After an intense summer of studying in Langley at CanIL (Canada Institute of Linguistics), I have finally completed my Language Survey Certificate! It was an exciting moment as, even though the program only takes two semesters to complete, this moment has been three years in the making for me. I began the program back in the summer of 2012, after God ignited a passion inside me for Bible translation and the Bibleless people of the world on an Insti:GATE trip with Wycliffe. While on the trip in Kenya I signed up for the language survey track at CanIL, which gave me one week to get back from Kenya and drive out to Langley and start classes. I remember, at that time, feeling unprepared and not entirely sure what I had gotten myself into, but I enjoyed that summer studying linguistics and God confirmed in me that this was something I should pursue!
While I had intended on returning the following summer in 2013 to complete my training, instead, Lauren and I got married that summer! This temporarily put CanIL on hold. Lauren and I thoroughly enjoyed our first year of marriage and I fully intended on returning the following summer to complete my training. However, Lauren and I ended up in Thailand on another detour, scouting out the work that Wycliffe is engaged in on that side of the world! Once again the Lord postponed my plans to complete my Language Survey Certificate in 2014. Which brings us to summer 2015! This summer I finally found myself back at CanIL to complete my language survey training. It has been an amazing summer completing my training and, as it turns out, being married to a linguist has many perks when studying linguistics! God has used the detours He has taken me on to grow my faith in Him and better prepare me for the journey that lies ahead! I am now even more excited that I will be able to put my new language survey skills to good use in Tanzania this coming January, Lord willing. While I entered the program unprepared and unsure of whether language survey was something that I would even be capable of, I am leaving the program feeling prepared knowing that I am capable of being a language surveyor through God who strengthens me!
0 Comments
|
AuthorChristopher and Lauren Merke have joined Wycliffe to help fulfill the goal of seeing the scriptures translated into every language of the world! Christopher and Lauren live and work in Mbeya, Tanzania doing linguistic, language survey and vernacular media work. As a linguist, it will be Lauren’s responsibility to analyze and evaluate the linguistic and cultural data that is collected by language survey workers. Her role is very important because it speeds up the Bible translation process and makes translators for effective, ensuring the Good News of Jesus Christ reaches people as quickly as possible. Christopher will be fulfilling two roles as a language surveyor and as a vernacular media technician. As a language surveyor, Christopher travels to remote villages in order to gather linguistic and cultural data about various people groups and language groups. This is critical information, as it lays the foundation for Bible translation work through seeking answers to critical questions in the first stages of the Bible translation process. As a vernacular media technician, Christopher’s role will be to help translate various materials, such as the Jesus film and Christian radio programs, into other languages in Tanzania to ensure that the Gospel reaches as many people as possible. Christopher and Lauren are thrilled to be able to use the gifts that God has given them and would like for you to prayerfully consider partnering with them in this journey! Archives
September 2016
Categories |