Donor Stories

 

The Huallaga Quechua people of Peru just dedicated and distributed the entire Bible in their language—the fulfillment of forty years of translation work.

At the Scripture celebration, I watched a young girl step onto the stage carrying a Huallaga Bible on a pillow—like a ring bearer at a wedding. The leader announced, “The time has come!” and people moved into lines at the tables where the Bibles were to be uncovered. An elder led in the dedication prayer as I sensed God move on these people.

I stood behind the tables and laid my hands on the boxes. Through tears, God reminded me of Paul’s instruction to Timothy: “You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others” (II Timothy 2:2, NLT). I asked God to bring men who would pass this treasure on to others, so that it would impact the next generations of Huallaga.

Soon an older Quechuan man stood before me with his family. In his hand was a small receipt with the number four written on it. We reached into the boxes and drew out four Huallaga Bibles. He clutched them to his chest as a prized possession. A missionary nearby asked him why he had purchased four. As he handed one to his son, he explained that the other two were for his neighbors. When asked if he could read it, he responded, “No, but I am learning how … and so is my family.” And with that he disappeared into the crowd.

Tears came to my eyes as I prayed for God’s blessing on this man. This is the true legacy of translation— to pass God’s Words on to “trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.”

Your legacy gift planning can aid the completion of Bible translation projects just like this one, leaving a legacy of God’s Word that will last forever!