In Search of the Source: A First Encounter with God's Word

by Neil T. Anderson, Hyatt Moore

Up to his chest in the black current of an underground river, Neil Anderson was just hitting his stride.

In the eerie light of flickering torches, the wild hunting party was bringing down giant fruit bats with blow darts and killing them with their bare hands. The cave was full of yelling, splashing men,, screaming bats, and deadly darts.

That's when Anderson calmly suggested wading across the underground lake...and the party of former cannibals fell deathly silent.

Through the compelling story of Bible translators Neil and Carol Anderson, We relearn something we may have forgotten...the raw power of God's Word to wrench human lives from darkness and flood the heart with light, understanding, and peace.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Biography, Religion, History, Christianity, Autobiography

205 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

NEIL T. ANDERSON is founder and president of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He was formerly the chairman of the Practical Theology Department at Talbot School of Theology. He holds five degrees from Talbot, Pepperdine University and Arizona State University and Arizona State University and has authored several bestselling books on spiritual freedom, including Victory Over the Darkness and The Bondage Breaker.

Reviews

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am dying of the deliciousness of this book.

I'm about as fit to be a third-world missionary as I am to be a linebacker-astronaut-supermodel. But translation work makes my heart go pitter-pat, and this book provides a fascinating and glorious (and unromanticized) look at the process. The Folopa are really learning from scratch. Their cultural remoteness from the West, the ancient Hebrews, first-century Palestine, and the classical Greek world is an almost unbridgeable gap for a Bible translator. But not for the Word who created language, ordained Babel, became flesh, dwelt among us full of grace and truth, made His Talk known to the Folopa, and sent Neil Anderson to help them better understand it.

Anderson structures the book around various challenges and breakthroughs he and his Folopa team encountered during the translation process. Most translators I think start with Mark, but he started with Genesis, which is my favorite book, so it was a treat to see the Folopa encountering Scripture for the first time through those chapters. When they get to my favorite, the story of Joseph, one of the older men says, "We are dying of the deliciousness of these words." As we come alongside these tribesmen who are looking at the Bible for the very first time, we are truly seeing it through new eyes, and we can't help but grow in our love of it.

Alas, this book is no longer in print, but it should be. While I am no linebacker-astronaut-supermodel, I am a designer-copyeditor, and I'd really love to make that happen...and clean up the mess that is this edition. One doesn't expect that the first edition of the Folopa Bible was perfectly polished, but one does expect a bit more of a book published in English in the United States in 2006, especially if it's a second edition and they've had nearly a decade too clean up the first. The third could be tidied up, expanded, illustrated...just made better all 'round. And then (if not before), you should read it!

In the meantime, watch this and this and this.

[Christina DeVane · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this aloud for family devotions, and it was very enjoyable! I’m not sure I’ve read a full book about missionary translators before. The Andersons helped translate the New Testament into Folopa, a native language in Papa New Guinea. Many interesting stories and great thoughts of conveying Bible truth across cultural differences and preconceptions. Some funny parts and incredible answers to prayer! So wonderful for my children to learn about life in the jungle sharing the Gospel!❤️
The writing wasn’t always clear, and it could’ve had better editing in spots.
We looked up the Folopa Bible to see if the Old Testament is in progress, and we found a video on YouTube showing the dedication of the NT in the village in 2007! This was amazing as we got to see the missionaries in a parade and see how everyone reacted to having part of the Bible in their own language for the first time!!❤️

[Yibbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

They had no written language. Still, they had heard the Gospel from a native missionary, but without the Word in their own language so much of the glorious news was still a mystery to them. They couldn’t quite understand what it was all about. So they prayed for a missionary, and the Andersons came, at God’s prompting, to give the Folopa His Word.
This is a fascinating glimpse into the tediously slow, constantly frustrating, eternally rewarding field of Bible translation. For twenty years, Anderson worked with 2 to 48 men to make plain the meaning God’s word to a people who could still remember cannibalizing their enemies and their revered dead. They had no word for creation, inn, crucifixion, worship, holiness, glory, ransom, and many more biblical concepts, but they knew there had to be a meaning behind it all.
Anderson lets us see as he did the slow dawning of understanding as they fully grasp the meaning of God’s message to them and all of humanity. On their side is the struggle to grasp concepts as foreign to them as white men and shoes; on his side is the struggle to stay true to God’s Word when the words just weren’t there. All of this happened in a subsistence farming culture, amidst demonic oppression, and against cultural taboos. God was glorified and souls saved.
I would recommend this to everyone. It helps us see just how special a copy of God’s Word in our own language. It also reminds us to pray for those who are working to make it available to everyone.

PS – For a short video of the Folopa Bible dedication follow this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH0Q2OHNDdA

[Jon Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the most engaging, challenging, and inspiring missionary stories I've read. (Full disclosure: I read it as I was finishing my undergraduate degree in linguistics, so of course that influenced how much I personally connected to a field linguist in action.) Still, the story itself is one that embodies both the vision of Wycliffe Bible Translators, with whom Anderson worked in Papua New Guinea, and also the broader message of Christian missions: God is the God of everyone, He speaks your language, and He wants to make Himself known to you in ways only you can know Him.

Certainly any translator, of the Bible or otherwise, struggles with the fact that no languages are ever truly equivalent, in words or concepts, and so every translation may lose or gain things unintentionally, or even problematically. I've read plenty of other examples in other books where moral concepts, once translated in words, still have the opposite effect in concept. Anderson indeed encounters such barriers in his field while trying to record the Folopa language and translate Biblical passages and truths. To his credit, he never gives up trying, and relies on relationship and full cultural immersion to go deeper into field, rather than heavy-handed Christianizing.

The "key" the translators have been searching for [SPOILER? - not really] turns out to be the word 'bete', meaning loosely "source," but which unlocks multiple layers of spiritual truths for the Folopa people, and also for the reader. Just as they may have no concept for mercy or forgiveness, we may have no concept of the "sources" of things in our societies. (Aside: Orwell's fascination for how a limited vocabulary can limit concepts is appropriate here, but in a more inverse and hopeful sense!) Once unlocked, the Folopa are able to meet God (the "source" Himself) in ways that Anderson and the western readers can only barely comprehend.

Wycliffe's translation workers have long seen the amazing transformations that happen when tribes learn for the first time that "God speaks MY language!" This is certainly evident in this story, but it shouldn't just be read by prospective Bible-translators and linguists. It should be read by any Christians who think they have a corner on the market of the special revelation of God. When you see how God reveals himself to a people that are not like you, and who will probably not become like you once they "become Christian", you'll be challenged by what it means when we believe God is the God of everyone - it doesn't mean we are the sellers of the great secret, or the curators of the great story, but rather that we are ALL children who bear His image differently, and reflect His glory and love on the earth.

[Suzanne Doeren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book. There was so much put into our hearts to think about, never quite before understanding all that goes into bible translation. This was a wonderful insight to the power of language and culture and we were enthralled. Definitely pre-read if you have a little ones, as we skipped a few parts that I wasn't ready for them to hear...but this is truly an amazing story that I highly recommend.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly remarkable easy read of how God moved in miraculous ways to help the writer translate the Bible into the Folopa language. Every culture should have access to a quality translation of God's Word! It is tragic that they don't.

I loved reading the story of how God worked through the faithfulness of the missionaries to make it come to fruition. There are many short interesting stories of how God helped them find just the right words.

Reading how the scriptures changed the lives of the community was unbelievable. Especially giving women and children a higher place in society and also how they learned to truly love each other.

It is miraculous how God reveals Himself to cultures that do not know the Gospel through legends, and creation type stories that are passed down through the generations. They know in part, but when the Word of God comes, and they know in full! God prepared the hearts of the Folopa people to receive the Word. They were so excited to realize that God had been revealing Himself to them and loving them all along.

Highly recommended!!!

[Leigh Dutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. I’m sure many more pages could be filled by the Andersons for their time in Papua New Guinea. Much of this was told from the perspective of the many (naturally and understandably). However, I would be very curious to read an account of how the Bible being translated into the Folopa’s language impacted the women and children. There were hints here and there, but I think it would make for another good story. 😁

[Erin MacSaveny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite missionary book that I have read as part of teaching my kids. This one is engaging and very respectful and with regard to the host culture and the work of the indigenous co-translators. Great insights into the depth of cultural engagement that happens in a good Bible translation endeavor.

[Megan Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this read with the kids. Contains some great storytelling -- just a few sections that were a bit intense (how the original tribes lived...cannibalism, ect) He did a good job expressing the translation work they did & the hurdles needed to be overcome language barriers & also the sweetness of gospel understanding & life change with exposure to the Word of God.

[anca dc · Rating 4 out of 5]

În limba Folopa, limbă vorbită de un grup de băştinaşi din Papua Noua Guinee, cuvîntul beté înseamnă temeiul unui lucru. Citind această carte, m-a fascinat să văd cum, pe măsură ce Neil Anderson traduce Vorba (Biblia), fiind ajutat la început de cîţiva conducători ai tribului iar mai tîrziu aproape tot tribul este prezent la „Casa Bibliei”, aceşti oameni îşi schimbă radical modul de gîndire şi de trai, trecînd efectiv de la o extremă la alta – de la canibalism şi tortură la a preţui şi păstra viaţa unui om, de la a-şi considera femeile inferioare şi fără valoare la a le preţui şi a le valorifica (prin înţelegerea adevărului că femeia a fost creată din bărbat), de la a-şi urî duşmanii la a-i ierta şi a-i iubi (prin înţelegerea exemplului lui Iosif şi, mai tîrziu, prin învăţătura şi jertfa Bărbatului, adică Hristos), de la teama de spirite şi duhuri necurate la teama de Dumnezeu care ucide teama de orice altceva. Am găsit aici povestea online.

Am tradus următorul verset. "Vă spun vouă, prietenii Mei: să nu vă temeţi de cei ce ucid trupul, şi după aceea nu mai pot face nimic" (Luca 12:4).
Ajungînd aici unul dintre bătrîni, cel care asculta Vorba, a rostit: "Nu avem de ce să ne temem". Toţi ceilalţi şi-au întors privirile spre el, însă n-a mai scos nici un cuvînt, iar noi am continuat: "Am să vă arăt de cine să vă temeţi. Temeţi-vă de Acela care, după ce a ucis, are puterea să arunce în gheenă; da, vă spun, de El să vă temeţi" (Luca 12:5).
Acelaşi bătrîn şi-a ridicat din nou privirea din locul în care şedea pe podea. "Ne e teamă de Dumnezeu", a spus el, punîndu-şi mîna la gît cu binecunoscutul gest al băştinaşilor Folopa care dau glas celor mai adînci şi înfricoşătoare adevăruri. "Iar teama de Dumnezeu ucide teama de orice altceva. Aici", a încheiat el, "se află un mare beté".
(...)
Şedeam, într-o zi, pe veranda casei bărbaţilor. Cîteva dintre vechile căpetenii războinice îşi istoriseau întîmplări de odinioară. Împreună cu mine se afla un prieten şi coleg care venise în vizită de la Ukarumpa. Acesta s-a gîndit să le pună o întrebare extrem de provocatoare.
"Nu v-aţi dorit niciodată să se întoarcă vremurile de demult astfel încît lucrurile să fie iarăşi precum au fost?"
I-au răspuns, mai întîi, cu o tăcere nedumerită. Omul ăsta avea chef de glume? Într-un tîrziu, au izbucnit: "Nu! N-am vrea să se întoarcă niciodată! Au fost vremuri îngrozitoare. Trăiam mereu cu frica-n sîn. N-aveam pace. Ucideam şi eram, la rîndul nostru, ucişi. Aia nu era viaţă.
Acum îl cunoaştem pe Dumnezeu, adevăratul beté al tuturor lucrurilor. De ce ar trebui să ne întoarcem la mai puţin?"

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the search to understand and find the right language of this tribe in order to translate the bible for this remote group. It was interesting to see how you find words for something like "create" where you can't really tie to a specific action. Strictly from the aspect of developing the right language this was interesting. From the religous aspect - it never fails to amaze me how many of the bibilcal stories truly are universal and found in almost every culture. If there is inherent right and wrong. If the same stories are shared across language, country, continents and between remote groups that have not had outside contact - don't those stories have to come from something shared between all people?

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a great, fascinating, funny book on a subject that sounds so scholarly and boring. I loved it. If you have a love of words and language, you will be fascinated too. There were a few times i felt a little teary. A family goes to a little tribe in Papua , New Guinea and with much help from the people there, begin to translate the Bible into their language. I had never thought before about how difficult this job can be when you are trying to get across a concept in a culture that has no word or similar concept in their tradition. It was utterly entertaining and captivating. Or, in the Falopa's words, 'delicious'!

[Jenny Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been in my collection for several years. As I read it there were parts that were familiar, but I don’t think I wrote a review. Maybe I never finished reading it the first time.

In Search of the Source is the chronicle of Bible translation of the Folopa people in Papua New Guinea with Neil and Carol Anderson. I realize that there are those who do not view missionaries positively. At the end of this book, there is an interesting exchange (198):

One day I was sitting on the porch of the men’s house. Some of the old fight chiefs were there telling stories about the old days. A friend and colleague visiting from Ukarumpa was with me. He asked them a most penetrating question.
“Do you ever long to go back to those days and have things like they used to be?”
Their answer was at first stunned silence. Was this man serious? Finally they erupted. “No! We would never go back! They were terrible days. We lived with constant fear. We could never rest. We killed and we were killed. It was no life.
“Now we know God, the true bete’ of all things. Why should we ever go back to anything less?”

This chronicle gives insight into the translation process, especially explaining concepts that exist in one language, but not in another. Additionally, there were old Folopa stories that came up during the process that highlight the interconnectedness of all humanity.

I recommend this story to those who think all missionaries are bad. And while I don’t agree with some of the theological conclusions drawn from some of the parts translated, I do recommend reading for the overall insight into translation struggles.

[Mary Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part missionary narrative, part series of vignettes explaining some of the difficulties the author had in translating Genesis and the New Testament into the Folopa language (New Guinea). Translation is never a word-for-word exercise--concepts must adapt to the target language. What meaning, for instance, does the phrase "by the sweat of your brow you will eat your food..." have in a tropical climate where everyone is sweating all the time? By living with the Folopa people, learning their culture and language, the translator is able to learn the Folopa expression for the hard work it takes to clear the jungle for a yam and taro plot: "bursting your stomach". Genesis 3:19: "No longer will your food just come up by itself, but by bursting your stomach you will do your work, raise your food; and you will go on like that until you die and become part of the ground again."

The author and his wife spent 30 years with the Folopa before returning to Spokane, Washington in their 60's. Their love for God's Word and for the Folopa people is evident. The Folopa's excitement in hearing the Scripture in their own language is infectious. This is a worthy book to help us glimpse the difficulties and joys of Bible translation in remote areas, but moreover, to appreciate the power of God's Word to transform lives.

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book! I read it aloud to my middle and high school aged sons and daughter. It was an interesting window into the world of Bible translation in a remote area with a challengingly unique language. Additionally, the translators had to develop a written language (there was no existing written language in the tribe before they came to live there), develop a primer, and open a school to teach those who wanted to learn to read. The difficulties faced in accurately translating the words AND meaning of passages from the Bible are eye-opening for an English speaking Christian. Our family certainly had some great conversations and epiphanies, as the Folopa did. We have extended family serving now in a similar setting. This book helped us better understand the exhaustive work they have been undertaking for years!

[Leah Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read numerous Christian missionary stories, but this is the first I've read that gives such eye-opening insight into the nitty gritty of Bible translation. Anderson takes the reader on a firsthand adventure to the Bible translation house in a remote village of Papua New Guinea. He addresses the challenges of translating God's Word in a language that has no words for many biblical concepts. Equally challenging is when cultural differences make a passage confusing for the tribesmen. Anderson also paints vivid portraits with his words of life in a culture that is so far different from the Western world - bats for breakfast anyone? How about a python for dinner? He carries a clear theme throughout the book that parallels the title - searching for the source (or, beté).

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific missionary stories, about translating the Bible into a Papua New Guinean language (and culture). It would be appropriate for someone who doesn't know the Bible well: his writing assumes very little knowledge of the Bible passages that he's translating, so it was a little repetitive for our family as he re-told Bible stories that we already know well, but other than that the stories are well told and it's fascinating how it all comes together to bring God's Word to a unique and interesting culture very different from ours. The individual vignettes fit together well and tell a cohesive story from the start to the end of the book.

[Tim Schwamb · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent book about the process of translating the Bible, not only into a foreign language, but into an unwritten language! It told of Neil Anderson's work with the Folopa people of Papua New Guinea to translate concepts that they had little understanding of. In some cases, they didn't even have words or phrases that could adequately convey the Biblical concepts. I was struck many times, however, at the powerful realizations they would have along the way and even more surprised at how their realizations gave deeper meaning and understanding for my own Spiritual walk.

[aiza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the people of Mt. Tawa, Papua New Guinea, I too find myself saying with the Folopa speakers, “I am dying from the deliciousness of these words.” Anderson’s account of his experiences translating the Bible into Folopa is a remarkable and compelling narrative, describing the challenges and triumphs with heartfelt detail. This is my first time reading a story about a Bible translator working in another language, and it fills my heart with boundless joy to know that laborers for Christ have worked so tirelessly and sacrificially for the joy of the nations. Highly recommended!

[Jersc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this with my son's, ages 13 and 10. The oldest liked it while the younger one thought it was kinda creepy due to the ghost stories. I did have to read a few pages on my own due to mature content, but this story was not only interesting but spiritual and moved me to tears at points. The gospel of Jesus Christ transforms lives and brings hope and light to even the remotest parts of the world.

[Connie Davis Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading about other cultures learning about God for the first time is convicting. There is an excitement over the rich stories in the Bible. As their eyes are opened, they can't wait to share with others. It makes me realize just how much I take my relationship with Christ and having the Bible at my fingertips along with immeasurable resources for granted. Really enjoyed reading how the Falopa overcame translation confusion and saw how God has been working on their village all along.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A common phrase in the book is "we are dying of the deliciousness of this talk" and that's how I felt about this book. I hadn't even finished the first chapter and my husband heard my stifle a giggle and asked if it was good and kept stealing it from me in his spare time!

A missionary family translates the bible in Papua New Guinea. It's less about them and more about the response of the people to the gospel.

Im going to be recommending this book!

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is probably the best book that I’ve read about the Bible translation process. As my daughter and I discussed what we were reading, we realized the many nuances of our language can make translating to another language and culture quite difficult. We enjoyed reading about this process from the point of view of the translator.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an easy to understand introduction to Bible translation work. If you have no idea (like me) how translators work through difficult passages, this book will be a great beginning point, and it's an enjoyable read. This does not cover the technical or academic characteristics of translation but is more of a story recounting the problems and breakthroughs of the process.

[The Book Squirrel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing account of one man and his family's life in Papua New Guinea as Bible Translators. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it if you are looking to read about the Missionary experience, particularly if you are considering that path yourself.

[Emily Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best missionary biographies I have ever read. My daughter and I had so many wonderful discussions while reading this book. If you use Sonlight with your kids, do not skip this one!!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this missionary account of Bible translation for a tribe in Papua New Guinea. Fascinating glimpses into jungle life and the unique communication and cultural challenges. Quite thought-provoking too, as the anecdotes make me look at the “roots” to words and their symbolism.

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A realistic picture of Papua New Guinean culture and their belief system - one of constant payback, violence and retribution. This is the story of one people group, the Folopa, and their deepening understanding of the Gospel as they help translators write the Bible in their own dialect.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good reminder of the foundation of faith. Told through a missionary's eyes, local phrases and idioms are prevalent. My favorites are "bete" and "that is delicious to my ears." Other languages truly are beautiful.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic account of someone's desire to bring the word of God to those who had no written language. So many valuable lessons to be gleaned from these pages. It was enlightening, sad and laugh out loud funny at times.