Pray for the first draft of the Tengir language.
http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/prayer/prayerdetail.asp?id=4172
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This video explains how BTAK’s are helping to revolutionize Bible translation in difficult areas.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCiaEg5Eskg
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http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/involved/storypage.asp?id=223
“When I read the Bible, I don’t understand the words.”
Bringing the Scriptures to South Africa’s Deaf community.
“When I read the Bible, I don’t understand the words,” said young Xoliseka, a Deaf child from South Africa. Xoliseka is one of 600,000 Deaf people in that country who use sign language as their primary language.
“I am burdened for a full DVD Bible,” Xoliseka continued. “I would understand the words in sign language and be able to apply them to the written Bible.”
The Deaf are the largest language group in South Africa without their own translation of the Bible. Thankfully, through the support of generous partners like you, the South African Sign Language Project was launched last year to translate God’s Word into sign language and then record it on to DVD.
Ten Bible stories are already underway, thanks to dedicated people like Diane Lovell. This devoted wife and mother has a deep passion for the Deaf and has fully immersed herself into the South African Sign Language Project.
“The Christian life is about giving glory to God with everything that you are, out of great thankfulness that He has saved us,” Diane said. “The way He has equipped me to do that is to be involved in Bible translation . . . being part of cross-cultural gospel work where the Bible is being brought to people who haven’t heard it before.”
Please continue to bring God’s message of grace and salvation to Deaf children like Xoliseka.
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Our BTAK’s are now being installed in remote locations of the Congo, connecting Bible translators and keeping them out of harms way.
http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/news/pressdetail.asp?id=611
Contact: Donn Hallman
Wycliffe Associates
714-222-5079
Donn_Hallman@wycliffeassociates.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wycliffe Associates Providing Technology to Increase Efficiency, Safety for Bible Translators in Democratic Republic of the Congo
(Orlando, Florida, USA)—Wycliffe Associates, a global organization that empowers national Bible translators around the world, is providing tools to Bible translators in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that enable them to harness current technology from remote areas and potentially accelerate their work by years.
Since it first began installing Bible Translation Acceleration Kits (BTAKs) in 2011, Wycliffe Associates has installed 197 kits in 25 countries for 295 language communities. Each kit, which costs $3,967, contains a small, portable laptop computer, along with a satellite communication terminal, solar panel, battery, and power supply.
“This year, our goal is to put 250 of these kits into the hands of Bible translators in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and places like India, Papua New Guinea, Nigeria, and beyond,” says Bruce Smith, president and CEO of Wycliffe Associates. “These kits will help continue the critical work of Bible translation even in the most hard-to-reach and dangerous regions.”
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where difficult travel and the threat of violence, kidnapping, civil unrest, and infectious disease put Bible translators at risk, the BTAKs not only make the translators’ work more efficient but help keep them safe as well. Through satellite communication, Bible translators in remote locations can connect with translation consultants hundreds or thousands of miles away in real time.
“The Bible Translation Acceleration Kit also increases accuracy because it connects translators with consultants and helpful resources more quickly,” says Smith.
There are currently 18 Bible translation projects underway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where more than 77 million people speak 212 living languages. New Testament translations for the Mayogo, Logo, and Ndruna language groups are nearly complete after 20 years of work. The Ndruna translation team is working in one of the nation’s most violent areas. Unfortunately, three members of the Logo translation have died during the course of the project.
Recently a Wycliffe Associates Technology Advance Team traveled 450 miles to deliver IT equipment for the start of a new translation—one that the Ngombe North tribe has been waiting 50 years for translators to begin. When the team arrived, the entire village came out to greet them, shouting, “Esengo! Esengo! Esengo!” which means “Joy! Joy! Joy!” in Ngombe.
In addition to supplying Bible Translation Acceleration Kits to translators in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Wycliffe Associates has also provided assistance to villages with water supply projects, which included drilling a 150-foot well and building a 5,000-liter water tower.
Volunteer construction teams have also traveled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to support the work of Bible translation through the renovation of offices, meeting rooms, classrooms, a library, housing, and the installation of solar panels.
About Wycliffe Associates
Organized in 1967 by friends of Bible translators, Wycliffe Associates is a ministry that participates in Bible translation around the world. Because millions of people around the world still wait to read the Scriptures in the language of their heart, Wycliffe Associates is working as quickly as we can to see every verse of God’s Word translated into every tongue to speak to every heart. Wycliffe Associate empowers national Bible translators to provide God’s Word in their own language; partners with the local church to direct and guard translation work, harnessing their passion and desire for God’s Word; and engages people from all around the world to provide resources, technology, training, and support for Bible translation. Last year alone, 3,145 Wycliffe Associates worked to speed Bible translations in 71 different countries.
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Wycliffe Associates Building Business's in Africa to Support Bible Translation
A dozen African Lion economies are gaining on the pace of high-growth Asian Tiger economies. High-tech companies like Google and Microsoft are joining petroleum and mining companies to expand their businesses throughout Africa.
This tide of economic growth is also creating new opportunities to use business models to expand Bible translation to new languages.
In the heart of Africa are two countries that present unique challenges to Bible translation: Central African Republic (CAR), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). These two neighboring nations have nearly 4 million people speaking over 100 languages without even one verse of Scripture.
Wycliffe Associates is building support for Bible translation in these nations through businesses based in the capital cities of Bangui and Kinshasa.
Critical services needed include print-on-demand, commercial translation, English language training, facility management, and logistics.
In both locations we are recruiting local business leaders to develop and manage the local teams providing these services. Our experience shows that the prospect for success improves when we also have an experienced Business Consultant mentoring these local leaders.
French language ability is essential for this Business Consultant. Although Wycliffe Associates are recruiting bilingual managers locally, government and business communications are normally in French.
http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/news/articledetail.asp?id=599
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Translation center to be built in Cameroon where Boko Haram has kidnapped Christians
Friday, August 1, 2014
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http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/news/pressdetail.asp?id=607
Wycliffe Associates Seizes Limited Opportunity to Support Bible Translation in Cameroon’s Terrorist-Plagued Northern Region
(Orlando, Florida, USA)—Wycliffe Associates, a global organization that empowers national Bible translators around the world, has undertaken plans to help build a translation center in Maroua, Cameroon, where two Italian priests and a Canadian nun were kidnapped on April 5 by suspected members of the terrorist group Boko Haram and later released.
“Boko Haram, extremist militants occupying an area just over the border in Nigeria, are becoming bolder every day,” says Bruce Smith, President and CEO of Wycliffe Associates. “Cameroon is on the front lines in the mission to advance the gospel in Africa. Our local partners say we have an open window of only a few months to establish relationships and resources that will allow local believers to receive the training and encouragement they need to continue Bible translation efforts.”
The translation center will be a resource for local translators and believers over the entire northern region of Cameroon, which Boko Haram has been infiltrating from Nigeria as they cross the 1,243-mile border between the two countries.
While Cameroon’s official languages are English and French, there are 280 living languages spoken in Cameroon, including 24 major African language groups. Currently, there are 130 Bible translation projects underway and 70 translations of the Scriptures have been completed so far.
“Entire communities are asking—begging—to have Scripture in their own heart language,” Smith says. “They desperately want to know God through His Word.”
As part of Wycliffe Associates’ support of development projects and literacy training being conducted by local Bible translation partners, the organization aims to raise $175,000, which will be used to train local translators, form relationships with communities, and help direct translation efforts.
“Right now, we have an unprecedented opportunity to reach the entire region with truth, hope, and peace,” Smith says. “But, we must act quickly because we do not know how long this opportunity will last.”
About Wycliffe Associates
Wycliffe Associates involves people in accelerating the work of Bible translation through their time, talents, and treasure. Because millions of people around the world are still waiting to read the Scriptures in the language of their heart, Wycliffe Associates is working as quickly as it can to translate every verse of the Bible into every tongue to change every heart. The organization partners with nationals, mother tongue translators, staff, volunteers, and supporters to direct and fund these efforts, as well as provide logistics, networking, and technical support. Through a growing global network, Wycliffe Associates is striving to overcome local limitations of time and resources to achieve the goal of beginning the translation of God’s Word in every remaining language that needs it by 2025.
Last year, the organization mobilized 3,145 volunteers and staff members to accelerate Bible translation in 71 countries. Additional information is available at the organization’s website at www.wycliffeassociates.org or by calling 1-800-THE WORD (1-800-843-9673).
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