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A Draft in Daniel

Amata, Central Australia

By Paul Eckert

Today, here in Amata, we finished the last verse of Daniel. Thank you for your prayers. We actually finished up to the last verse yesterday but decided we'd try and get the translators who've worked on Daniel to come and translate the last verse together. So today eight of us gathered to do just that and we made a bit of a show of it. Denis (our Salvation Army Padre who was cooking for the workshop) took some photos and video of the occasion. It was quite a joyous occasion as we worked together on the verse and then spent some time in prayer thanking and praising God for His sustaining power and His wonderful Word. 

I then produced bound copies of the completed Daniel to distribute to the 20 odd people who have played some part in this book. 

Even though this is the end for us, there are still some reading checks to be done by people in other communities and the first draft translator (Kanytjupai in Alice Springs), a back translation to be prepared (by a woman living in Coober Pedy), and the final consultant check to be done by Dr Carl Gross.

In order to accommodate the increased number of people involved with the Old Testament project and the resources needed to do the work, the Translation Team have put forward a plan to almost double the size of the Pukatja translation office. This will be the hub from which the work is coordinated, and where workshop resources, publications, computer equipment, and associated network and broadband will be housed. Enlarging the size of the current office will also provide the needed space for workshops and checking sessions. Fundraising for this project has already begun, and already the Glen Waverley Uniting Church Community Outreach Project has given a generous donation, in addition to the incredible generosity of the North Ringwood Uniting Church who will send a work party to do the job with relatives of the translators. The NRCC is also being particularly generous, and the Pitjantjatjara Translators wish to thank all those involved in supporting this project.

 

Pray for the Old Testament project as translators continue to draft and check.  Pray for the many others who are involved in other stages of the work.

Thank God for the gifts and supporters for this project, and ask God to provide for all the needs.