Wycliffe Associates deals with planes, Bibles, and twins

Papua (WAS/MNN) -- "Missions in the last half of the 20th century have succeeded," says president and CEO ofWycliffe Associates, Bruce Smith.

The declaration isn't a surprise, considering what they've been seeing around the world as more and more obscure languages are having Scripture translations completed. He notes that "in these kinds of frontier areas, Christianity has been embraced. They've responded to the Gospel, and they've seen the power at work in their own communities. That appetite is only increasing."

With the celebration of progress made in the Great Commission, there are also growing pains. Wycliffe Associates has felt those, too. As the ministry reported earlier this year, "We need to transition from a gasoline-based aircraft fleet to one that uses jet fuel. The airplanes are larger, they're higher horsepower, and they take up more space, so we've been working on expanding the aviation support facility in Papua."

Papua, which occupies the western half of the island of New Guinea north of Australia, is home to a diverse indigenous population, with hundreds of separate communities speaking their own languages and observing their own traditions.
In building a bigger facility for the new fleet, there's a question of why aviation is needed at all. For one thing, Smith says, "The people that are doing Bible translations--missionaries that are working in the remote locations--are completely dependent upon aviation support in order to have access to those villages and communities that they're serving."

The biggest factor is time. The isolation is so significant that until recently, some groups were unaware of the existence of neighboring groups only a few miles away. "They can't build roads that can survive the weather there and the terrain. Just trekking across the terrain takes weeks and months to make small progress, whereas in an airplane, it can be converted into minutes of travel."
 
Smith explains that lost time is a poor use of resources. What's the urgency? "Indonesia still has about 500 languages without one verse of Scripture. It's a very high priority, strategically, for Bible translation in the coming years. Papua province has about 20% of that -- about 100 languages just in that province."

Among the challenges of conquering the terrain is the local traditions that run counter to biblical teachings. For example, in some areas remote tribes believe that evil spirits cause the birth of twins, and often the smaller child is killed or thrown away. Such beliefs are not limited to Papua.

Smith, who is also a former missionary pilot, recalls, "Years ago, I met [a] pair of newborn twins in a remote village in south Suriname who for the first time in the history of the village were allowed to live."

Recently in Papua, one woman took an extraordinary step to save the life of a twin girl who was about to be put to death. The petite, four-foot-tall housekeeper named Yeremina rushed to the side of the infant and saved her, going against her own culture and community. She is now raising the little girl as her own, ignoring family and friends who warned her that she could not afford a child.

When a missionary asked why she did what she did, Yeremina replied, "This is what a Christian does."

"That may not sound strange to you and me," says Smith. "Of course, saving the life of a baby is what a Christian does. But in a secluded mountain valley deep in Papua where villagers still worship evil spirits, that is pretty incredible. Thanks to God's Word, people like Yeremina are not only accepting Jesus Christ, but following Him. They are learning what it takes to be Christlike."

A life saved because of the Gospel: that's what Wycliffe Associates is about. Their current needs are connected to seeing this mission furthered, which brings us back to the need for expanded facilities. Smith explains, "We're fortunate to have a partner that has put up almost $50,000 in matching funds. Our current focus is to be able to match that so that we can finish the progress we have been working on for a couple of years now."

Wycliffe Associates involves people in accelerating the work of Bible translation through their time, talents, and treasure. Because millions of people around the world are still waiting to read the Scriptures in the language of their heart, Wycliffe Associates is working as quickly as they can to translate every verse of the Bible into every tongue to change every heart.
The organization partners with nationals, mother tongue translators, staff, volunteers, and supporters to direct and fund these efforts, as well as provide logistics, networking, and technical support.

Through a growing global network, Wycliffe Associates is striving to overcome local limitations of time and resources to achieve the goal of beginning the translation of God's Word in every remaining language that needs it by 2025. Click here for more information.