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"2,000 years ago, God wrote a love letter to let people know He hadn't forgotten them. He sent it in care of us who know and love Him. But we've failed to deliver it -- not maliciously, but by doing nothing about it." |
-- George Cowan, "The Word That Kindles" |
| More key figures from Wycliffe's history |
No one told George Cowan life as a missionary would be easy. No one told him it would be easy to translate the Mazatec New Testament during World War II. And no one told him how integral he would become in the development of Wycliffe Bible Translators. But, without a doubt, he knew God would be with him throughout the entire journey, providing comfort, support and peace.
On a mission to Mexico
By chance, Mr. Cowan walked into Cam Townsend's meeting in Mexico City, held for members of his mission organization. Maps of every state in Mexico covered the walls, showing where indigenous people lived, where they didn't have a Bible in their heart language, where workers were needed.
Mr. Cowan listened to Cam, receiving peace in his heart as he understood why the Lord brought him to Mexico. And, after the meeting, he joined Cam's mission organization, later to become Wycliffe Bible Translators.
Bringing the Word to the Mazatec people
After spending his first year working with the Amuzgo people, Mr. Cowan joined Eunice Pike and Florence Hansen working in the Mazatec language. During this time, Mr. Cowan married Florence, and they continued working diligently to translate the Book of John. After more than two years, they were almost ready to send the final translation to print.
Since Mr. Cowan directed SIL Canada, they went up north for the summer and decided to type the final Mazatec translation of John during their months in Canada. But as time slipped by, they realized it was time to head down to California -- and they hadn't begun to type the final translation.
The missing bag
So, they packed up the latest revision, put it in a bag with the typewriter and shipped it to California, along with six other bags, to meet them down there. When the bags arrived at customs in Los Angeles, Mr. Cowan personally inspected all seven and shipped them to his wife's address in Inglewood.
But when the luggage arrived, there were only six bags. One was missing.
"It was the piece with our manuscript," Mr. Cowan recalled. "Our precious Gospel of John."
But the missing bag contained more than that. It also had their typewriter -- the only typewriter in the world with special characters to type in English, Spanish and Mazatec.
The missing piece never resurfaced, and they had to redo the Book of John from the previous version in Mexico. Because of the setback, the first Gospel published in the Mazatec language was the Book of Mark. The complete New Testament was published in 1960.
Beyond Mexico
But Mr. Cowan's influence on Wycliffe Bible Translators extended beyond his service to the Mazatec people in Mexico. And it continued after his role as Chairman of the Board of Wycliffe Bible Translators and Director of SIL Canada.
He changed lives as he directed the work in England and began and directed the work in Germany. He prepared future translators while he and his wife taught a first-year linguistics course at Gordon College.
And even after he ceased to be President of Wycliffe Bible Translators in the 1980s, he served the Bibleless people of the world through his roles as Director of Prayer Ministries and the Bibleless People Prayer Project into the 1990s.
Now a volunteer with The Seed Company, Mr. Cowan remains an integral part of the Wycliffe family, serving God and the Bibleless people of the world, focusing his heart on the Great Commission -- to bring God's Word to everyone, everywhere.
Join George Cowan's legacy when you support Bible translation efforts through gift planning with the Wycliffe Foundation. You will become a member of the William Cameron Townsend Legacy Society, a group of Christians dedicated to bringing God's Word to all people in the language speaking to their hearts.
Call toll-free (866) 379-7746 or e-mail
to find out which gift planning agreement is best for you.
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