We are down to 514 known remaining languages that still need Bible Translation!
Now, we still have other projects that need to be finished, especially the ones mentioned above, but I’m so excited to see this number come way down! Back when we joined Wycliffe, we were using the phrase “still have 2,000 languages to go” so this is a great improvement!!
Join me in praising God for His goods works!
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In 1999, our leaders realized that at the speed we were going, it would be at least 2150 before a Bible translation could be started for every language that needed one.
As they thought about the people perishing around the world every day without receiving the Good News of the gospel, they felt God calling them to adopt a new goal for accomplishing this mission.
Our leaders committed to do everything we could to see a Bible translation program in progress in every language still needing one by 2025.
Today, more than 1,600 languages still need a Bible translation started, and Wycliffe is working faster than ever to reach those languages as soon as possible. (From http://www.wycliffe.org)
We are making progress, even though the numbers don’t seem to be going down as fast as we like. This is also because we have added new Bible Translation needs over the years as we have learned more about the many languages in the world.
Thank you for standing with us as we continue to serve with Wycliffe Bible Translators.
The President of Wycliffe Bible Translators USA and his wife bring us all greetings at this time of year. It is a joy to serve God, along with your partnership, as we find ways to give people the very words of God in their own language! Merry Christmas!
JAARS, our partner in the Bible translation task, just had a celebration of one of the most recent Bibles being dedicated. Rejoice with us by clicking on this video link and selecting the 2022 Scripture Celebration at JAARS video.
You can’t help but smile and tear up as you see the joy in the faces of people holding God’s Words in their heart language!
Thank you for your part in making the reality of getting God’s precious Word into the hands and hearts of Bibleless people of the world! Because of you, our brothers and sisters in Christ all around the world are now blessed to have His Word in their mother tongue, the language that speaks to their hearts, just like we do.
Let’s celebrate together!
Please join us in praising God for these Scripture dedications that took place in December! Pray that the Scriptures will be used and result in transformed lives.
Everyone of these languages are important to God because they are important to the people who use them and need to hear the Words of their Creator.
Your support enables us to support others who have served in this task for decades!
Each Fall, Wycliffe Bible Translators and our partners set aside a day to celebrate the newly translated Bibles that have been dedicated the previous year. Watching the videos of the dedications always brings me to tears as I watch people receiving the very words of God in their Mother Tongue for the first time. They are dancing, shouting and crying as they receive their Bible. Do I do the same?
Because of your support, together we can dance with people from around the world who can understand “Immanuel, God with Us” for the first time this year! Click here to enjoy our partner JAARS video celebration.
On Wednesday, Wycliffe Bible Translators celebrated the publishing of about 15 Bibles! Some were New Testaments, some were several books of the Bible, but one was the entire Bible, Old Testament and New Testament: The American Sign Language Bible!
For the first time, those who speak this language have a Bible that speaks to their heart! Many people don’t realize that the deaf need their own language. The order of their words and syntax is different than English.
We’re so excited to have been a part of this translation.
Click here for an activity that you can do with your children using American Sign Language. And then celebrate with us that between 250,000 and 500,000 people can now understand the message that God has for them: He loves them and sent his very own Son to die for them!!
Finally! After 14 months of social distancing, our independent living facility, Waxhaw Creek Apartments, had their first monthly dinner social with everyone invited to come at the same time! Most residents and all of the staff have been vaccinated so we’re all feeling more hopeful these days.
There was so much chatter going on between everyone that it was hard to break in and change the direction of all the participants. We played outdoor games, caught up with each other, ate and ate and even tried some Karaoke! Well, we’ll call it a “Sing-a-long” since no one volunteered to stand up, so we just sang songs together. We started with “Five Foot Two-Eyes of Blue” and ended with the hymn “It is Well with my Soul”!
Thank you for your support as we love and care for these retired missionaries who have served Wycliffe Bible Translators for decades.
Check out our photos!
Left to right: Anne celebrates our first major social since February 2020; Bob grills up the hamburgers and hotdogs; two tables of residents; Karaoke; corn hole; plus 91-year-old Walter who collects the garbage for the “older” residents and brings it to the dumpster for them!!
We often serve a breakfast to all the senior residents we serve in Waxhaw, NC each February, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, we delivered the breakfast door-to-door this year. What a sweet surprise for each person to get a hot cooked breakfast along with a card and some cookies. We are working hard to find socially acceptable ways to serve our seniors as loneliness can affect your physical health. As more and more get vaccinated, please pray we would find appropriate ways to serve them in the days ahead.
The Haugh Herald 