October 28, 2010: The Lord provided the last of the partners required by Wycliffe before I could start my role in Orlando. The years have flown -- I am grateful for your journeying with me!
In 2010, around 2,000 languages needed a Bible translation project to begin. Now, only 561 languages still need to be started. Wycliffe is currently engaged in translation projects for more than 2,900 languages. God is at work, bringing his Word to the world.
Recent Highlights -- Answers to Prayer:
Thank you for praying -- the fiscal year transition (October 1) went very smoothly.
Wycliffe has signed a contract for the sale of the majority of the campus, with the closing expected sometime in mid-2027.
Praise God for his care and provision these past 15 years!
Looking Ahead -- Items for Prayer:
Pray for those languages still without the Bible and for translation projects already in progress.
Pray for the sale of the Wycliffe headquarters building.
Pray that I will understand the needs of the colleagues we serve so that I can help in an effective, caring manner.
Collaborated with a colleague in Kentucky on documents for the new fiscal year.
Met with two different "newbie" households in California.
Helped establish an account for someone in Hawaii.
Answered financial questions for...
A colleague who had a medical crisis while in Thailand.
A family with a challenging situation in Texas.
I attended a baby shower for a coworker in Orlando.
And I never left Indianapolis.
All of these interactions support those who have roles in Bible translation. All of them have been directly impacted by your prayers and gifts for my Wycliffe ministry. I don't have a way to estimate the broader scope -- the number of language communities across the world touched by the collective service of these coworkers.... but we were told this week that Wycliffe is currently involved with more than 2,900 language projects. Wow! Thank you for your ongoing commitment. Praise the Lord for his master plan in using us all!
Recent Highlights -- Answers to Prayer:
The Lord continues to give wisdom for my jobs.
The Jr High Grow Class is off to a great start. The 8th graders are demonstrating good leadership!
I am making some progress learning the new technical skills for volunteer opportunities.
Looking Ahead -- Items for Prayer:
The potential buyer for the campus has withdrawn. We are told that this can be common with commercial properties. Pray for God's perfect timing in the sale.
Pray for smooth closure to the current fiscal year, September 30. Pray for technical changes which must be implemented for October 1.
Continue to pray for focus on the new technical skills I'm learning. My brain is being stretched!
How may I pray with you today? It's such an honor to be on this journey together.
How much of our personal identity is shaped by our cultural background? Those who speak a minority language are often ridiculed and marginalized, even if they are also fluent in the majority language of the area. Bible translation not only helps us know God and his saving love and grace, it also can bring dignity and new hope to minority language speakers.
Last June, I shared about the Psalms that Sing project in the Kaaps language of South Africa. This video shares the experiences of some of the Kaaps team members and how the Bible has impacted their lives and families. I know I say it often, but it is so true -- your prayers and gifts for my Wycliffe ministry impact minority communities all around the world!
(If you'd like context for the song included in the video, here is Psalm 32.)
Imagine a world where people don't write things down to share with each other. You couldn't send a text or an email, knowing the other person would understand.
What if you needed medicine for your child, and the doctor only told you what to do? What if you couldn't read the label on the bottle for instructions later?
In that world, families and cultures would remember their stories and history by heart. We sometimes find it hard to memorize even a few verses of the Bible. But in this world, memorizing would be a very important and common skill!
Many cultures in the world do not value written language, and they might be like the world you just imagined. How do you even start to put God's Word into one of these languages? Part of the answer is to make sure the translation is in forms other than written words. Another important step is creating a dictionary to collect all the words people use. See how that's done!
