Newsletter No. 2: A Season of Preparation
Dear friends,
My internship in Bible translation in Ethiopia at the beginning of this year strengthened my desire to continue working in this field in the future. However, moving back to South Africa to work in Bible translation requires extensive preparation: Joining an organisation, raising support, gaining the necessary training and skills etc. Over the past few months, there has been progress in this area that I would like to share with you.
Six Weeks of Ministry Training with Wycliffe Germany
In July and August, I participated in a training programme at the Wycliffe Germany headquarters. The courses covered topics like intercultural communication, anthropology, phonetics, language learning, and linguistics—essential foundations for anyone preparing to work in Bible translation.
One of the main topics was phonetics: There are over 100 different sounds that exist in languages worldwide, and we learnt how to recognise and imitate them using the International Phonetic Alphabet. This is important in Bible translation because some languages are still unwritten. Before translation in a new language can begin, an alphabet needs to be developed by identifying the spoken sounds of that language.
Here's a little puzzle for you: Can you decipher this sentence written with phonetic symbols? [bʌt ˈblɛsɪd ɑɹ jʊɹ aɪz | fɔɹ ðeɪ ˈsiː | ænd jʊɹ ɪɹz | fɔɹ ðeɪ ˈhɪɹ].
Participants of the phonetics course.
Another focus was on language learning, specifically a language-learning method called the “Growing Participator Approach,” which has become popular in recent decades. When learning a language with this approach, you gradually absorb the new language and culture—playfully and naturally, like a child—by listening, imitating, and engaging with it, instead of mechanically memorizing vocabulary and grammar rules. We practiced this approach using Baoulé, a language spoken in the Ivory Coast, and it was the most fun way I have ever learnt a language.
Learning Baoulé from a native speaker, Awa, using the Growing Participator Approach.
Another Milestone: My Application to Wycliff Germany Has Been Accepted!
In September, I had my final interview with the board of Wycliff Germany and I was accepted, together with two other applicants! This means: As soon as I have finished my Master’s and raised enough support, Wycliff can officially send me back to South Africa to work in Bible translation.
Because Wycliff is a non-profit organisation, the salaries of its members are funded entirely through donations. Each member builds a team of supporters who get involved in the work of Bible translation through prayer, encouragement, and financial support. No one is called to ministry alone — it’s always a team effort. In order to be fully funded, I’ll need to raise around €4,000-5,000 in donations per month (including taxes, social security contributions, insurances, etc.).
At the moment, my team of supporters looks like this:
Thank you to everyone who is already part of my team – you are a blessing to me!
If you are not yet part of my team and want to join me in helping people in Africa learn about God's love in their own language, then I invite you to become part of my team!
If you have any questions or would like to know more, feel free to reach out to me. I would love to hear from you!
✉️ sophia.strobel-vogt@wycliff.de
This short video shows how Bible translation can change lives:
Time in Germany
After several years away, I finally got to spend the summer in Germany again. It was a joy to reconnect with family and friends, attend a conference at my home church, spend a weekend in the Netherlands, discover new cafés, or simply relax in our garden at home.
Here are some photos from the last few months...
Prayer Points
Thanksgiving: Thank God for
The valuable time at Wycliffe Germany and all I learned in the training courses.
That I’ve been accepted as a member of Wycliff Germany.
Time to reconnect with family and friends in Germany.
All the people who are supporting me in various ways.e
Requests:
Good time management and balance as I juggle studies, work, support raising, etc…
That my team of supporters would continue to grow.
That I trust God within all the accomplishments and challenges.
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