Why is JAARS needed?
For most people living in the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea (PNG), written communication isn’t part of their traditional culture. Important information is learned through oral communication—speaking, listening, stories, songs, and dance.
More than three years ago—thanks to your generous gifts—we supplied portable recording equipment to help Lauren and Connie Runia, media specialists working in PNG’s northeastern islands, New Britain and New Ireland. The video and audio Scripture materials they and their trainees have produced have been joyfully received by believers in that region.
The local men they trained have already completed recordings of 10 of the 30 New Testaments in the languages of the Islands Region, representing about 87,000 people.
In addition to audio, making the Scriptures available for cell phones or other devices offers more options and encourages people to access and engage with God’s Word in a culturally appropriate way every day of the week.
What is JAARS doing?
Now the Runias are multiplying this work, providing additional training and mentoring to the five local men who have volunteered. JAARS is coming alongside our partners in PNG to provide equipment, software, and training support so they can begin to dub the JESUS film in local languages and record and duplicate Scripture videos.
The men will also learn to make Bible apps from the New Testament audio recordings they’ve made over the past couple years. With an app, people can use their mobile phones to listen to the Bible in their language and follow along with the text at the same time.
Who benefits from our work?
Hearing God’s Word in their heart language will make a life-changing difference in the lives of many people groups in the Islands Region of PNG—people groups like the Tungag.
It wasn’t a big-scale dedication like the one they held for the Tungag New Testament in 2010, but everyone in the Tungag community took part in preparing for the dedication of Scripture players loaded with the audio recording of their New Testament.
The Tungag people were so happy to have these recordings in their mother tongue that they began to ask, “How can we start the translation of the Old Testament? What would it take for us to have the JESUS film dubbed into Tungag?”
To support this project and others like it, please give to our Media Solutions or Pacific Initiative. Thank you for partnering with us in this ministry!