Our latest news is in our Arop Lagoon Tribune, which we send out by email once a month, and Friday Photos, which we send once a week. Write to me if  you would like to receive our email updates.

Newsletters/FridayPhotos-2010-01-15.pdf Balance: Father standing in canoe paddles with son. Report from Leonie's doctor. 

Newsletters/FridayPhotos-2010-01-08.pdf Pastor Peter's carved paddle, pray for his wife Leonie.

Newsletters/FridayPhotos-2010-01-01.pdf Changing year, changing times. As our new Kodiak aircraft lands, translator Emil Ninkure is making a call on his cell phone.

Newsletters/FridayPhotos-2009-12-24.pdf Sharing the gift. Pastor Peter gives Brian Chapaitis a canoe, Brian helps set up solar system to computer Peter's computer.

Newsletters/FridayPhotos-2009-12-18-3.pdf Photo of translator Dominic Pusai clowning around, photo of translators working together.

Details on Changes in our communications

Beginning today, (December 14, 2009) we are retiring the name Nystrom Prayer Update for our email newsletters, and will begin using the name Arop Lagoon Tribune, which is what we have always called our printed newsletters.

Twice a year: The printed Arop Lagoon Tribune will continue to be a twice-a-year printed publication for those who cannot receive it by email. After 2010, we may transition the printed ALT to just once a year.

Once a month: The electronic Arop Lagoon Tribune will still have our latest news, photos and prayer requests. I intend to send these on a monthly schedule, rather than the whenever-I-get-around-to-it or whenever-something-big-happens schedule.

Once a week: Beginning next Friday, I intend to begin a new weekly email called Friday Photos, in which I will share one or two photos of our work and life in PNG, a very short list of up-to-date prayer requests, and brief news on answers to prayer.

Newsletters/2009-12-12-2.pdf Arop Lagoon Tribune: Arop landowners want compensation for use of land our translation center is on; the power of a team.

Newsletters/2009-12-04-NPU.pdf Living the gospel of peace in Arop.

Newsletters/2009-11-28.pdf NPU: Pray for critical meeting of translation team members. Photo of Pastor Peter's daughter Hannah sporting a hand-beaded headband. 

Newsletters/2009-07-30.pdf NPU: Improvising a solution to problem sending translation notes by email, helping improve translation software, beginning to write a book for Wycliffe about our project.

Newsletters/2009-07-17.pdf NPU: Radio Mercurial is stuck, seeking satellite solution. Translation Treasure: Timothy my 'body' son (1 Timothy 1:2).

Newsletters/2009-05 ALT-5.pdf Report of trip to PNG. Radio Mercurial (sending changes to translations by radio email) is on the air, one laptop per translator accelerates translation, profile of Augustine Tonini, translator and pastor, remembering Joe Anaput, deceased Malol language translator, Bonnie elected Executive Committe Chairman, washes new Director's feet.

Newsletters/2009-04-11 NPU.pdf * I made it back to Ukarumpa safely. * One of our airstrips was open. Our pilot was pleased with the great shape it's in. * My sea trip was good, with only a relatively modest amount of unwanted excitement. * Translators have finished Acts 5-7 in the translation workshop and have gone home. * Yesterday Emil and I successfully used Radio Mercurial to exchange translation changes!

Newsletters/2009-04-05 NPU.pdf * We heard this morning that Malol translator Joe Anaput has died. The translators have gone to the funeral while I remain behind in Arop. * I leave Arop Weds. morning. Pray for calm seas and a safe trip. This is a very emotional email about how the team responded to Joe's death.

Newsletters/2009-04-02 NPU.pdf * Bonnie has been elected our new Executive Committee Chairman. * Joe Anaput is feeling much better. * A large local denomination decided to use Arop translation of Luke in Holy Week activities * Translators move on to Acts 7 tomorrow, enjoy each having their own computer. * Arop team has completed 1st draft of 1 Timothy. * At least one local airstrip is open.

Newsletters/2009-03-29 NPU.pdf * Malol language translator Joe Anaput is deathly ill * Translators moving on from Acts 5 to chapter 6 * Radio Mercurial exceeding expectations * Translator applying translation lessons in Sunday's sermon * Arop team staying ahead in Acts, starting 1 Timothy * Experimenting with one computer per translator. * Bonnie at Conference at Ukarumpa.

Newsletters/2009-03-17 NPU.pdf Nathan Miles of United Bible Societies and I arrived on Saturday after a very 'interesting' night trip on the sea. Translators from all but one language are here. The "Radio Mercurial" translation data exchange system is working. Nathan has created a software bridge between two programs, solving a longstanding problem. Malol translator Joe Anaput is very sick again. Pray our airstrip re-opens soon. Highlight: Story of our trip on the sea.

Newsletters/2009-03-11 NPU.pdf Luggage arrived; specific prayer requests for my trip to the village with Nathan Miles.

Newsletters/2009-03-09 NPU.pdf Pray for luggage that didn't arrive (with 5 laptops for translators and other essentials).

March 5, 2009 NPU Leaving for PNG Friday, Airstrips and roads still closed. Highlight: a coworker's touching prayer for us as we go.

February 14, 2009 Nystrom Prayer Update Our partner Ben Pehrson had very hard time leaving Arop. Roads near Arop are worse than we thought. (photo). But our local airstrips are better than we thought, but questionable for next month. Lots of rain meant plenty of water for translators, but one water tank is broken. The threatened break-ins of our house and translation center never occurred. Need to get Acts 5-8 ready for next workshop.
Page 2 feature: "What have you done?" or "How I learned to love Version Control"

January 21 2009 Nystrom Prayer Update Praise for rain in Arop. Pray for translators starting work on Acts and for our airstrip to be open by March 13 2009. 2nd page is entitled "Jaw-dropping miracles that show God's power." This is a description of our struggles with translating 'signs and wonders' from Acts 2:43. In it I give some examples of what we look for when we check a translation.

January 9 2009 Nystrom Prayer Update Prayer requested for rumored break-in at translation center and for final prep of Luke 1-2 for January workshop. Includes a letter from Emil in Pidgin and my translation of it in English. Also a back translation of Luke 8:25b.

December 10 2008 A plea for rain so translators will have water at the translation center for the January 2009 translation workshop. Part of the Christmas story in Arop in "Back Translation."

December 2008 Arop Langoon Tribune Translation team is working on getting 'un-stuck' by collaborating with United Bible Societies on collaborative translation editing software. Translator rejects revenge (a retelling of the story from the October 10 2008 update, btu with more photos). How I used granola to explain how to translate Luke 6:38 "pressed down, shaken together, running over."

Newsletters/2008-11-08 Nystrom Prayer Update.pdf Praise: We are already testing the software to send/receive only changes to translations across email! 

Newsletters/2008-10-18 Nystrom Prayer Update.pdf Team is stuck because we have no way to send all our translation files via email to/from Arop village. Pray for a way to do it. Bonnie leaves for her first International Board meeting in Manila, then to PNG for stategy meetings.

October 10 2008 Translator rejects revenge when his house is burned down on purpose. I blew it; they caught it; I love it. (What happened when I failed to find an obvious problem in a translation.)

June 2008 Arop Lagoon Tribune Luke Finished (Almost); Nystroms head to US for Home Assignment--what we'll be doing in the US for the next year; Eric graduates; What checking four translations looks like; remembering the Aitape/Sissano Tsunami ten years later.

June 11, 2008 Checking Luke in four languages; Bonnie is on the Board; Why close enough is not good enough: Is Adam God's Father or is God Adam's Father?

April 15, 2008 In the final stretch for Luke; Bonnie to Thailand; The ultimate fishing excuse: They didn't catch us.

February 22, 2008 When is a bad translation a good thing? They sent him away "just swinging hands."

December 24, 2007 Translator and pastor Emil Ninkure tells his congregation that the translation in their language will be so clear, "You won't need anybody to explain it to you."

November 2007 Arop Lagoon Tribune Investing where it counts; Nystrom Family News.

November 1, 2007 When we're not translating, we're investing our time where it will grow, multiply, and last--in enabling other people to do Bible translation, especially Papua New Guineans.

August 29, 2007 20 years in PNG, “THINKING LIKE TRANSLATORS” OR “WHAT THEY DIDN’T TEACH YOU IN SUNDAY SCHOOL, COLLEGE OR SEMINARY”. Is Jerusalem male or female?

August 4, 2007 What the translators themselves say about doing translation: "The secret things of the Bible are coming up clear."

June 6, 2007 How hard can it be to leave Arop village? Cold-hearted joy (Acts 2:26). 

May 12, 2007 From Kenya How is a snacking giraffe like  a cluster translation project?

April 11, 2007 Translation by Subversion, Does "Just Looking" mean "ignore" or "be ready?" It depends which language you are speaking.

February 16, 2007 What can you learn from one photo? Onnele Heart Idioms

February 10, 2007: Checking in Churches; A Footnote on Quality and meaning of "The Son of Man."

November 2006 Doing whatever it takes; Checking translations in local Arop churches; Translation by Adaptation

December 21, 2006 Helping translators use new translation software; Bonnie in the Director's chair; How Christmas is unique in Ukarumpa, PNG.