By Heather Kinghorn
More than 25 years ago, Wycliffe translators Rick and Melanie Floyd ventured to the village of Pihuas, located in the mountains of Peru, without knowing one word in Quechua.
“All we wanted was to bring the Word of God to people who had never heard it before in their own language,” Melanie says. It wasn’t easy. So they prayed for answers to their deepest questions. What will You do with us? How will we do this?
Some of the Quechuas thought they were Pishtacos – murderers, white men who wanted to kill the Quechuas in their sleep and steal their body oil to grease machines. Others laughed at the idea of having God’s Word in their language.
“But then there were still others,” Melanie said, directing her words to the Wanca Quechuas celebrating the dedication of their New Testament. “You trusted God and received us with much love. Little by little, word by word, you taught us your language. Now, here in my hand, is God’s Word in your language.”
And the tears began to flow. Wycliffe translator Rick and Melanie, along with Jaime and Maria Ayala, embraced each other on the stage at the Wanca Quechua New Testament Dedication as the Quechuas in attendance cheered and wiped the tears from their own eyes.
“We’ve waited 25 years for this day,” Melanie continued. “But you have waited much longer than that. But we don’t have to wait any longer. Here it is for us to read – to put into the marrow of our bones.
“But of all the translations, the greatest of all was God translating His love in the form of His precious Son. Understand how great His love is for you. Let Him into your mind, into your heart, into the very marrow of your bones.”
The day did not come without its competition.
Wycliffe Translator Jan Benson, who serves with her husband, Bruce, in another village in Peru, recalled when she spoke with Melanie 25 years ago.
“We always knew celebrations like this happened when New Testaments were completed,” she said. “We just never imagined that we would be part of one. We never thought it was possible.”
And Jan remembered the time when Rick and Melanie ventured to another dedication celebration shortly after they began serving in Peru. They lost all their travel documents – and wound up spending the night in jail.
But God remained faithful. He gave them the wisdom to learn the language and the patience and courage to learn the culture. He delivered Wanca friends and blessed their work. And more than 10 years after Rick and Melanie were involved in the Wanca translation, He sent Jaime and Maria their way to help with literacy development and projects.
And, 25 years later, He gave the greatest gift of all. He spoke to the Wanca Quechuas in their heart language through the Wanca New Testament, with nearly 1,000 guests as witnesses.
Some had traveled across oceans to attend and support the translators, to celebrate with their Quechua brothers and sisters in Christ. Many had taken a nearly eight-hour bus ride through the mountains to share in the joy. Still others, many Quechuas from a different language group, trekked more than 24 hours to get there.
But no one in attendance was more important than the hundreds of Wancas – the ones who had waited much too long for that day. Some began in the morning, walking the five-mile parade route through Huancayo to the dedication site. Others began much earlier, walking miles from their villages, their feet dirty and worn from the barefooted journey.
And, together, Christians from around the world celebrated. Praise God.
Every day, Wycliffe missionaries go into the field to serve God and the Bibleless peoples of the world. When you make a planned gift with the Wycliffe Foundation, you support their Bible translation, linguistics training and literacy efforts for many years to come.
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