The work he had fought
against,
|
 |
| After an accident in which Isaac Langal broke his back and was wheelchair-bound, he heard that the Ulithian New Testament was about to be finished and felt a deep desire to help with finishing it. Yap State, Micronesia. Photo: Asia-Pacific RSC / Anicia del Corro (MIC03DJ-5.JPG) |
YAP STATE, Micronesia — Isaac Langal had everything going for him. He was in the prime of his life. He was smart, highly educated and very confident of his abilities.
A native of the small island of Asor,
one of the islands in Ulithi, which in turn is one of the outer islands
of Yap State of the Federated States of Micronesia, he had gained a
high social status by the time he was in his thirties. After studying
at the University of Guam, he worked with the Department of Education
of Yap State.
Great honour
| Some people in Ulithi also remember how he openly displayed his disgust when anyone preached from the Word of God |
He eventually became the Supervisor for elementary education in Ulithi and all the linked atolls and islands. He was later sent to study at the University of Hawaii, a great honour for any Micronesian.
The nature of his work gave him access to a boat with an outboard motor, a status symbol which he cherished. He was known as an excellent boat driver.
While Isaac was establishing himself in his professional life, translation work on the Ulithian New Testament began. One of his early encounters with the Bible was through his uncle, Pedro Ulag, who was responsible for translating parts of the lectionary into Ulithian. Mr Ulag sometimes asked Isaac to help him. Reluctantly, Isaac did so.
It was in this way that Isaac realised that the Bible contained both the complexity and simplicity of God’s message. He believed that even understanding it, let alone translating it into Ulithian, required a lot of skill and an erudite mind. This made him very cynical about the translation project.
Some people in Ulithi also remember how he openly displayed his disgust when anyone preached from the Word of God. He was critical of any exposition of the Bible because he believed that nobody could ever really understand its meaning.
This rather arrogant attitude persisted until one day in 1991 when, overestimating his capacity to lift an outboard motor for his boat, he broke his back. The injury was serious enough to warrant an emergency trip to Hawaii. The lower half of his body was paralysed, leaving him immobile for many months. Asor is a fishing community that does not even have electricity.
| This rather arrogant attitude persisted until one day in 1991 when, overestimating his capacity to lift an outboard motor for his boat, he broke his back |
There was no provision whatsoever to assist disabled people. On returning home, therefore, he found himself dependent on others to help him with basic tasks. His family was committed to taking care of his needs and they did so faithfully.
Helplessness
There was a part of Isaac that struggled against the helplessness, but he soon accepted this was his new reality, facing it with humility and dignity. The devotion that his family showed for his well-being was overwhelming. He did his best to recuperate, and in less than a year he could walk with crutches. But his world of prestige, honour and power had vanished.
Sometimes, sorrow is good for the soul. Isaac looked deep down into himself and saw a man longing for God. God had always been there, but Isaac was too preoccupied with his everyday life to hear the small voice saying how much he loved Isaac. But now, he was ready to listen.
Isaac renewed his commitment to the Lord and, through his membership of the Roman Catholic Church, heard God calling him to serve as a catechist. As he performed this work, he heard that the Ulithian New Testament was about to be finished. After a period in which no progress had been made, only the final corrections now remained. Isaac felt a deep desire to help with finishing it.
This meant approaching the very people he had been critical of before his accident, but he was ready to humble himself because the privilege of being part of the team that finished the Ulithian New Testament was an honour beyond his wildest dreams. This was indeed a new Isaac!
| He
did his best to recuperate, and in less than a year he could walk
with crutches. But his world of prestige, honour and power had vanished |
The translation committee welcomed Isaac’s offer of help. As the Translation Consultant for the project, I was happy to work with anyone who would be instrumental in making the final corrections. I brought to Yap an old IBM laptop and taught Isaac how to use it. I found him to be a softly spoken but perceptive man. He did his work with confidence but no longer with arrogance.
Completely confined
The Ulithian New Testament was dedicated on June 20 at Falalop, Ulithi, but Isaac was not there to be honoured as one of those who had helped in its completion. Almost a year earlier, he had become completely confined to his wheelchair, no longer able to use his crutches.
When I visited him in Asor in September, we both celebrated the completion of the Ulithian New Testament and spoke about how faithful the Lord has been. When the project had ground to a halt, God raised a man from his physical ailment to complete it. But more than raising his body, the Lord gave him new life. (WR 381/5 - 11.03)