "community testing."
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This is God's Word - very important! -- this has to be done right!! A certified translation consultant will be checking your work when you are finished.
Anyone overwhelmed yet? Think it is totally crazy and IMPOSSIBLE?
It is mind boggling, especially considering that the people DOOR is asking to accomplish these tasks are all Deaf! (Be sure to read the "Parable for Today" at the end of this e-mail!) And, many of them come from countries in Africa or India where they have received either no or minimal education, can not read or just read basic "survival" words.
BUT THEY ARE DOING IT, and doing it well!! They are eager and filled with an amazing passion to get God's Word to their countries and other Deaf. With God, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!
Presently, D.O.O.R. International has 8 translations in process:
- Kerala (India) Sign Language
- Filipino (Philippines) Sign Language
- Kenya Sign Language
- Burundi Sign Language
- Ethiopia Sign Language
- Ghana Sign Language
- Uganda Sign Language
- Tanzania Sign Language
Plus, DOOR has a "DEEP" team of 3 working on developing Introductions, Lesson Plans and Commentary in Sign Language for the Deaf translation teams.
DOOR has one more IMPOSSIBLE task we hope to accomplish with your help. There is a young couple DOOR needs in Africa, like right now!!
Jeremy is Deaf. Whitney, his wife, is hearing but fluent in Sign Language. In 2003 they both graduated from DOOR-Europe. During their one-year of residential training in Budapest, Hungary, they experienced living and working with Deaf from several different countries (all using different Sign Languages). After graduation they returned to Arkansas, started their family (2 boys), matured and gained experience working in the Deaf community and their local church. Both have amazing computer skills needed to help the translation teams at DOOR-Africa. The beauty of their skills is that they can communicate with the translation teams in Sign Language!!
THEY ARE READY TO GO TO AFRICA!!! Actually, they've been ready since January, 2007! For 2 years Jeremy and Whitney Simons have been trying faithfully to raise their support. They've made progress, but they aren't quite there yet (statistics in the mission world show it now takes an average of 2-1/2 years for a missionary to raise their support). DOOR needs and wants them in Kenya by this summer.
With YOUR help, let's accomplish another IMPOSSIBLE task; let's get Jeremy and Whitney "INTO AFRICA" instead of "Out of Africa." Click on this link to donate TODAY! They need monthly, quarterly and one-time gifts.
http://www.doorinternational.com/donate/north-american-missionaries/jeremy-and-whitney-simons
Let's surprise them and the Deaf translation teams in Africa. Remember, nothing is IMPOSSIBLE with God!
PARABLE FOR TODAY
Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower.
A big crowd gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began but no one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as:
"Oh, WAY too difficult!!"
"They will NEVER make it to the top."
"Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"
The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one, except for those who, in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher.
The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!"
More tiny frogs got tired and gave up. But one continued higher and higher and higher. He just wouldn't give up!
At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top!
All of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it. A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal.
It turned out that the winner was Deaf.