Meeting Needs, Sustaining Bible Translation
Above: Marthen and Paula, members of The Island staff, are committed to supporting Bible translation through business.
Though “business as mission” is a relatively new term, the idea is founded on time-honored biblical concepts. Today, hundreds of books, Web sites and people are devoted to defining and exploring the movement; for JAARS, “business as mission” means:
A socially responsible, income-producing business, managed by Kingdom professionals, and created for the specific purpose of glorifying Christ and promoting the growth of the local church through Bible translation in the least evangelized and least developed parts of the world.
Our recently adopted Business as Mission initiative aims to do just that, through supporting businesses that impact and further Bible translation. One such business, The Island, has flourished in its beginning stages of work on a beautiful, tropical island in Southeast Asia.
The company, formed May 2008, was a blessing born of adversity: when foreign missionary administration teams lost their visas, a large training facility was in jeopardy of shutting down. In response, a committed group of Southeast Asians formed a business to manage this vital facility—and kept its doors open.
Today, The Island manages the use and upkeep of the property, which is used for training Southeast Asians to further Bible translation, literacy, community development and health initiatives. The team also runs a separate guesthouse to accommodate the numerous guests and translation consultants that come through the region.
During its first four months of operation, The Island arranged accommodations at their guesthouse or neighboring facilities for 230 guests, with the guesthouse occupancy averaging roughly 65%.
Many guests have commented that these accommodations have been a wonderful blessing. For those who are traveling from overseas, a clean and restful place that “looks and feels like home” can relieve stress and raise spirits. And for those who are traveling from other parts of Southeast Asia, the guesthouse has met an urgent need for short-term housing. One newly arrived family stayed at the guesthouse—and said they wished they didn't have to move out.
The Island’s support of Bible translation reaches far beyond its housing and training facilities, however. Recently, its staff arranged and helped teach a month-long course for “mother-tongue translators,” Southeast Asians who are translating the Bible into their own language. The course covered basic computer, video conferencing and email techniques, which are crucial for efficient translation work.
Often, email and video conferencing are the only ways for these translators to stay in contact with mentors and consultants, especially if they live in another country. Translated materials are sent via email or file transfer back and forth as they are reviewed and edited.
The Island staff also assisted with coordinating the payment of wages and transportation money for attendees and helped furnish a house for one of the participating translation teams.
As local people receive training to further the work of Bible translation in this part of the world, The Island is one Kingdom business providing essential support to make it happen.
For more information about Business as Mission and The Island, please read the Winter 2009 issue of Rev. 7.
