Reading in a new language

IMAGINE being one of only 2,020 native speakers of your language in a world of 6 billion.
Then imagine trying to learn about your Christian faith reading a Bible written in a language you don’t understand.
“I think it’s really important that everybody have the opportunity to worship and study the word of God in their own language,” said Kris Bolkema, of Cañon City, who leaves in two weeks on a mission to Lalok, in Madang, – one of four villages that speaks the Anjam language spoken in the Raicoast area, one of more than 800 languages spoken in the nation.
Bolkema will be travelling with Robert Rucker, with Wycliff Bible Translators, who is revising the Anjam Bible he translated in the 1980s and 1990s.
Bolkema, 33, was invited to join on the mission trip three weeks ago.
He will leave Sept 2 and return Nov 3.
Bolkema, a member of Evangelical Free Church, needed to come up with $6,000 to make the trip, and he approached the E-Free Outreach Board for assistance.
“The people of E-Free and friends and family have raised $5,200 to date,” he said.
“The church family has really made it possible.”
Bolkema’s travel time will be more than two days to arrive in PNG. 
Covering more than 10,000 miles, he will take five flights followed by a 20-mile truck ride through to arrive in Lalok.
Bolkema said he was looking forward to the trip for several reasons, especially to experience the simple, quiet life that Americans do not live.
“In a lot of ways, they’re probably a lot happier,” he said.
He looks forward to having a “time of spiritual growth” while living among the people of Lalok.
Bolkema will take the opportunity to learn some of the Anjam language.
“I know one word,” he said, the word for “no”. That’s the most important.”
However, he will have a “crash course” in the obscure language with Rucker, who is fluent.
Bolkema expressed thanks for all those in Fremont County who are supporting his trip.
“I’d appreciate anybody’s prayers,” he said. – Canon City News