Thank God for His Christmas Gift

Your prayers and gifts have supported Wycliffe in many different projects around the world. God’s translated word transforms and empowers the lives of believers in many different ways: bringing new life, healing trauma, ending illiteracy, bringing peace instead of conflict and overcoming spiritual oppression.

Noel is a real person, and his story exemplifies the incredible impact of Bible translation into the life of ordinary people.

New Birth. The offer of abundant life, by means of a new birth, is at the centre of the Christmas message. That fact became clear to Noel in Burkina Faso towards the end of last year. And with that revelation came a hunger to know God. He started to read the Bible in his heart language, and to attend a local church.

Opposition is part of life in Burkina Faso. It goes hand in hand with traditional religious practice. Noel’s father taught his son to depend upon the village’s ‘wise men’ for healing in times of sickness and for guidance in trouble. Not surprisingly, his conversion to Christianity triggered a spiritual battle.

Encouragement came from someone in church, Samuel. He too had experienced opposition when he became a follower of Jesus Christ. Samuel counselled Noel to burn all the symbols of his past life. He did, taking each object one at a time and renouncing his dependence upon its false power.

Liberty is the word Noel himself used to describe his subsequent state of well being. A cloud of darkness that had been oppressing him lifted. Illness that had dogged him for several weeks disappeared. Peace replaced anxiety.

Through sharing Noel’s testimony with you, I hope that we can all join together in thanking God for the way that the first noel is being heard anew across the ages and across every culture.

But many projects are ready to start or proceed

We at Wycliffe have embraced the vision that by the year 2025 a Bible translation project will be in progress for every people group that needs it. We have many urgent projects ready to start or proceed; the need is there, the people are in place, all that is missing are the funds and prayer support. For example:

Nigeria. A country of 150 million people (1 in 5 Africans are Nigerian), with 500 languages spoken (out of around 7,000 world-wide). There are now 24 languages with their own Bibles and about 100 projects underway, but a further 300 that need starting. A country that has seen much tension and violence between different communities, heart language Scripture will allow trauma healing and church/community building to take place.
Ngbugu project in Central African Republic: In the Ngbugu population traditional beliefs are still very strong and there can be pressure from ancestral spirits and occult powers. The best means of transport in the region, on very rough roads, is by motorbike. Alindao, the translation base, is over 500km from Bangui, the capital and HQ location, so internal travel can be hazardous for the translators. Lack of a reliable electricity supply has also been a challenge in this remote area.
Ilwana project in Kenya: There is a high level of illiteracy, early child mortality, and belief in traditional religion among the Nawila. They almost all follow a major religion from the north, with less than ten practising Christians among them. The community is closed to outsiders and is almost completely unreached. As the people learn to read and write their own language they will be more equipped to deal with the wider world.

This Christmas please give towards the work of Bible translation, knowing that every pound you give will bring Vision 2025 closer to fruition. We cannot count how many lives have been touched and transformed as a result of Bible translation and all the other work that is done.

We speak on behalf of millions of lives that only God can count when we say, “Thank you!”