People Profiles

Okay, so here’s an explanation of people profiles and what the survey office does. When we take a survey, we go to a place that does not yet have a Bible in their vernacular language and we assess the vitality of said language, that is, whether or not that language is likely to continue to exist or if it’s going to die out. People profiles are summations of all of the information gathered on these trips. The information includes some of the following:

·      When the church was started and by whom

·      Number of adherent/active christians

·      Resources available

·      Transportation

·      Economics

·      Trade

·      Number of communities

·      Number and denomination of churches

·      Literacy

·      Health care

·      Water quality

·      Diet

·      Modernization

·      Neighbor relations

·      Family structure

And plenty more. Seriously, these things are like six pages long. These are published to encourage prayer and recruit missionaries and supporters and translators, etc. So I am slowly but surely becoming an expert on some of the language groups here. I started work Wednesday and have finished three of these reports. They can be tedious and time consuming, but I am learning so much about the various cultures here, which is fabulous. The Ethnologue and I are quickly becoming good friends.

The people I work with are very helpful and fun to be around. We take lunch from 11-12 and have regular short coffee/tea breaks at 10 and 3. It’s a nice way to take 5-30 minutes, depending on how sociable everyone is being, to clear your mind and relax a bit so that you’re more productive later. Our hours are super flexible, but I’m usually here from 8:30-4:45. If I had to go to the store, which is only open until 3pm, I could leave work to do so and no one would think anything of it.

Tonight my roommates and I are hanging out with the Discovery students, who are doing something similar to me, and watching UP, and I’m pretty excited. Plus, now I don’t have to cook tonight! Woo-hoo!

Okay, pictures this weekend. I promise. It’s just that the internet is slow and expensive here. Keep in touch!