Pag-asa North Workshop Concludes with Reflection on God’s Power and Unity
Mother tongue translators from nine language projects from Northern Philippines gathered for the Pag-asa North Bible Translation Checking Workshop held from October 1–10, 2025, at Grace Community Church, CFM Compound, Homestead, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.
The event, which was facilitated by Wycliffe Philippines, aimed to improve the accuracy of translations and deepen the particpants’ understanding of God’s Word through mentored checking sessions. Participants represented the following language projects: Calinga San Mariano, Dananao, Kuraju, Finaratuk, Masadiit Bucloc, Masadiit Boliney, Naneng, Salegseg, and Yogad.
Building capacity for translation excellence
Victor Opungu, Margie Lumawan, and Sarah Aniban served as workshop facilitators. They guided the participants through sessions focused on exegesis, key biblical terms, and translation issues such as collocational clashes and lexical choices. The discussions also incorporated linguistics elements to help translators better understand the structure and meaning of their languages.
During the 10-day workshop, the teams made significant progress in checking various portions of the Gospel of Matthew. The Naneng and Salegseg teams worked through chapters six to 11 under the guidance of Victor Opungu. Margie Lumawan’s group, which included Yogad, Finaratuk, and Calinga San Mariano translators, finished the entire Gospel of Matthew in Yogad, and checked chapters nine to 22 for Finaratuk and chapters nine to 20 for Calinga San Mariano. Sarah Aniban’s team, representing Masadiit Bucloc, Masadiit Boliney, Dananao, and Kuraju, successfully reviewed chapters 10 to 20.
These collaborative efforts demonstrate how partnerships and mentoring are essential for ensuring faithfulness and clarity in translation work.
Growing together in faith and unity
Apart from translation checking, the workshop also became a meaningful time of spiritual renewal. Each morning began with devotional sessions that encouraged participants to seek and depend on God’s wisdom and strength as they carried out their tasks.
One pastor reflected,
“In translation, we carefully study each word and consider its context in order to translate the correct meaning. As a pastor, I have learned a lot about the Word of God during this checking workshop.”
A new translator shared how the event revealed the unifying power of Scripture,
“I realized that the Word of God unifies different tribes and languages. We come from different backgrounds, cultures, and church denominations, yet we are unified by the Word of God. The devotions reminded me to seek God first and entrust everything to Him—even during personal trials.”
During the workshop, this translator faced the difficult experience of losing his mother. He expressed how God’s Word and the support of fellow translators strengthened his faith through that time of grief.
Encouraged by God’s power
One of the participants, Pastor Virgilio Velasco from San Mariano, Isabela, shared insights from Exodus 17:10, where the Israelites overcame their enemies at Rephidim through God’s power.
“This victory reminds us that we can overcome challenges by relying on God’s power,” he said. “When we stand together and rely on God, no obstacle is too great to overcome.”
Pastor Virgilio Velasco from San Mariano, Isabela, shared his reflections on Exodus 17:10
A renewed commitment to serve
As the workshop came to a close, the participants expressed their gratitude to the Lord for His guidance and strength throughout the 10 days of learning and reflection. Many left with renewed enthusiasm for the ministry of Bible translation—determined to continue bringing God’s Word closer to their communities in their own heart languages.
To support this mission, you may click here to visit our donate page.