Mboté letter from CHRIST! It will take as long as it takes, but be certain, with GOD no trial is in vain. Your testimony is a letter from CHRIST to the nations: do not waste it. May the LORD keep you and bless you. Be that fertile ground, in which the seed of the word, watered by prayer and nurtured by obedience, bears many fruits and blesses multitudes. Today I have the privilege of interviewing a pioneer in the French-speaking world. She has a wonderful smile, an extraordinary joy of living and a firm commitment to stand firm no matter what happens. She is Philo's wife, mother of their four sons, worship leader, writer, teacher, translator, and interpreter.
**Good morning Maryline, could you introduce yourself?
Hello Simone-Christelle. I am Maryline Orcel, Daughter of GOD, Franco-Congolese, living in London, England with my husband (whom I met in France) and our four sons. I am a foreign language teacher. I teach French and Spanish. At home, I juggle between French and English.
** A true trilingual! You are well known for your translations of English messages and sermons into French. Among others, TD Jakes, Billy Graham, Myles Munroe, Kenneth Hagin, Joel Osteen, and many others. How did you get the idea to translate messages?
The idea was born during the first Covid-19 lockdown. We were locked at home with little to do. One day my husband said to me, "You who cry so often, saying that you want to serve GOD, well translate this message. Go ahead!" He launched the video encouraging me to talk. It was a message from Joel Osteen: the guardian of my soul. We translated it together. My husband is a musician in his spare time. We already had equipment at home. I translated the speaker and he took care of the recording and editing. Along the way, we realized that we could indeed do so and make translations available to Francophones.
** Hallelujah! Your first video was on March 31, 2020. Today, your YouTube channel has more than 52,000 followers. Did you imagine such a success?
No, absolutely not. The first translations were not professional, on the contrary. The success of the channel has pushed me to get more involved. I have eight brothers and sisters, including four sisters. With one of them I talk a lot about GOD and the Word. Very often I spoke to her about TD Jakes's preachings. She would say, "I wish I could understand what he is saying". Until my husband suggested it, I never realised that I could meet her need (and that of thousands of others) by translating sermons. I started translating sermons that changed my life and my husband's life. If a sermon has touched me, then surely, somewhere, someone else needs to hear it. I don't think of thousands when I translate a sermon but of one person. In GOD's eyes, one person is worth it. Years before, GOD gave me a vision in which I was speaking to thousands of people with a microphone. It is only recently that I have understood what this vision meant, and more importantly, that I am living it.
** I recognize myself in your testimony. Indeed, we are GOD's answers to the needs of others. The teachings of Keneth E. Hagin (1917-2003) and Rick Joyner on the prophetic completly Yet, at the beginning of my conversion, although already bilingual, I couldn't really understand their messages when I was listening to them. I don't know if it was due to their accent, their style or attacks from the devil. I started by reading their books in French. Now I enjoy listening to them as much as reading them in both languages. I could also mention Derek Prince (1915-2003) and many others.
It’s one thing to be trilingual, but it’s another thing to be a translator and interpreter. How did you learn English and Spanish?
I have been interested in languages since I was a child. As a child, I used to tell my father that I will be an interpreter. At school, I did very well in English, Spanish and Italian. I was admitted to the Sorbonne in Paris, but I didn't finish the course. My parents' divorce upset me, I had difficulty working on my own, especially getting used to the accents and styles of my new teachers. I was going in circles. After a 7-day fast (dry), GOD told me that I had to leave France. He didn't tell me to which country I should go. He just told me " you have to leave France ". My husband and I were already engaged. We were talking about everything and nothing. Before I even said anything to him, he told me that he wanted to "try his luck" in England. I said " I'll follow you ". He went and three months later I joined him. The first years weren't easy, we struggled, but GOD was faithful. My testimony is in my book: Debout, Je reste, M.J.LO. I went back to school and became a foreign language teacher. French as a first language and Spanish as a second language.
** May GOD bless your husband. Were you already interpreter before Covid-19?
Yes. Every year our local church in France (Bethel-AEFPC) organizes a two-week evangelization campaign. Since I am in England, I go every year to France, to interpret speakers in French and vice versa.
** How do you maintain your Bible vocabulary in other languages?
The Bible. You can’t have biblical jargon without knowing the Bible. I listen to the audio Bible in English every day. My vocabulary grows as I translate. With each preaching (especially with TD Jakes), I learn, I discover words and nuances. I like to translate, it’s my passion. I don’t have the Spanish biblical vocabulary. I could hardly translate sermons into Spanish.
** How long does it take you to translate a sermon?
I don’t count the hours. The longer the message, the longer it will take me. I do a first translation (one-shot). Then I listen again to correct errors. Then I spot repetitions and I look for synonyms to replace them. Really, it takes days to translate, record and edit a video. People think it’s a great team behind, but the truth is, we are only two: my husband and I.
** Respect! Indeed, you couldn’t do what you do if you weren’t passionate. Have you received any negative feedback when you created your channel?
Some negative feedback, but mostly apprehension. Some ministries complained to YouTube. Videos were deleted. My channel was almost closed down for image infringement. For some, YouTube is a source of income. They were afraid that my channel would overshadow theirs. But my motives are not financial. We simply want to allow as many people as possible to hear these messages.
** (Laughter) I can imagine very well. In 2019, posts from Partage Ton Rhema were almost deleted on Facebook. Your advice for those who want to start a ministry or a project ?
Fear not the small beginnings. There is no shadow with the LORD. Whatever we do for Him, in due time, He will bring it to the light. He is who inspires and who makes things grow.
** What about couples who want to start a ministry?
Phil and I have always worked together. We met in church and served in the same department. I was a singer (chorister) and he was a musician. Here in England, this is still the case. I am Worship Leader and he is a musician. My first advice for those who want to start a ministry as a couple is firstly to have an agreement. It should be what GOD calls you to do, and He must be at the center of your lives. Where two or three are assembled to His Name, He is present (Matthew 18:20), and "The three-wire cord does not break easily." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). My second advice is: do not wait " the ministry " to learn how you can work together. If possible, serve together in the same department at the church or have activities together.
** What film have you seen recently? If not, what was the last book you read?
(laughs) I left the TV to the boys. Lately, re-read two books by Marek Halter: The Mysteries of Jerusalem and Tsippora. I like his writing and he inspired me a lot when I wrote my book.
** You miscarried four times and GOD miraculously cured you of hypothyroidism. An encouragement for those going through the same situation?
I will quote from my book:
Just like the roots of trees that in times of drought are forced to extend to the depths of the earth to find water, we too must take root in CHRIST. Like Job, we must declare that GOD is love (Job 10:12), that he is all-powerful (Job 36:22), that he is in control of everything (Job 34:13), that he protects us (Job 5:11) and that he has a plan for our life (Job 23:14)."
GOD really cares about our lives, nothing escapes him. As long as we know that he is alive, that he loves us, that he is capable, everything can only contribute to our good.
**Thank you Maryline, thanks for your availability, your smile and your testimony. Thank you for exercising your gift so that thousands can hear and understand the Gospel. I interviewed the translator, but I especially thank the woman. The one who stands: the one who chose to praise even when it hurts, and to trust even when she doesn't understand. May GOD bless your marriage, your home and your ministry. May his blessing extend to your children's children. May your life be long and prosperous. For the record, at the end of the interview Maryline and I prayed for the distribution of translations in remote, persecuted, and forgotten territories.
** Mboté = Good morning in Lingala (Congo)