Translators Manual (Printer-friendly)

Introduction

We are so excited for you! You are embarking on an adventure with incredible potential to change your life. As you use your God given skills and talents to interpret for our short-term mission projects you not only will become a vital part of communicating the gospel to others, you will be blessed and challenged to grow in your walk with the Lord. .

This manual has been designed to help you understand your role as a translator with AIM. This material will explain what you will need to do from the day you are accepted as a translator, including trip preparation, support raising,and what to expect on and after your project. Perhaps you have some experience translating for other groups or organizations. Maybe this is your first time serving in this way. Whatever the case, this manual will give you a solid foundation and it will help our staff know how to best support you on the field.

What does the dictionary say about the word "translator"?
What does the dictionary say about the word "interpreter"?

Traditionally, many, if not most short-term mission organizations use the word "translator" for the individuals they use on their projects. If we take this word by it's true meaning, a translator would take every single word that is spoken and translate each, word by word, phrase by phrase, in the most accurate grammatical and purest way possible. But we know from experience that when a person is translating for a small number of people in an informal setting, the person who does the "translating" is actually interpreting the words, phrases or sentences spoken by both parties. In other words, the "translator" is actually taking the basic meaning of the words in Spanish and then telling the English speaking person what was said, but perhaps not using every single word spoken in Spanish. Therefore this person is in reality just "interpreting".

Here is an example of what we are trying to say. If I was to "translate" the following sentences from Spanish to English, this is what I would do:

Spanish sentence
Yo estoy trabajando en un trabajo entre 40 y 50 horas cada semana de lunes a viernes y es muy dificil por que mi esposa esta en la casa con nuestros 5 hijos. Cuando you llego a la casa de mi primer trabajo solamente tengo unas horas de descanso antes de irme a mi segundo trabajo en la noche. No sabes cuan dificil es encontrar tiempo para ir a la iglesia.

English "translation"
I am working one job between 40 and 50 hours each week from Monday to Friday and it is difficult because my wife is home with our five children. When I arrive home from my first job I only have a few hours of rest before I have to go to my second job at night. You don't know how difficult it is to find time to go to church.

This would be a very accurate way to "translate" the sentences if we are taking the word, "translate" at its face value. But if we take the same sentences spoken in Spanish and "interpret" them into English, we can still convey the same ideas but in a shorter and more condensed way without affecting the basic meaning intended by the Spanish speaker.

English "interpretation"
He said that he works over 40 hours a week at two jobs, one at day and one at night. He does not get much rest between jobs, his wife takes care of their five kids and he said it's hard to find time for church.

Can you see the difference? We have "interpreted" the essential information the man was saying but using less words. All the basic information is still conveyed and yet it is done much faster.

So you can see what we are trying to say. The word most commonly used in missionary organizations is "translator", but you will basically be interpreting words, phrases and sentences, not translating every single word as a person would do if translating a book (in print).

For our purposes and in our AIM literature, we will use the words "translator" and "translating" with the understanding that we really mean, interpreter" and "interpreting" unless other wise noted.

Qualifications

You probably have already filled out an application and been accepted to serve with AIM. Congratulations. Now you will be a representative of Jesus as you minister on your missions project/s. You have chosen to do this because you have been called by the Lord to serve Him in this capacity. We expect that you live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel, as written in the Bible…. As you participate on your project/s. You are an ambassador for Jesus, not only to the people in the country where you will serve, but also to the US participants. They will look up to you. They will be watching your behavior. We at AIM expect that you take your responsibility as a Christian very seriously.

So what happens from now until my first day on the mission field site? Here are several things you will need to know and do:

  1. You will need to raise up a team of people who will support you both with prayer and financially.

  2. One of the staff members of AIM that is in-charge of designating translators will contact you and talk with you about the site/s where you will serve. This person will be your main contact for most of the time prior to your project. Eventually, you will meet the Project Leader of your project. This is the person that is responsible for all details of the project. He or she will have a number of people working with him or her in various roles. Some might be AIM staff, some will be interns, some Ambassadors and some AIM volunteers. Large projects might have 8-10 translators, so you might meet many other translators on your project. They will all work under the leadership of the Project Leader. The Project Leader will make sure that everything we need done during the project gets done or runs as smooth as possible. This will include: transportation, building materials, food, water, logistics, finances, meetings, interns, communication between staff, youth leaders, etc. In other words, this is the man or woman that runs the project while the project takes place.

  3. You will need to prepare for the project. This will include arranging your transportation to or close to the site, getting any necessary shots, ensuring you bring your visa, passport or any other documents necessary for your trip. For example, if you are going to Peru, you will need your passport, .etc…. An AIM staff person will contact you prior to the project and give you more information regarding all the preparation you will need.

Guidelines

Once you arrive at your ministry site you will meet the project leader and perhaps the translator coordinator (if applicable). You will also want to get settled into your sleeping accommodations and become familiar with what will be your new home for a week or so. Your project leader will help you with this.

  1. While at the project site, you will be assigned as a translator for a specific ministry team by the Project Leader or the Translator Coordinator. Ministry areas may include: Vacation Bible School (VBS), Door to Door Evangelism, Construction, Sports, or Park Outreaches, etc.

  2. Always be ready and willing to translate for a participant when the need arises.

  3. The Project Leader is in-charge of the project you are on. Never challenge him/her in front of project participants. (You can asked questions and discuss issues privately) Each Project Leader may run his/her project differently, so if you are going on multiple projects, be prepared for some changes. If you've been on an AIM project before, you know that many times circumstances beyond our control come up. It will be important to be flexible.

  4. If you feel you are being put in a ministry where you feel uncomfortable, talk to the Project Leader or Translator Coordinator about your concerns.

  5. Your job on the field is to facilitate ministry by translating for team participants. Be careful not to completely "take over" the conversation and exclude the participants. Some participants might be shy at first. We know this can be hard, but it is very important that the participants are allowed to do the ministry.

  6. Feel free to encourage the participants and to give suggestions if they are apprehensive about witnessing or sharing with people, but don't actually do all the sharing yourself. Encouraging participants who are having trouble sharing should be done by suggesting that they…

    • ....ask questions about the person's family or what they do for a living.
    • ....share a favorite passage of scripture.
    • ....ask about any needs they might want prayer for.
    • ....share what they most appreciate about God.
    • ....tell about how God can help them in a certain situation may be facing.
    • ....share about a time in their life when they saw God work or about something He has taught them.
    • ....share about why they came to Mexico (or whatever country the project is in), why they came to talk to them etc. (to share the truth of Christ and how He can change their life!!!)

  7. While translating at a construction site, encourage participants to talk with the family they are building for or any people that may be around. Make participants aware of opportunities to share. They may not notice because they are busy working.

  8. Show enthusiasm while translating--- especially at (VBS) Vacation Bible School or special outreaches. Your voice can help keep peoples attention!

  9. Translators should not leave their assigned ministry area unless given permission by the project leader or translator coordinator or in the case of an emergency.

  10. Translators should obey all rules given to team participants. These will be covered in the first large group orientation meeting. If for some reason you are unclear about the rules, see the project leader or translator coordinator.

  11. Translators should be present at all meals and meetings required of the rest of the group unless given special permission by the project leader or translator coordinator.

  12. You may have people approach you at the project site, asking if the group can build them a house too. Let people know that you are not the one who makes this decision. Tell them that we only have enough wood to build a certain number of houses this week. And that we don't know when we'll have a group come to work in this area again. If they are persistent, you can take down a name and address.

  13. We ask that you abide by the same dress code as participants on the project. While translating for a ministry such as door to door, VBS, services. etc. Women should wear skirts or dresses (below the knee), and men should wear nice pants. Pants and shorts (to the knee) are acceptable for construction sites and sports outreaches a certain number.
What is Next?

We hope you have a great time on your AIM project. Start building up your prayer and financial support as soon as possible. Prayer back home will be the most important part of your project. We hope you will keep in touch with us between the time you are approved as an AIM translator and the time you go on your project. Contact us if you have any questions.

After the project is over

Stay in touch with us. Please write a one-sheet paper about your experience as a translator with AIM. Tell us what you learned on the field. Tell us a testimony. Tell us how God used you to share the gospel with someone. We what to hear from you. We might even use your story in a future AIM catalog or publication.
It would be best if you could write this sheet of paper on the last day of the project if you can but if not, mail it in to the main office once you get home. Indicate your ministry site, the dates, and your project leader's name.

God bless you.