When is t̶h̶e̶ ̶w̶a̶s̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 'done'?

Have you ever put the washing on and thought, "Great, I can tick that off the list." Then you realise you still need to hang it all out, "Ok, now it is actually done." Then you realise you still haven't brought it in off the line, "Ok, task complete." Actually, you need to fold it too, and sort it, "Finally ticked off." Only now it's in the way and you actually still need to put it in the wardrobe, and remake the bed. And maybe even iron some things? Not to mention the fact that by this point the dirty clothes bin is half full again.

I chose not to hang my washing on this line the other day.

That is what my job feels like sometimes. Like doing the washing, I am very thankful for the aid of machines. (I can't imagine doing Bible translation with paper and pen!) But it still seems like there is always another step to do. A translation needs drafting, and checking, and checking with someone else, and testing with speakers, and adjusting, and finally it gets the final check and adjustment, "Ok, done." Only you realise that having a translation 'done' and sitting in an obscure translation program on your computer is not that helpful. It needs adding to the website (eBible), and to You Version, and to the PEV app, and to the Australian Bibles app (each of which has its own process). And we want it printed, so we need to get it formatted, and work with a publisher to get it printed (both of which sound so simple...). And what about audio? It needs recording, which needs a script, and a recordist, and readers. Then it needs checking, and more recording, and more checking. And then... I have a recording sitting on my computer. So it needs adding to the website, and to the apps, and to YouVersion, and sent to Global Recordings Network to put on their app and website. Oh, and it needs timing files made so that the apps will highlight the bit of text that's being read. Not to mention that by this point the language has changed and it all needs revising. (Oh, and the Bible is really long so you need to do all of that a lot of times to get a decent chunk translated!)

I'm not trying to be discouraging! All of those steps are important, and it's great to see people actually accessing the Bible in languages they understand. And when it feels overwhelming, I just try to focus on one task and know that it is essential in the bigger picture of Bible translation.

Here's an idea of some of the things I did over the last month:

• Evaluated where the stress should be in, "I will give all this country to the people that will be born into your family." (Genesis 17:8)

• Redesigned the contents page of Dave Glasgow's Little Book about the Bible

• Helped an NGO worker choose some Yolngu Matha language gospel song CDs from our bookshop for a patient in palliative care

• Evaluated whether the page number or the chapter number should go closer to the outside of the pages in our Plain English Version (PEV) booklets

• Asked Jesus (well the reader of Jesus' parts in the PEV recording) to speak more slowly, via WhatsApp

• Sent a formatted Bible study to some volunteers to proofread

• Discussed how to translate high priest in the book of Hebrews

• Transferred a Bible app to a bookshop customer's phone via bluetooth because she didn't have a Google Play account

• Received a hug from the above customer for getting the Bible in her language on her phone

• Helped edit a Working with Children Policy for our organisation in the NT (AuSIL)

• Followed up why the italics in the PEV were not showing online

• Booked a service for the printer

• Took some colleagues from PNG to Mindil Sunset Markets

Give thanks for the many ways that God is at work. Please pray that I will manage my time well and God will give me wisdom to know what to prioritise. (And you can always pray for more workers!)