Summer 2017

Newsletter of Tanya Spronk,

serving with Wycliffe Canada

Prayer Points:
For lasting peace to
come to South
Sudan. There is still
ongoing fighting in
parts of the country,
and civilians are still
fleeing in record
numbers.
Inflation and rising of 24 weeks of face-to-face
costs of living make
it very difficult, even
for those who are
working, to supply
their basic needs.
Pray for the
economy to stabilize.
For opportunities to
be involved in
Learning to Serve
For 8 weeks in June and July,
I had the chance to facilitate a
course at SILs Africa training
program, iDelta. iDelta is the
Institute for the
Development of Languages
and Translation in Africa.
Participants in the program
come together for classes for
2 months each year, over the
course of 3 years, with a total
learning together. At the end
of the iDelta program,
participants have completed 9
courses which can be
transferred to BA programs at
the South African Theological
Seminary (SATS) or Africa
International University
(AIU). Because the courses
that we teach at iDelta are
accredited at a BA level, our 8
weeks together every year are
pretty intense times of
learning and study!
But our times together are not
just for book learnin! The
course is held at the BTL
Conference Centre, just
outside of Nairobi, so we all
live and study together for
those 8 weeks. We had 29
students from 10 different
countries from around Africa,
and staff also represented 10
different nationalities, and
work (or have worked) in
dozens of other countries! So
during our time together, we
became one great big diverse
multicultural family which
came with many opportunities
to put into practice our theme
of servant leaders!
Through daily devotions (led
by both staff and students), an
outing to a 3D movie (the first
for most of the participants!),
and an iDeltas Got Talent!
competition, we walked
through the highs and lows of
life together, growing in our
ability to serve and be served.
(photo above: staff and students
at iDelta training in Kenya)

education and
literacy work both in
South Sudan and in
refugee settlements
in surrounding
countries.
For the Baka
community to use
and be transformed
by the New
Testament that was
dedicated in March
2017.
For good Though this was my 5th time on the teaching
relationships and
partnerships with
language
communities that
SIL* is just starting
to engage with.
* SIL is Wycliffes field work for the opportunity to help the students
partner organization, which I
work for in South Sudan.
MTB-MLE
We had 6 students who came to finish the
courses in our Literacy Track at iDelta. In the
two previous years, they have learned all the
basic linguistics and principles of what it takes
to implement literacy programs. This year, the
group applied all their linguistic knowledge to
the practical aspects of orthography
development, language development and was also a great time for me to upgrade my
planning, and Mother Tongue Based own knowledge and skills in the area, as I was
Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE). researching new materials and engaging with
the students in our class. My co-teacher, Iza,
brought a wealth of experience from her work
staff at iDelta, it was the first time I was asked
in MTB-MLE programs in Ethiopia, and I
to take on the responsibility of Head of the
appreciated learning from her perspectives, as
MTB-MLE course. So there were a few new
well.
challenges, but I think it all went pretty well!
The students have now finished the entire
If youve been reading this newsletter or .
course set, and are equipped to continue their
keeping up with what I do in my every day life,
work even more effectively in their home
you know that MTB-MLE is something that
communities. They have made plans to do
Im pretty passionate about! So I was thankful
everything from advocacy with local education
officials to using online resources to start
explore various aspects of MTB-MLE and find
language in education discussions on local
ways to apply it in their own communities. It
teachers associations facebook pages!
 Contact Me
Back in Juba...
Wycliffe Bible While I was teaching at iDelta, life still continued to keep on rolling in Juba! The
Translators Internet can be a mixed blessing sometimes - while it was good to be able to keep up
4316 10th St. NE with the goings-on in Juba, it also meant that I had to keep up with the goings-on in
Calgary, AB Juba while teaching at iDelta! In the past few months, that meant a lot of checking of
T2K 6K3 various literacy books that were in process - new numeracy books to teach basic
numbers and addition and subtraction in the M language, some small story books that
PO Box 628200
were written and illustrated by members of the Laarim community, some Bible story
Orlando, FL
Big Books in Tennet, and a health book about the prevention of malaria and two
32862-8200
easy reading books, tied to the social studies curriculum in the Murle language.
Home Address: There have also been a number of planning meetings and project proposals and
151 Valley Ridge concept notes that have needed some input from our small literacy and education
Green NW department. As an organization, we are in a bit of a time of transition. Some of our
Calgary, AB long-standing projects are coming to an end as the New Testaments are being
T3B 5L6
published and dedicated (1 was already dedicated in March, while 4 more will be done
in the next year or so!), and other language communities have approached us to
tanya_spronk@sil.org
partner with them in their language development processes. At the same time, the
way donors and funding organizations want to be involved in programs is changing,
requiring us to make some changes in how we plan and package our projects.
While change is never easy, there have been some very good things coming out of it.
As a group in South Sudan, we have been working out the best ways ensure new
projects with language communities start off on the right foot. And so far, its been
an exciting time of dreaming and planning and thinking about how we can improve
some of our systems and ways of working, especially in this constantly changing
context.
www.sil.org Ive also spent a number of hours working on a few proposals for some education
www.wycliffe.ca projects with outside organizations. If these proposals are accepted by the funders,
we will have the opportunity to be involved in developing materials and training
teachers in three different language communities, impacting over 20,000 learners who
have not previously had the opportunity to go to school. In addition, the income
from this work will go a long way in funding some of our own community based
literacy work! We should know by October whether or not these projects will be
accepted.

Coming Up Next...
Now that Im back in Juba, life continues
as usual. Unfortunately, usual around
here means that there really is no positive
change in the political or economic
situation. While a ceasefire is in place,
fighting continues in many parts of the
country, as the opposition and the
government fight a civil war. Out of
control inflation means that prices for
basic commodities rise every week. South
Sudanese are running out of reserves -
physically and emotionally.
Our prayer is that through access to Gods
Word, they will know, beyond a doubt, the
peace that transcends all human
understanding.
Personally, I continue to be encouraged by
my weekly Bible Study group. We are a
pretty diverse group of women from all
corners of the globe - some working for
NGOs, some with mission
organizations, some are stay-at-home
moms. We come together on Saturday
afternoons to study, pray and share the
joys and challenges of life in Juba.
Were always looking for new study
materials and ways to get access to them
in Juba, so any suggestions you might
have are welcome!
Zane, my cat, also continues his
strenuous regime of eat, sleep, repeat.
At almost 11 years old, I think hes the
oldest cat in South Sudan, maybe even
in East Africa! Unfortunately, hes lost
2 of his fangs recently, so he now
bears an uncanny resemblance to
Toothless, the dragon.
As usual, I want to thank each of
you for your continued prayers and
financial support of my work with
Wycliffe and SIL. God really is
using you, and your generosity, to
have a lasting impact both here in
South Sudan, and to other parts of
Africa through the opportunities
Ive had to teach at iDelta. Even
with the inflation and rising cost of
living here, Im amazed at how
God continues to provide what is
needed.
Peace, Tanya
There was a lot of good interactive learning in the Literacy Track at iDelta this year!
Above: The MLE and Orthography class and staff. Photo by Alex Mercado.
Frisbee and football were also regular features of the 8 week course.

From left to right: I worked

with Raphael on revising the
Teachers Guide for their
Primer; the literacy office full
of people working on
mother tongue materials;
personnel from the Ministry
of Education evaluate
sample SIL books at a
Curriculum workshop; John
practices using our book
inventory system.