Many of the men pictured here (studying Matthew at the Jarai Bible school a couple months ago) participated in today’s meeting, too. Like at Bible school, we all sat on the floor, and nobody followed Robert’s Rules of Order. The discussion was sometimes chaotic, but eventually, by God’s grace, a consensus emerged.

Six months ago, leaders from Jarai churches throughout our province gathered together to discuss whether they wanted to translate the Bible into the dialect of Jarai spoken here in Cambodia. At that meeting, arguments were presented for and against, and we asked leaders to return to their churches to discuss the matter further.

Wednesday, while many of you watched U.S. election results roll in, we had another meeting with representatives from the churches throughout our province. Arguments for and against translation were once again presented. After an extended discussion, the gathered pastors decided it was time to vote: either “yes, we should translate” or “no, we shouldn’t.” Each church delegation cast one vote.
The votes were counted, and it was unanimous: the Jarai churches of Cambodia have decided to commit themselves to the long and difficult work of translating the Bible into their own dialect of Jarai.

Just a few years ago, the majority of church leaders either opposed the idea of a new translation, or were indifferent. God has worked to change many minds and hearts.

One highlight of the meeting was to hear a pastor say, “A new translation won’t only help the next generation. It will help me too. When I study the Bible we have now [which uses a dialect of Jarai spoken in Vietnam], there are words I don’t know, and I have to look at the Khmer Bible for help.” It took true humility for this pastor to say that.

We also saw several older leaders – men I would have expected to be the last to embrace change – make statements in support of translation.

Please pray for us now. Deciding was the easiest part. There’s much work before us. Over the next year our family will be focussing on learning Jarai. Also over the next year, our team will begin making plans and laying the foundation for the translation project — in consultation with the Jarai church leadership. Please pray that God would provide faithful, gifted men and women to act as translation committee members and translators. Without a strong, ongoing commitment from the Jarai, the translation work will stall out.

Thank you for your prayers!