NOLA*Expansion
Serving in a sensitive location, language communities are assisted by neighboring translation teams to draft oral stories and curriculum to deepen engagement with Scripture.
Scripture Engagement
Country
- Sensitive Location
Region
- Southeast Asia
Language Population
3,500,000
Reaching Minority Language groups is challenging
NOLA expansion is a multi-faceted project that includes linguistic and sociolinguistic research in two largely unreached minority language communities in Southeast Asia. Teams have requested assistance developing songs, a primary means by which the language community shares stories. Meeting this need will lead to broader community participation in language research and the development of Scripture stories.
Interaction with these language groups will allow project personnel to study language structure and create preliminary writing systems. Leaders can meet community needs by producing stories and lessons that are distributed electronically. As relationships grow and people gain interest, initial language development activities will lead to future Scripture engagement through oral, digital, and print formats.
Encourage Local Leaders
We believe that every community should have the chance to read the Bible in the language they know best, led by people they trust and respect. Your financial gifts and prayers equip leaders in Southeast Asia with the encouragement and resources needed to translate God’s Word into the language of their people.
Program Goals
- Complete the drafting of *Shi language oral stories – 61 stories in total.
- Engage the Shi community to develop songs to accompany/re-tell some of the stories, record these songs and distribute with stories.
- Help facilitate the development of a Shi orthography.
NOLA* Expansion Program Plan
Step 1
Broaden Scripture Access.
Step 2
Empower the Shi with Scripture.
Step 3
Advance Trauma Healing Ministry.
Partner Organizations
Honoring the Language
This project involves the national language and some minority languages. Work is being done on phonology along with choosing the best script.
