JAARS Uses Technology to Speed God's Words to the Heart
An invitation is extended to experience these technologies at the August 2 JAARS Day
For more information, contact:
Arthur Lightbody
JAARS Media Relations Officer
1-704-843-6048
arthur_lightbody@sil.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WAXHAW, N.C. — July 23, 2008 — Waxhaw-based JAARS mission statement says they “provide quality technical services and resources to speed Bible translation for all people.” At times JAARS may develop the technology, but often they adapt or utilize the latest technology. To make Scripture come alive in the heart languages of people worldwide JAARS utilizes well known popular technologies—digital players similar to iPod and other MP3 players, and the latest video technologies.
The public is invited to JAARS Day August 2 to see the technology, which ranges from the sophisticated Pilatus PC6 turbine ten passenger aircraft, to the palm sized MegaVoice Ambassador digital audio player. They can also interact with JAARS staff and see a wide variety of programs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The solar powered MegaVoice Ambassador is the size of a deck of cards and a whole Bible and more can be downloaded on to it.
Dedication celebrations of the New Testament in the North Tanna language of the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu July 19–20 were attended by more than 500. Not only were more than 250 of the 2,000 printed New Testaments sold, but more than 250 compact audio players with the North Tanna New Testament downloaded to them were also sold.
Many of the 4,000 North Tanna speakers also speak the national creole language, Bislama, and some speak French or English in varying degrees, but a significant number are monolingual in North Tanna only.
Wycliffe Bible Translators members Greg and Beth Ann Carlson are translation advisors who assisted local translators in the translation of the North Tanna New Testament. Greg says, “We did a pilot test with some players and a small selection of scripture. The response was fantastic. People have told me how they have taken the units to the garden, or on the one hour truck ride to town, or just sat listening at home.
He added, “As we moved ahead with the recording, it began to dawn on us just how important this audio version of the NT is because over 80 percent of the North Tanna speakers cannot read. With the audio version on MegaVoice players, we get the Word out to these people.”
The JAARS Vernacular Media Services Department (VMS) is featured at this JAARS Day and will kick-off the special Saturday with an informative program at 10:00 a.m. in the Townsend Building auditorium with a keynote talk by VMS public relations director Phil Baer.
VMS is a department of JAARS that helps Wycliffe and national translators adapt modern media tools to communicate the Bible message clearly. The VMS staff knows that God’s Word in the language of the people shared through video, audio, radio, filmstrips, or drama touches hearts and minds. Just as audio technology is changing, visual technology is changing too. Bible based films used to be shown on 16 mm film not long ago, and then moved to VHS tapes, and more recently, DVDs. The JAARS VMS workers have helped produced videos such as the “JESUS” film in 361 languages worldwide.
Al Shannon, who has spent many years in Peru among the Quechua people, is experimenting with new video technology. He says, “Because of the size and weight of a TV-VCR unit and large batteries to show the Luke and Genesis videos in remote areas where there is no electricity, we started using DVD players. But we soon found that these get very dusty out in the field and the DVDs get dirty and scratched easily. So we have been experimenting with a 12 inch photo frame like on sale at Wal-Mart.”
He adds, “The advantage of these units is that they have no moving parts, they have a built-in audio amplifier, they are light weight, flat, and use very little current. They use a two meg chip, like in your camera.”
Shannon says more trials are needed, “But this seems to be the way to go and we are trying to get a couple of models out into the field in Peru for testing.”
This JAARS Day will also be “Deaf Day at JAARS.” Interpreters will be provided for the Deaf at the 10:00 a.m. program and the Deaf are invited to join in a break-out session following the opening program. They will have a chance to learn about Deaf language translations worldwide and the latest animation technology that can help in the translations of the more than the 200 sign languages without Scripture.
In addition, the public can enjoy the normal JAARS Day activities which include aircraft rides and a look around the JAARS campus.
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