UPG Language Translation

Giving Goal

$40,000

We are seeking $40,000 to fund translation for 10 languages.

The cost of reaching a new language.

• Translation of episodes into a new language.

• Verification of each translation.

• Recording the presenter and supporting audio materials.  This involves visas, travel, food, and accommodation costs, as well as an honorarium for the presenter.

• Printing participant and leader guides for each language. 

• Creating multi-lingual thumb drives with the content for distribution in creative access contexts.

• Printing multi-lingual, region-free DVDs for each language.

• Miscellaneous charges: Maintenance, special travel, shipping.

More about the Language Translation project

The project has messages for both persecuted Christian minority audiences and for majority audiences curious about the teachings of Christianity and the history of God’s work through His people.

In response to many requests from persecuted Christians wanting to know the history of the gospel among their peoples, we developed a television program sharing true stories from the first five centuries of church history. This has grown to include a team from 23 nationalities and six continents working together to bring these stories to life. The project has two main components: a docudrama series and educational materials.

The docu-drama series features eight 30-minute stories from the first five centuries after Christ. It’s about people whose influence on Christianity is still seen today! These are the stories of people who set a high standard, sacrificing for Christ under persecution as the Roman Empire fell apart. This tool is also used for the training of local Christians within “creative access” contexts, where persecution is plentiful and quality Christian media in heart languages are very lacking. 

The docu-drama addresses:

• Religious identity versus national identity:  This project counters this misunderstanding with God’s truth: people from every tongue, tribe, and nation have been and will be represented in the Bride of Christ: the Church!

• Delivery platforms:  Our target audiences have an extremely high market penetration of satellite television (over 85%), while home internet use across the region is estimated at about 18%. Our multimedia plan involves the use of satellite television, internet streaming, and person-to-person distribution.

• The need for privacy and counsel:  By coordinating with trustworthy partners, we ensure that everyone who wants to find out more about Christ after watching these programs may safely contact a team member and ask their questions.

• Cultural misunderstandings about Christianity: The understanding of Christianity and Christendom as Western political phenomena, with a general lack of knowledge regarding the Christian faith itself, is addressed by our programs as we gently teach the true beliefs and history of the Christian faith and dispel rumors surrounding the inspiration of Scripture, the nature of the Trinity, what one must do to be saved, and many more!

• Themes discussed in the series: The Trinity; respecting the government or family authorities without disobeying God; the reliability of Scripture; the value of the unborn; infanticide and abortion; human sacrifice; choosing obedience in the face of death and persecution; Christian family life; Christian sexuality; regional Church History;  the love of money; debunking the Prosperity Gospel; mediating doctrinal differences; forgiving those who have betrayed the faith; serving the sick and dying; and much, much more!

Our aim is to make sure that everyone who watches these stories will have a native speaker presenting each episode in their own language, with all on-screen text being in their heart language. We have funded two of the languages and developed a streamlined system for getting into new languages, but we lack the financial resources to meet the demand, and most of the nations asking for the videos are not in a position to finance and produce the content without outside help. 

Our network of in-region Christians is growing, even while the state persecution of many nations sharpens. They have seen the power of these stories and blessed us by putting their faces and voices on these stories despite enormous difficulties.

With your help, the true history of these peoples will live again, and breathe encouragement and new life into the churches of the region and beyond, as they are equipped to face persecution with love, faithfulness, and God’s vision for transforming their nations.