Pg 1 of 3 Bible Society of the West Indies (BSWI)

Jamaican Creole Translation Project

Quarterly Report
Financial Year: 2009
Quarter: 4th (July—September)

By: Bertram Gayle (Project Co-ordinator)

Date: 1st Nov, 09

Gad Wod iina fi wi Langwij

The Translation Department, BSWI, P.O. Box 146, 24 Hagley Park Plaza, Kingston 10, Jamaica, W.I.
t. 1(876) 926-2772; f. 1(876) 926-0334. e-mail. biblehouse@biblesocietywi.org
Pg 2 of 3

Project Activities that Took Place During FY09 Q4

The following were achieved in the last three months:
1. Field testing of Luke and of the translation of several key New Testament terms.
2. We completed studio recording of Luke (cover picture: Paul Pinto, personnel responsible for studio
production).
3. We translated Galatians, Philippians and Colossians.
4. We have started work on Hebrews, 1 Corinthians and Revelations.
5. We have also printed and are distributing brochures to inform persons about the project.

Problems in reaching goals originally scheduled:

1. Whilst the trial website for the Project was not launched during the reported quarter, I’m pleased to
inform you that it is well underway; it’s almost done! We are now in the process of populating the
site. God be praised for the progress which has been made!
2. The standees have not yet being printed as the company we have approached has been slow in re-
sponding to our request.
3. The Newsletters were not printed as enough funds are not available at this time. We seek
to be creative in terms of finding economical ways of disseminating information to churches /
church leaders.

Other activities that took place:

1. The Team visited a WYnet (Wycliffe Youth Network) camp to discuss BT / JCTP with campers.
2. The Team met with Rev’D Molloy, UBS’ General Secretary.

Project Goals and Activities Planned for the next Three Months
The following five items are scheduled to take place in the next three months:
1. Assist with the final editing of Luke. We anticipate that sound editing, CD graphics design, music
laying etc, will be completed by mid-December and that the end product will be ready for several
overseas launches (the UK, the US and Canada).
2. Complete the 1st draft of Hebrews, 1 Corinthians and Revelation
3. Provide our web designers with the data needed to populate and launch the project’s website.
4. Return to the drawing board re an economical yet effective public awareness strategy. This time, we
would like all parties to be involved – UWI, WBT Caribbean and BSWI.
5. Commence discussions for a two week workshop on Discourse Analysis and another on Orality.
6. We will also be discussing moving beyond an oral recording of Luke in terms of the Luke Partner-
ship programme. It is the Co-ordinator’s thinking that this programme could help pave the way for
the release entire New Testament and also introduce Jamaicans to the approved spelling system (via
the printed text of Luke).
Pg 3 of 3

Project Impact: How God’s working in lives through the project

The following is a testimony from Grant’s Pen, related to us by Danny Foster
“I trust you're well and the work is carrying on. I just wanted to let you know that I'm ...in Canada now and have
been speaking in churches all over Ontario and British Columbia. Because of a large ex-pat Jamaican community
here, when I am in city churches, I've decided to read a portion of the Baibl (Luke 1:1). The reaction is usually
VERY good... in one church with a large Jamaican community, I got a standing ovation! Even Trinidadians and
people from other Caribbean islands cheer!

Yesterday I spoke in a church with a LOT of West Indians and the response was overwhelming. There were three
morning services and one Jamaican lady came back for another service just to hear me read the passage a second
time. I didn't expect that kind of reaction but I shouldn't be surprised. This is the kind of emotive response that the
mother tongue generates. At one point, I couldn't even be heard reading because the response from the folks was so
boisterous! Many people asked me for more information and all I could do was point them to your blog. I hope
that's okay.

Of course, I wasn't surprised either to be confronted by a few people who were quite opposed to the idea of the
Scriptures in Jamaican Creole. It reminded me again of the importance of the work you are doing and that I need to
keep praying for you.”

Team Member Profile:

• Name: Jodianne Tariq Scott
• Home Church: Duhaney Park Gospel Assembly
• Church-related Activities: Founding for the D.P.G.A dance troupe, writer for D.P.G.A maga-
zine (soul digest), former member of the Praise and Worship team, Camp Counsellor at vari-
ous D.P.G.A camp as well as Mooreland’s Camp.
• Education: UWI Linguistics Student (MPhil), UWI Linguistics Lecturer
• Interest in Translation: “I believe the Jamaican Bible will allow the Word to be transmitted to
a wider cross section of people. As a linguist I support the use of our native tongue in other
functional domains as is done with other Languages throughout the world .”

Prayer Requests:
1. Continue to pray for the upcoming launch of the Luuk Buk Project.
2. Continue to pray for our translators: for their protection, effective management of their non-
translation-related activities and their financial needs.
3. Continue praying for us as we spend the next few three months strategising how best to implement
an effective public awareness strategy.
4. Thank God—we’ve finally had a breakthrough with the development our website.
5. Praise God for answered prayers—after months of trying, we’ve been have able to recruit two new
exegetes!

“Evriting we unu a wori an fret bout gi it tu Gad, kaaz in kier bout unu.”
1 Peter 5:7