Wolrd Religion

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

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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http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/prayer/prayerdetail.asp?id=4108

7/26/2014: Preparing to Dub the Luke Video in a “threatened language”

Guyana: When preparing for the dubbing of the LUKE video or other Scripture, many challenges arise. How do you choose the right person to read the words of Jesus, Mary, or Paul? How do you get verses that take 45 seconds to read in the local language down to the 30 seconds used in the English version of the film? How many practice times are necessary for the readers to learn to read with expression and clarity?

Over 6,000 speak the Wapishana language in Guyana.  The language is listed as a “threatened” language because so few speak it.  So far Bible translators have developed a Dictionary and a grammar resource. Literacy is a challenge so a video is being produced.

Delivery of God’s Word Stirs Up Memories for the Ketengban People

http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/involved/storypage.asp?id=221       

“We never want to forget what it was like before we had the Word.”
—Ketengban elder

Earlier this year, 32,000 pounds of Ketengban Scriptures were delivered to the people via the Pilatus PC-6 aircraft funded by Wycliffe Associates volunteers. And New Testaments were delivered to their neighbors in Lik villages—the first Scriptures ever in their heart language.

Part of a team to translation of the Ketengban scriptures, Andrew and Anne Sims were caught off guard as they entered the Ketengban village in Indonesia. They had come to check on the progress of the Old Testament translation, yet hundreds of people greeted them as a celebration broke out. Off to the side, eight boys covered in white mud from head to toe stood expressionless and silent, never moving.

The Ketengban elders informed the Sims’s that the village was celebrating their return as thanks for bringing the Ketengban New Testament to them. “You brought God’s words to us in our own language,” one of the elders said. “But we don’t want to forget what life was like before we had the Word, so we asked these boys to cover themselves with mud and to stand apart, silent and somber. They represent the lives of all of us before we understood God’s Word.”

“We were like dead men walking,” the elder continued. “We didn’t know God or His Son. We lived in guilt and fear and constant warfare. Now we are alive in Christ and free from our dark past. We are insiders, part of God’s family. And we don’t want to forget how much God has changed us.”

Not only did the Ketengban people not forget, but they were reaching out to neighboring villages, bringing people to Christ, and planting churches. And they also began the translation of the Old Testament.

This video shows the challenges of translating the Bible in the Bhogoto language in the very remote areas of Africa.

http://vimeo.com/50411066

Prayer request posted by Wycliffe Associates…

http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/prayer/prayerdetail.asp?id=4097

Bangladesh: A local radio station in Bangladesh will air Scripture songs from Genesis beginning on May 23, and continuing every Friday for three months. Pray that a good relationship with the radio station will develop and that it will broadcast other Scripture materials as they become available. Pray that the programming will be used by the Lord to draw listeners to faith. Ask God for boldness and wisdom for the local believers who will interact with listeners during a program where listeners can call and ask questions about the songs.