In Bible translation, we rely heavily on consultant checking. Consultants are trained to ‘handle accurately the word of truth’, so they assess whether the translations keep with the spirit of the original Greek and Hebrew. With different languages and cultures, often translators have use their heart language words creatively so that the Bible is understood within the context of their culture. Bible Consultants ensure that the translators do not take such liberties as to compromise the message of God’s holy Word. 

Antoinette van der Meulen (one of TWFTW’s consultants) worked with the Gayil translation team on the book of Acts and Revelation. They met in Addis Ababa for a month. The translators had to travel quite a distance to commit to having these translated texts checked. She said, ‘The translators are very hard-working and quality work is important to them. ‘ 

However, after being away from their families and their homes for a month, the translators grew homesick. They explained, ‘We’ve already been in Addis for a month, and our wives and children in the villages are becoming thin.’

Antoinette reminded all, ‘There was great joy when home-time came and great will be their reward in heaven!’

Barry Funnel (pictured in the top photo), TWFTW’s Director of Consulting Services and a senior consultant, had the honor of consultant checking the last book the translation team needed to have checked for the New Testament! While having the New Testament finished with consultant checking gives joy to the translation team, several more steps still exist before the New Testament is ready for publication and distribution to the community.

One of those steps is ‘community checking’ where the translators have members of the language community give feedback on how the translation comes across to everyday people. During one of these community checks, Burasena Asefa, a regular church attendant, met with the Gayil Bible translators. She wanted to encourage the translators why having the Bible in Gayil means so much to her.

She told them, ‘When the Amharic (one of the official languages of Ethiopia) Bible is read, it seems like they are reading from their head. It doesn’t make any sense to me, nor did I fully understand it. When I heard the translated Gayil Bible, it gave me clear understanding about the message. I could hear God telling me his will and what he wants from me. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to worship him without any barriers!’