2007 Translation Update

“Then the Lord answered me, and said, ‘Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run.’” Habakkuk 2:2, NAS

Wycliffe Bible Translators celebrated the completion of 16 translation projects during 2007. These projects represent 12 different countries and more than 2,860,500 people who now have God’s Word in their heart language. Among those completed, here is a brief summary of some of the projects:

At the Scripture Celebration held in April 2007 at the Wycliffe Mobilization Center in Orlando, Fla., Neil and Carol Anderson recounted their work as translators for the Folopa Bible project in Papua New Guinea.

“Two years into our time in New Guinea, a leader from our village came to us and said ‘I have to tell you why you’re here,’” Carol said. “‘An evangelist came into the area, and he shared the gospel with the people here.’ As a result, the people of the village started a small church. As the evangelist was preparing to move on to another village, the people asked ‘What will we do now? We don’t know anything about God and Christianity.’ The evangelist replied ‘I want you to pray that God will send you a missionary.’

“Then one day a few years later, we showed up,” Carol said. “Translated from Folopa, the village leader told us that ‘God put His leash on your arm, and He pulled you here.’”

“God has people all over this world that he mobilizes in ways that we will never know until we get to Glory,” Neil said at the ceremony. “If God’s Word really is going to penetrate all of these languages, it isn’t going to be done by a bunch of lone rangers. We have to work together as a team.” Neil also spoke about the countless prayers that sustained them during their time on the field, as well as the many Folopa people that assisted in the translation project.

“His work rests on His ability—not ours. What He has asked us to do, He will give us the ability to accomplish.”

Bob Creson, Wycliffe USA president, closed the ceremony by saying “God’s purpose is to draw people to Himself. God’s purpose has always been for His mighty works to be on the tongue of every person in the world. He’s calling people to Himself from every tongue, tribe and nation.”

Because of the generous gifts from members of the William Cameron Townsend Legacy Society, Bible translators like Neil and Carol Anderson will continue sharing God’s Word until all have heard.

Call toll-free (866) 379-7746 or e-mail us to find out how to support Bible translation, linguistics training and literacy efforts through gift planning.

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