How to pray for Translation Consultants

The mission of a translation consultant is to help translation teams produce good quality translations that meet the needs of the people in the community for whom they are designed. Translation consultants train, encourage, support, guide and help translation teams in their mission. This requires a knowledge of these communities and their expectations of the translation. Translation consultants are strategic key stakeholders in quality assurance. Whilst the number of translation projects continues to increase the number of translation consultants has not increased at the same pace. Identifying potential consultants continues to be a challenge for many organisations as they struggle to find people who are available and who have the knowledge, skills and attitudes for this key role.

Because of the small number of translation consultants, some of them work with as many as seven translation projects at a time. They are expected to make regular visits to the communities hosting the projects for checking translation drafts and training translators. Some of these communities are found in very isolated areas with very poor road networks. internet access is not available in some of these areas making remote checking impossible. This was a big limitation during the worst parts of the COVID-19 pandemic when remote checking was the only option.The projects and consultants now have a greater backlog of work. Many translation teams struggle with technology and consultants often suspend checking temporarily in order to carry out training in Paratext and other needed technology.

Pray for Translation Consultants:

• thank God for the translation consultants and for those in training.
• for the efforts and initiatives around the world that focus on consultant development.
• that more consultants will be trained and available to meet increased needs.
• for protection for consultants as they travel, sometimes on very difficult terrain, to train translators and check the translated drafts.
• for their families to be kept safe as consultants often travel away from home.
• for stamina and good health.
• for wisdom and vigilance, that they will be in tune with the Spirit as they help translators to adequately hone the translation.
• with these verses in mind: “Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2)