Friday, March 12, 2021

It All Started With a Phone Call

On an ordinary day in December 2017, Wendy Scott-Penson was busy ministering to Wycliffe partners and empowering them to connect their resources to Bible translation projects in communities around the world. She answered an incoming call and quickly realized that it was an unusual one.

The man on the phone, Stefano, was a Kunama speaker who was determined to bring the Bible to his people group who were now living in communities dispersed around the world; Stefano had been displaced to the United States. He was adamant and passionate about God’s Word and he was turning to Wycliffe for help. Stefano’s call led to a long string of phone calls and emails, fact-checking conversations, and contact between Wycliffe Ethiopia, Eritrean Bible Society, Wycliffe USA and the Jesus Film Project. The organizations networked and finally connected with teams and resources.

Ultimately two teams were formed — one in Ethiopia that is working on revising the Old Testament and one in Canada with nine men translating the New Testament. The diaspora team and the team in the refugee camps work together, sharing the goal of completing the Kunama Bible in three years.

And to think that it all started with one phone call!

Read more of the story at wycliffe.org/blog/posts/it-all-started-with-a-phone-call.

The “rest of the story” is that you’ve had a part in the Kunama Bible! Your prayers and gifts for my Wycliffe ministry were a part of Wendy’s story as I coached her, 2016-2017. God is using you to impact many in ways we may not know this side of heaven!

Coming Virtual Programs

We are excited to be moving forward with some pilot programs for celebrating and caring for those Wycliffe colleagues who have been serving for a number of years. The challenge is that many are already weary of virtual meetings, so we’re working to design events that are brief and yet meaningful to encourage those who choose to participate. Pray for wisdom for us and for effective technology when the time comes.

Thank you for your faithful encouragements. I am honored to be on this journey with you!

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