Hanna Schulz arrived in Papua New Guinea (PNG) just before Easter 2012 to serve as a linguist and translator. Since her arrival, she’s helped various language groups around the country to translate and use Scripture. This has meant getting stuck into the wide range of tasks which contribute to Bible translation and to discipleship. The […]

Hanna Schulz arrived in Papua New Guinea (PNG) just before Easter 2012 to serve as a linguist and translator. Since her arrival, she’s helped various language groups around the country to translate and use Scripture.

This has meant getting stuck into the wide range of tasks which contribute to Bible translation and to discipleship. The first step of language translation is the ‘translation awareness workshop, which Hanna was involved in for two of the local languages.

Elsewhere she was able to assist the Hinsaal people to enter their final edits into a computer, for the whole of the New Testament, ready for typesetting and printing.

Recording and transcribing stories with the Ghayavi people became the foundation of a grammar paper which will help consultants ensure that their team produces a clear, accurate and natural translation.

With the Anuki people, Hanna worked as a translation advisor, asking careful questions to ensure the translation was on track. Formatting hymnbooks and leading a workshop on translating Sunday school materials were two ways in which she was able to help local church communities to teach and use God’s word.

When not in the regions assisting language teams, Hanna helps with administration of PNG-wide projects, from an office at the administrative centre in Ukarumpa in the Highlands.

In the future Hanna hopes to partner with another translator and be assigned to one language group long-term. This will mean learning the language and working with a local team to translate the Bible and disciple Christians in the area.

This story was also published in the July 2013 edition of Border Crossings, the magazine of LCA International Mission.

If you would like to consider the opportunity to donate to Hanna Schulz, who is serving as a linguist and translation advisor in Papua New Guinea, you are invited to go to https://wycliffe.org.au/member/hanna/

For more information about Hanna Schulz, go to https://www.lcamission.org.au/about-us/who-we-are/countries/papua-new-guinea/papua-new-guinea-hanna-schulz/