I was sitting in my office the other day and thinking to myself “I’m never going to be able to speak this language well enough to present the Gospel clearly.” (this happens many days). I began thinking about many of our supporters and wondering if people in the states really understand the fact that we are studying a language that has NEVER been studied or written down before, or just how complex these languages are.
Languages in Papua are some of the most complex languages in the world with how a verb can change hundreds of different ways. I was going over a chart that we have here (that we have compiled) with some verbs, and was once again blown away (even though I see these charts everyday) at the craziness this is. I began to think of all the missionaries for centuries going off to different areas of the world with the same goal as us and I’m sure that they too, at some point felt the same as I did, about never being able to learn this language well enough to present God’s rescue plan clearly, and yet by God’s grace they did.
Everyday I look across the huge valley that is separated by a big river and huge mountain range as far as I can see from east to west. That land I see everyday is a people group, that up until about 5 years ago had never heard God’s rescue story in their language. Our friends, the Wild’s and Ingles’ moved there, learned the language, translated sections of the Bible, and there is now a growing Church.
I’m sure there were days those guys sat in their offices, on their porch hanging out with tribal guys thinking, “I’ll never get this language!”, but they did it. They remained faithful to the Lord, and of course God will build His church and is forever faithful in HIS plan for His bride.
This was an encouragement to me. It didn’t make studying easier at all that day, but just reminded me that one day, in God’s perfect timing the Dem will hear His Gospel message. It may not be from my mouth. It may be from our partners who learned the language faster than me, but that’s ok. We are simply called to be the light in the darkness, to love others as He has loved us, and to Love HIM above all else.
I thought you all would get a kick out of seeing a very small glimpse of what this language looks like on paper. These are the different variations of the verb “buy”. This isn’t all of them but just what we have so far. So when you want to go “buy” something next time, try to imagine having to think through all the different ways you can say it in Dem and using the right form. 🙂
BUY-
- ndoɣoɣwɑno
- ndoɣoɣmuɾo
- ndoɣoɣuɾo
- ndoɣoɾoɣwio
- ndoɣoɾɑɣo
- ndoɣoɾɑmo
- ndoɣoɑle deɾɑmo
- ndoɣondemo
- ndoɣoɑle dəndemo
- ndoɣoɑnjemo
- ndoɣoɣwɑo
- ndoɣoɣolɑndemo
- ndoɣoɑle doɣəlɑndemo
- ndoɣoɾo
- ndoɣoŋoɾo
- ndoɣoɣwɑno
- ndoɣoɣolɑŋoɾo
- ndoɣoɾo
- ndoɣondeo
- ndoɣoɾɑɣo
- ndoɣoɣolɑndeo
- ndoɣoɾɑmo
- ndoɣoɑle dəndemo / ndoɣondemo
- ndoɣoɣwino
- ndoɣoɣwinlɑndemo / ndoɣomeso
- ndoɣubeɾɑmo / ndoɣoɾɑmo
- ndoɣouβɑnjemo / ndoɣoubəndemo
- ndoɣomeo
- ndoɣomelɑndemo / ndoɣomeso
- ndoɣoɾumenɑŋo / ndoɣoɾuo
- ndoɣoɑnjemo / ndoɣondemo
- ndoɣoɣwɑmeo
- ndoɣoɑle dəndemo
- ndoɣoɑle
- ndoɣoɑwe
- ndoɣoolo
- ndoɣomelɑ
- ndoɣomelɑ wiuk
- ndoɣomelɑ dɑk
- ndoɣomoɣo
- ndoɣome ɑβo
- ndoɣoɾɑlɑ
- ndoɣoɾɑɣənɛk melɑ
- ndoɣoɾekmeo
- ndoɣoɑkmeo
- ndoɣotne
- ndoɣoɾɑme
- ndoɣoɾɑβuk bɑ
- ndoɣoɣwɑ uɾuɑm
- ndoɣoɣwɑ njem
- ndoɣoɣwɑ uɡulɑndem
- ndoɣoɣwɑ βoɾo
- ndoɣoɣwɑ njeo
- ndoɣoɣwɑ uɡulɑndeo
- ndoɣoɣwɑ βoɾo
- ndoɣoɣwɑ nyoɾo
- ndoɣoɣwɑ uɡulɑŋoɾo
- ndoɣoɣwɑβolo
- ndoɣoɣwɑmune
- ndoɣolu
- ndoɣolu
- ndoɣoɾɑ məŋɡɑo
- ndoɣoɾe koɾɑmo
- ndoɣoɣwɑɾəɡe njemo
- ndoɣoɣwɑɾəɡe nyoɾo
- ndoɣoɑŋɡun nyoɾo
- ndoɣomune
- ndoɣoɣwɑmelɑ
- ndoɣomelɑ oɣweo
- ndoɣoɑmune
- ndoɣoɾe
Thank you all for your faithful support and prayers. I can’t tell you when we will be able to share the Gospel with the Dem, or how much longer we will be learning the language, as it’s just too hard to tell. However, I can tell you that it will happen at some point just as God has promised us, that there will representatives before the throne of God “from every nation, tongue and tribe”, so you can rest knowing Gods plan for the Dem will not be changed despite my lack of abilities. And your prayers for the Dem are not going unheard.
We are humbled to be your feet to the Dem.
-J for the Stokes’
Your feet to the Dem... 