July 12, 2021 The story of “How Great Thou Art” By Wycliffe Canada Back to all stories 1934. A village in the Carpathian Mountains. Anna* reads from a Russian Bible, her words precise and careful. She is the first person in her village ever to do so—the first person ever to learn to read. Her guests listen in rapt attention as she tells them of Jesus. She reaches the account of the crucifixion, and many are overcome. They drop to their knees and weep. A dozen men and women turn to Christ, exclaiming their wonder at the love of God. At that moment, a stranger arrives. Thirty-four-year-old Stuart K. Hine has been cycling through the mountains for weeks, sharing the good news of the gospel and giving out Bibles. Stuart’s bike along the route through the Carpathian Mountains Inspired by the wonder of God’s creation, he is already halfway through composing the words of a song that will one day be sung all over the world. Seeing such a moment of revelation for the people of this village, he writes again. The Beginning Stuart once wrote, “The thoughts of the first three verses were born, line by line, amid my unforgettable experiences in the Carpathian Mountains.” In the first village he reached, Stuart stood in the street and read a chapter from one of the Gospels. But a storm was gathering and he could get no further. The “mighty thunder” echoing through the mountains that night provided the image of God’s power so vividly portrayed in the first verse of ‘How Great Thou Art!’ O LORD my God! When I in awesome wonderConsider all the works Thy hand hath made;I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,Thy power throughout the universe displayed… Stuart eventually crossed the mountain frontier and began to travel through green woods and fresh glades alive with birdsong, where he began writing the second verse. When through the woods and forest glades I wanderAnd hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,And hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze… Anna’s Bible In village after village, Stuart discovered that most of the people living high in the Carpathians knew nothing of God’s gift of grace. He did discover one Bible, though, in the home of a man called Dimitri and his wife, Anna. It had been left behind by a Russian soldier in 1915 when the invading army had to beat a hasty retreat. For 19 years this Bible had lain unread, until the very year of Stuart’s visit, when Anna had learned to read. Stuart arrived just in time to hear their guests exclaiming at the revelation of God’s love, prompting him to write the third verse. And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,Sent Him to die – I scarce can take it in:That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,He bled and died to take away my sin… The Final Chapter Mercy and Stuart Hine For 14 years, those three verses made up the whole song. But there was one more piece to complete the puzzle. In 1948, Stuart and his wife Mercy ministered to some of the refugees pouring into the UK from Eastern Europe and Russia. Together they published a Russian magazine called Grace and Peace , perhaps the best message for war-weary souls. The grief and sorrow those refugees expressed at being separated from their loved ones inspired Stuart to begin writing the fourth and final verse of his hymn, full of hope for the future. When Christ shall come with shout of acclamationAnd take me home – what joy shall fill my heart!Then shall I bow in humble adoration,And there proclaim, my God how great Thou art! The Story Continues… Stuart’s legacy lives on today, enabling more people to know the truth of the gospel. “How Great Thou Art” has been sung from New Zealand to New York, by artists like Elvis Presley and many others. What’s more, the royalties from their performances—and when you sing it in church—support organizations sharing the good news around the world, including Wycliffe. Gamo singer-songwriter Misgana lifts her voice to God Recently this support contributed to a Bible-based songwriting workshop in Ethiopia, where Gamo musicians and singers got together to write some of the very first hymns in their own language. But they also sang one old song in Gamo, adding their voices to a chorus for the ages . . . How great thou art! How great thou art! * Pseudonym . True name unknown. Source : See original story and additional photos at wycliffe.org.uk Editor’s note: Since we posted this story, a reader pointed out that Carl Boberg is credited as the original author of this hymn. The following information is posted on hymntime.com : “In 1885, Swedish preacher Carl G. Boberg wrote the words of a poem entitled O Store Gud. Several years later, Boberg attended a meeting and was surprised to hear his poem being sung to an old Swedish melody. “In the early 1920s, English missionaries Stuart K. Hine and his wife ministered in Poland . There they learned the Russian version of Boberg’s poem, O Store Gud, coupled with the original Swedish melody. “Later, Hine wrote original English words and made his own arrangement of the Swedish melody, which became popular and is now known as the hymn, ‘How Great Thou Art.'” Source: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/h/o/w/g/how_great_Thou_art.htm Posted in Engaging with Scripture Previous Next

November 21, 2024 More valuable than jade and gold By Ruth Richert Back to all stories This post shares Nyan’s* story from our Christmas mailing. Learn more about Scripture engagement in Nyan’s region at wycliffe.ca/project/kinsha/ Note: To protect identities in a sensitive area, this story is a compilation of several workshop participants’ stories and quotes. “I saw that my children were more valuable than jade and gold, and they deserved quality time with me.” For most of his parenting journey, this was not a statement that Nyan* would have made. Rather, his children were often a source of conflict in his life, and a reminder of his failures. The middle-aged farmer lives in a sensitive region of Southeast Asia, a place where uncertainty is a constant. But Nyan’s struggle went deeper than external circumstances—his life was marred by generational anger, violence and addiction. A representative photo from Nyan’s region. Photo: Wycliffe Global Alliance Growing up, Nyan had watched his father battle substance abuse. He had also witnessed anger and violence in his own home and in those of his relatives. “My grandmother was always angry, and she passed this on to my mother, who passed it on to me,” he recalls. “Then, one day I realized that my son had an anger management problem [that he had learned] from me, too.” This knowledge didn’t solve anything—rather, it added guilt to the burdens that Nyan was already carrying. Like his father before him, he found himself in the throes of addiction, consumed by anger. His marriage and relationships with his children were filled with conflict, and life seemed hopeless. But then one day, a neighbour invited Nyan to a Scripture-based workshop about strengthening families. It was an unusual invitation—Nyan and his neighbours had never before had the opportunity to receive training on how to have healthy family relationships. Intrigued, he decided to attend. As he listened to the workshop facilitator teach lessons on family life drawn from newly-translated Scriptures, Nyan was amazed. There was a God who loved him and could forgive his sins. Not only that, but this loving God also cared for his family and wanted to heal his broken relationships. “The workshop taught me that parenting is a God-given responsibility. I learned the importance of being a good father…and that children are a gift from God.” Nyan now believed that his children were indeed more valuable than jade and gold. This revelation led him to search God’s Word for wisdom that he could apply to all facets of his life. He committed himself to Christ and began the process of reconciling with relatives and breaking free from substance abuse. Today, Nyan praises God for the restoration and peace that are increasingly present in his family life. He is involved with ministry at his church, and faces the future with hope. “I regret my parenting style in the past. I made many mistakes raising my kids and did many things wrong… Now I know that parenting is precious and my children are priceless gifts from God. I will teach this to my church, youth, Sunday school—so that no one else has to suffer like me. “I now have hope.” Workshops like the one Nyan attended are multiplying across this region of Southeast Asia, drawing thousands of people. Despite the great obstacles they face in participating, their hunger for truth and healing are greater still. Through the lessons on family life drawn from the translated Scriptures, attendees not only learn practical wisdom for parenting, but also encounter the God who loves them and their families. Meaningful engagement with God’s Word transforms individuals, families and communities. Would you consider sharing the gift of Scripture in a region like Nyan’s? You’ll enable someone like him to access the Bible and apply its principles to their lives. Visit wycliffe.ca/project/kinsha/ to learn more. *pseudonym Posted in Impact Previous Next

April 29, 2025 “I weep with joy” By Guest Contributor Back to all stories In Togo, West Africa, a single verse of Scripture helped an outcast man turn his life around. Komlan’s village is an ordinary place with mud-brick buildings and dusty dirt roads, in a hilly region of central Togo. If you look up and shield your eyes against the sun, you will see luscious green trees on the slopes, sweeping down to the hard, red soil of the villagers’ farmland. “I was an alcoholic,” admits Komlan. “I drank so much that I could not take part in any of the community activities . . . and I had been rejected by [the people of] the village.” A rural road in Togo . (Photo courtesy of Wycliffe UK) Friendless, Komlan would wander the streets, taking on occasional farming jobs to survive in between bouts of drinking. He could not read or write in French, Togo’s official language, or in his native language, Ifè. But then he heard local Bible translators were running free Ifè literacy classes. “Everyone thought I would never get there,” he remembers. “But in my heart, I was resolved to [attend classes], especially since I didn’t have to pay anything.” Despite his neighbours’ doubts, Komlan became a regular attendee. “At the end of the first three months of the literacy course, I could read a little in Ifè.” When he wasn’t attending classes, he still laboured in the fields. A different purchase In Komlan’s village they grow vegetables like cassava and yams—hardy crops, heavy when harvested. It’s thirsty work and not for the easily distracted; swing carefully, or the mattock will take off your toes. After one sweltering session in the fields, the woman Komlan worked for that day paid him 1,000 francs (about $2.40 CAD). That day, he didn’t spend his earnings on alcohol. The literacy program in Komlan’s community prompted him to begin reading the Ifè New Testament . (Photo courtesy of Wycliffe UK) “I went and bought the Ifè New Testament,” Komlan recalls. “I began to read it. One day I read Matthew 5:13–14, which says, ‘You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world.’ And I asked myself, in what way could I be the salt and the light of my village? I was rejected by everyone, despised by all!” But in that moment, Jesus’ gentle words changed Komlan’s heart. “I gave my life to the Lord Jesus Christ, because of what I was reading.” Four months after he went to his first literacy class, Komlan opened his heart to Jesus through what he had read in the Bible. Radical change Immediately, Komlan’s desire for alcohol began to fade. Even though he felt like a brand new person, to people in his village he was still an outcast alcoholic. Komlan carried on going to the literacy classes and gradually, step by step, won back the trust of his community. Three years after attending his first class, Komlan began teaching a literacy class in his village. But God had even more amazing plans for Komlan. Komlan shares his testimony with community members . (Photo courtesy of Wycliffe UK) “I also became a teacher of a Sunday school class, taught in Ifè, in my church,” he explains. Today, Komlan is the leader of his village’s development committee, which provided the whole village with its first well. By a work of God, through a single Bible verse in his language, Komlan’s life has been transformed. “What I read in Matthew 5 has been accomplished in my life,” says Komlan. “I have become salt and light to my village! I weep with joy and I give infinite thanks.” Story adapted from an article by David Charlwood at wycliffe.uk.org . Posted in Impact Previous Next

June 8, 2022 What God did during those 24 years! By Jack Popjes Back to all stories My wife Jo and I are revising, before we publish, our memoir covering 24 years of ministry in Brazil and what God did through us. Our God-given mission goal was to translate a large part of the Bible into the yet unwritten Canela language, spoken by thousands of people in Brazil. Filled With God’s Energy We would never have attempted this huge mission goal without trusting in the truth of God’s promise: “Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure” (Phil. 2:12-13, The Message). I Know How to Make a Mess I knew that unless God filled me with His energy and ability, and worked through me, I would make a mess of it. Here’s why: I dropped out of high school because I could not understand algebra. I failed Grade 10 math twice and gave up. I left high school without the accreditation to study at the university level. I was expelled from Bible school for one semester after my first year for breaking more rules than any other student in the history of the school. All throughout our linguistic training I barely made passing grades. The Jungle Survival Training staff suffered under my joking criticism and said, “Wycliffe will not accept you as a member until you have proved yourself worthy during a two-year probation period.” But God . . . God filled me with the confidence to practise speaking Portuguese and Canela when we were learning both languages, despite being mocked for making mistakes and laughed at by my hearers. God not only made Jo much more intelligent than me—she quickly grasped details in linguistics and translation—but also far more relational. He gave her infinite patience to teach Canelas to read. He filled Jo with wisdom to grasp the complicated Canela kinship structure. God made that 24-year period from 1966 to 1990 momentous in the history of Bible translation. Our memoir is packed with illustrations of God arranging incredible coincidences—decisions in travel, choosing Canela co-workers, keeping us from danger, etc. I call them God-incidences. God motivated us to build a Canela dictionary by writing words on slips of paper and filing them in shoeboxes. God moved a computer technician to join the Brazil team and he built very early word-processing computers. Year by year we got better computers. God energized Jo and me to find, train and employ more indigenous men and women as co-translators, typists, literacy, and Bible teachers than any other translation team we knew. God even gave us a Canela artist to produce indigenous illustrations for the Bible. God made the Canela Bible book unique by leading us to include both Old and New Testament books. As a result, one-third of the published Bible would be Old Testament, and the rest New Testament. This would be the first Partial Bible published in one volume by a Wycliffe translator in Brazil. Satan’s Counterattack With God so mightily at work throughout the world, no wonder Satan counterattacked. Ten years after God began to work through us among the Canela, the book At Play in the Fields of the Lord was published in Portuguese in Brazil. The story slanderously portrayed missionaries who worked with Brazil’s indigenous peoples. Anti-Wycliffe demonstrations were held in front of the Wycliffe international office in Santa Ana, Calif. In some South American countries, bombs were thrown at homes where Wycliffe workers lived, and one translator was kidnapped and murdered. Brazil expelled all Bible translation-oriented teams from the indigenous areas, and Jo and I felt we were exiled for more than five years. God Still in Control God opened the doors for me to speak in Brazilian Bible schools, challenging students to become involved in Bible translation among their country’s indigenous populations. God led His people in Brazil to start a Brazilian Bible translation organization. When God’s time came, He moved government authorities to allow translators to return to the villages and Jo and I returned to complete the translation. We encountered a village with an even greater enthusiasm for studying the Bible books. Canela young people overwhelmed us with demands that we teach them the Bible. God empowered us during eight years of intensive work with the Canela. God gave Canelas a love for dance, singing and performing short plays and skits to teach and reinforce cultural behaviour. God led us to teach Canela young people to act out Bible stories on the public plaza for everyone to see and learn. God also moved an ethnomusicologist to choose to study the complicated Canela musical system, and God led him and me to work together to compose several dozen Scripture-based songs using the appropriate Canela musical style for each type of song. The Canela loved singing these new songs. God Made History Worth Celebrating in 1990 God made history in Brazil when in 1990 the 750-page Canela Partial Bible was the first Bible to be edited, formatted, and printed out page by page, camera-ready, as I checked and approved each page. God produced another first when a Wycliffe-trained, Brazilian printer published the Bible books right there in Brasilia. God then motivated translators, working in parts of Asia and Africa, to produce similar Partial Bibles. We gladly sent them our list of Old Testament portions and advice on what parts of the New Testament to leave out to keep within the 750-page book limit set by the funding Bible societies. In the meantime, God led us to organize a huge village-wide event to celebrate the publishing and distribution of God’s Word in the Canela language. Only God could have accomplished such marvelous work, despite working with a person who was at first rejected for good reasons. Source: jackpopjes.com Posted in People Previous Next

February 7, 2020 Preparing to “taste the joy” By Guest Contributor Back to all stories The following article includes excerpts from a recent e-letter penned by Wycliffe Canada missionaries, Derryl and Karen Friesen. Since 2013, the Friesens have been based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In 2018, an opportunity arose for the Friesens to share Bible translation needs in Southeast Asia with believers throughout Central and South America. As the Friesens spoke in churches and mission conferences in several countries, they encountered eager individuals and families who declared their willingness and availability to serve the Lord in Southeast Asia. Some of them are now taking their first steps of obedience. The firstfruits of our Latin America mobilizing trip 15 months ago will soon be boarding an airplane for Southeast Asia! As we, together with the leadership of Wycliffe Global Alliance-Americas and SIL-Mainland Southeast Asia, prepared for that trip (to Latin American countries) in early 2018, God gave us a united vision: to see 20 Latinos serving in Southeast Asia Bible translation work by 2025. Agus and Caro with their sons, Leo and Emi The gates have opened. Tonight, on Jan. 28, 2020, Agus and Caro from Ecuador , together with their two young boys, Leo and Emi, are hosting a big partnership development event at their home church. They have sold most everything they own and have flights booked to arrive in Thailand on Feb. 22. While Agus is a fabulous entrepreneur, international chef and rock climber, Caro, has a phenomenal gift in languages and will begin her Master’s of Linguistics program at Payap University in early March. They are preparing to join the Bible translation team in Oshiwa,* a restricted-access country in Southeast Asia where many new opportunities are opening up to serve Bibleless people groups urgently crying out for help. God willing, in early March, Agus and Caro will be finishing their initial orientation in Chiang Mai. For the past year, they have been busy raising up a prayer team of 100 intercessors and have reached about half of their $4,000/month living and ministry budget. They wrote me yesterday, saying, “We are sure God will provide the rest. We are confident he will show us His ways.” I will never forget the WhatsApp conversation we had with Agus. He told us, “Every morning when I wake up, before I get out of bed, I close my eyes and see a vision of me standing in a wide, open green field holding up the Bible my wife is going to help translate for the people of Oshiwa*. “It is like I can already feel it, hold it and taste the joy.” More couples preparing Please be in prayer for each of these amazing families who have responded wholeheartedly to the call of God to the Bibleless peoples in Southeast Asia. Coni and Mauro with the Friesens Mauro and Coni heard about “Oshiwa” opportunities during our first meetings in Argentina in October 2018. They came up to us after the meeting and said, “This is what we have been praying about for years. We are ready. We have money in the bank to begin training. What is our next step?” They walked away from their amazing jobs and booked tickets to travel to Lima, Peru to begin their linguistics training in March 2019. They graduated this past November and are now finalizing their membership with LETRA, Wycliffe’s partner in Argentina, and AMI (International Missionary Agency). After their final three-month practicum, they plan to finish building up their prayer and financial partnership team and then move to Southeast Asia. In the present economic environment Mauro and Coni find themselves in Argentina, they face a big challenge to raise up their partnership team. But we KNOW God is able to do abundantly more than we can ask or think. Hulda, Misael and family In El Salvador , Misael and Hulda also heard of Oshiwa 15 months ago. Since then, they have been handing over their duties of denominational mission leaders and trainers and building strategic partnerships. In just a few weeks, they will also be travelling to Peru with their two small daughters to study linguistics for two semesters. “Regarding Oshiwa,” they told us recently, “we continue in our decision to go there. Actually our national leader in missions talked with our Church of God leader in Pacific/South Asia about the project to see how strategic alliances can be formed.” In Costa Rica , Luís and Débora hosted us in their tiny apartment. Their nine-year-old daughter Valentina served as our translator, as her parents don’t speak English. During our visit, Luís quit one of his jobs to make room for mission training. Débora began volunteering more at our partner agency, FEDEMEC. Over the past few months they have been selling off their possessions. Just a few weeks ago, they were commissioned by their church to begin linguistics studies in Peru, in preparation for service in Southeast Asia. In a recent letter, Luís and Débora wrote: Luis, Valentina and Debora “This past Thursday we bought our tickets to leave for Peru on Tuesday, Feb. 11 to study linguistics. . . . It is by faith that we walk not by sight. We were able to buy three tickets for the price of two and without stops. How good the Lord is. “Our dad provided us with bags and Luis’s boss told him he can finish his duties on January 15 so we can visit our eager partners. And today we were able to sell his motorcycle, being paid in full. “God is attending to every detail and leading us to do our part. We have received the letter of admission from [the linguistics training school] and on Monday, we will go before the board of directors of FEDEMEC as candidates for missionaries in process.” Dearest friends and faithful partners in the gospel,these stories are YOUR stories too! Thank you for participating with Jesus in His epic rescue mission to this broken world. *pseudonym used due to sensitivity Posted in People Previous Next

November 6, 2020 Wycliffe World Day of Prayer By Wycliffe Canada Back to all stories Shalom is the theme for the Wycliffe World Day of Prayer 2020. Shalom , often translated as “peace ,” has a meaning that goes beyond just an absence of conflict, says American pastor and writer, Tony Evans. “ The Hebrew word shalom can be defined as a life put together,” Evans wrote in a Bible App devotional called Jehovah Shalom . “It’s a life characterized by a sense of wholeness and well-being. We cannot have shalom apart from God.” “VUCA describes a world that is V olatile, U ncertain, C hanging and A mbiguous,” says Coertze. “Over this last year, we have been reminded how broken this world is . . . when we experienced the coronavirus pandemic. This is a reminder of what many of our language communities experience on a daily basis.” Coertze says Scripture reveals Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace—and the peace He gives is different than what the world gives. “On this World Day of Prayer, when we unite together across the globe in prayer . . . we can pray for His peace to reign in this problematic world we are living in. “But we can also pray for the language communities we serve, that we are part of, that through the ministries of Bible translation, they will also receive and experience peace in our Lord Jesus Christ.” This year, Wycliffe Canada will be joining its partners OneBook and the Canada Institute of Linguistics to host one-hour prayer meetings via Zoom on Nov. 11, 12 and 13. The number of participants is limited so register early . More at wycliffe.net Posted in News and updates Previous Next

August 22, 2022 Philippines language group celebrates translation of whole Bible By Wycliffe Canada Back to all stories On May 28 of this year, after nearly 50 years of translation work, the people of Barlig in Mountain Province, the Philippines, celebrated the completion of the whole Bible in their language—Finallig. Local translators from the language group of about 6,000 speakers persevered to translate the whole Bible, with support from Wycliffe’s key partner organization, SIL, and others. The translation project was pioneered by former Wycliffe Canada president Dave Ohlson and his wife Joan. Beginning in 1975, they lived in Barlig, a village in the highlands of Luzon Island. After Ohlson became director of SIL Philippines in 1982, a Japanese couple named Takashi and Aiko Fukuda were assigned to continue the work. They were later joined by Wycliffe Japan member, Kiyoko Torakawa. Wycliffe Canada members Rundell and Judi Maree also served as managers of the project, beginning in 1999. In 2003, the Fialikia* Scripture Society (FSS), a local organization, was formed. Three local translators were hired and trained to continue the translation alongside Kiyoko Torakawa and other expat workers. When the Finallig New Testament was completed in 2004, FSS immediately began working on a translation of the Old Testament. Now that the whole Bible is available in Finallig, FSS plans to work with a language group closely related to Finallig. The Kadaclan people do not fully understand Finallig, however, so FSS is helping Kadaclan church leaders to adapt the Finallig translation for use by their people. The Kadaclan hope to complete their work on the New Testament by 2024. * Fialikia is the root word for Finallig Adapted from a story by Ling Lam at wycliffe.net Celebrants performing traditional dance. (Photo: Ablaze Media) Dave Ohlson (second from left), Fukuda San (far right) and two Barlig elders. (Photo from wycliffe.net ) Village of Barlig. Photo by Alan Hood. Dave and Joan Ohlson enjoy a walk in Barlig, during a 2009 visit to the region. Photo by Alan Hood. Posted in News and updates Previous Next

November 29, 2018 ‘Why have you come?’ By Samuel Ko Back to all stories Photo by Natasha Ramirez No matter how long you have been a believer, the Bible is essential for teaching us more about the Lord and the way He wants us to live. God’s goal is to move us from simply being converts to being growing disciples. We are to be students, ever learning from the Word of our Teacher. That’s why Bible translation is so important. It ensures that believers and non-believers alike can understand the Word, because it is in their mother tongue, the language they know best. When an Asian Bible translator named Nitya entered a village in her nation to begin a language project, people were curious. Right away an older lady asked, “Why have you come? Everyone is asking!” Nitya said she and her translation partner wanted to learn their language. “We heard that, but why would you want to learn our language? There are much more important languages you could learn, like English or French. Why have you come here, really?” Nitya elaborated. They wanted to learn the people’s local language so God’s Word could be translated. The lady gasped and drew back, her eyes widening. Tears ran down her wrinkled face as she told Nitya there had been a church in her village for many years, but they read the Bible in a language the people couldn’t understand. Her husband, a travelling preacher, had great difficulty helping people understand the Bible. “On Sunday, we go to church, and we are Christians, but the rest of the week we don’t know how to live,” she said. “We appease the old spirits. You come. You learn our language, and give us God’s Word, so we will know how to live.” A thought to ponder: What would your life look like today if God’s Word were not available in the language you know best? Heavenly Father, there are many ways to live the life you give to us, but the only way that pleases you is based on the principles reflected in your Word. Please help me to realize anew that your inspired Scripture is the only true teacher for my existence here on earth. Keep me learning and applying it. And please inhabit the work of those bringing your Word to so many people still waiting. Amen. Posted in Bible translation Previous Next

December 18, 2019 Wycliffe Celebrates Two Anniversaries in Asia By Wycliffe Canada Back to all stories Wycliffe Singapore celebrated its 35th anniversary on Nov. 2, 2019 at Grace Baptist Church in Singapore. In a family event for ages 7 to 100, nearly 100 people gathered to mark the occasion while exploring ways to be involved in missions through Bible translation. Founded in 1983 with just a few members, Wycliffe Singapore’s staff has since grown to more than 30. Members have served in various locations in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Participants worship together at the Bible College of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Ling Lam. Meanwhile, on the same day Wycliffe Malaysia marked 25 years of service in Bible translation. Some 200 people participated in the event held in Kuala Lumpur, including members of supporting churches and partner organizations. Wycliffe Malaysia was incorporated in 1994. Over the past 25 years, the organization has sent out 42 personnel to serve in 14 countries in the areas of Bible translation, literacy and other language-related ministries. Source: wycliffe.net Posted in News and updates Previous Next

February 20, 2025 From New Brunswick to Peru: A family’s heart to share God’s Word By Wycliffe Canada Back to all stories At Wycliffe Canada, we’re deeply grateful for the thousands of Canadians who partner in this work through prayer and giving. Recently, one family took yet another step—accepting an invitation to visit Peru to see how their involvement is making a difference. Samuel Keeler knows that God speaks through His Word. And that’s why he feels passionate about getting the Word out into the world. But recently, he came to a fuller realization that Scriptures can’t be distributed to people until they’ve first been translated into their language. “Without translation,” he says, “you can’t have distribution. This shift in thinking began for us in 2022, when we started supporting Wycliffe on a bigger scale. “The Scriptures are the foundation of the spreading of the gospel and contain the good news of the gospel. Without the Scriptures in a language you understand well, how can you receive the message of the gospel?” Difficult journey The Keeler family: from left, Victoria, Samuel, Elisabeth, and Isabelle Photo credit: Jessica Debanné Thiessen That truth was driven home to Samuel last fall, when he, his wife Elisabeth, and their daughters Victoria and Isabelle travelled to the Andes Mountains of Peru. The purpose of their trip to the Apurímac region was to visit a project they support through AIDIA, Wycliffe Canada’s partner organization in the region. To get to Apurímac, travellers usually fly into the city of Cusco, and then travel nearly five hours to Abancay, where AIDIA’s ministry base is. From there, they drive steadily uphill for hours on winding, bone-jarring dirt roads. Along the way, drivers may turn a blind corner and suddenly encounter a lone rider on horseback, children walking to or from school, or shepherds herding small flocks of sheep. Occasionally, travellers may even encounter a few ungainly alpacas, seemingly unfazed by the thinning air. Visitors to the region are warned to watch for signs of altitude sickness, while others may deal with strong allergic reactions to the dust kicked up by passing trucks and buses. It was not an easy journey for the Keelers, who travelled to Peru all the way from their home in Northampton, New Brunswick. But Samuel says the impact of that visit was life-changing. Awaiting all of the Bible “One thing that stands out was a visit to Antabamba, a small town where the Quechua community has not yet received the entire Bible in their language. They have the New Testament, and the Old Testament was recently translated . . . but they don’t yet have it in print.” During their visit, Samuel initially forgot that important detail when he began preparing something to say in an upcoming church service. His message in English would be translated into Spanish, then translated again into their Eastern Apurímac language. The night before he was set to speak in the church, he suddenly realized his message included elements from the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. That presented a problem. “They don’t have the Old Testament yet . . . so I tailored the message to only include elements of the New Testament. ” ~ Samuel Keeler “They don’t have the Old Testament yet,” says Samuel. “So I tailored the message to only include elements of the New Testament. That realization was impactful. . . . It was hard to realize that many people in a church wouldn’t be able to relate to any Old Testament stories.” “What we take so easily for granted—understanding the story of the Scriptures from Genesis through Revelation—isn’t everyone’s reality.” Eastern Apurímac Quechua women hold their translated New Testaments. Christians in this region of Peru are eagerly awaiting the publication of the Old Testament in 2025. Photo credit: Jessica Debanné Thiessen Samuel says he was deeply touched by how church members anticipated receiving the rest of the Bible in their language. “The experience was profound,” he says, “and more than I could even express. “Having the Scriptures in your heart language is powerful—and absolutely necessary!” Eastern Apurímac Quechua women hold their translated New Testaments. Christians in this region of Peru are eagerly awaiting the publication of the Old Testament in 2025. Photo credit: Jessica Debanné Thiessen The Keeler family “captures the moment” with children from a church in Antabamba. The Keelers’ visit to Peru was co-ordinated with help from Wycliffe Canada staff members Jessica Debanné Thiessen (back row, left) and Leigh McGough (back row, right). Photo credit: Jessica Debanné Thiessen Posted in People Previous Next