Hopefully the following will never happen to you when you come to minister with us here in Panamá. But it has happened to others...
I hope you enjoy this little skit. Feel free to use it for your team preparation.
| TEAM MEMBER (looking directly at Translator, and not at the audience, speaking too fast) | TRANSLATOR (confused or lost at times) |
| Tell them I am just tickled to death to be here. | (long pause) I'm not sure why but he said something about scratching himself until he dies. |
| When you asked me at lunch to speak to you today, I had butterflies in my stomach. | At lunch I ate some flies that got into my stomach before speaking today. |
| But now I'm really happy to have this opportunitiy to be with you. | It's OK. I'm really happy to have a chance to eat with you. |
| I'd like to talk with you today about the contextualization of theology in the Third World setting. | I'd like to talk to you about a text from another world. |
| But first let me share with you my testimony. | First I want to share my .....??? |
| When I was a kid... | When I was just a small goat... |
| I didn't understand the implications of what Christ did for me when he died on the cross. | I did not understand what happened when Christ died at the intersection. |
| But then He convicted me of sin through His Holy Ghost. | But a ghost arrested me for it. |
| I had been a real lady-killer. I lived a life of sex, booze, and drugs. | I had killed a lady. (another pause) I'm too embarrassed to translate the other part he just said. But then he took medicine and got better. |
| He set me free. | I was let go. |
| He made me a new creature. | I was made into a new animal. |
| (excited, faster and LOUDER) Now I have a new life. My past is forgiven. I am part of the body of Christ. They are my family. I'm so excited. I want to tell you, and everybody, all about it! | He's very happy. Please clap for him. |
My thanks to the Project Compassion Team for allowing me to use, and edit, this material they gave me.
Here are a few suggestions of my own to make translation of testimonies, teaching and preaching more effective:
* Testimonies: