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by Deb Fox In the corporate world, the term ‘consultant’ often has connotations of a role far removed from the rest of the team. But what about Bible translation advisors and consultants? Wycliffe Thai Foundation Director, Tharawat Suebthayat, suggests that Bible translation needs people trained in many different skills working together in order to effectively complete the task. Tharawat has been Director of Wycliffe Thai Foundation since 2011. Over that time, he has developed a passion for seeing members grow not only in their knowledge of God and his Word but also in being discipled to reflect God with their lives. Tharawat suggests that the work of Bible translation is about more than just the words: "Translation advisors and consultants have to be part of the team from the beginning to the end of the project. Each person uses their own skills and experience to bless the work. They play a crucial role in teaching about God’s Word and putting it into action. But we have to also consider the idea of discipleship when we start a translation project. Because of that, we will finally have [other people] who will become consultants too!" Training National Leaders There are many advantages to training local Thais to go and serve neighbouring villages and nations. Tharawat shares: "Many young people in our churches want to get involved in mission. But we need the training and resources so they can go and make a difference. I think the Thai people can adapt easily to the [different] cultures and learn the languages. They can also help the local people to improve their lives because they know the needs." Meeting the Needs Those needs extend far beyond literacy and translation. Tharawat says that an elder recently complained to him, ‘Why are you people here? You’re just focused on your work but you don’t open your eyes to the people and our needs.’ But Bible translators and literacy workers cannot fulfil all of those roles on their own. That is why Wycliffe Thai Foundation is thinking about how to grow their Bible translation teams. "We have people who can translate the Bible. They can focus on that work and we can add literacy workers to the team. We have workers who know the Bible and how to apply it, then we add people who know how to develop the community, and we add others who can strengthen relationships between the community and the team so that they can work towards a strong holistic ministry." Champions in the Making Tharawat says: "We still have many needs in South-East Asia.We want to train the leaders in different skills so they can connect with the people they are called to work with. I want my people to be champions for Bible translation, literacy, and community development. They need to know how to help people read the Bible and how to apply its teaching in their daily lives. When consultants work side by side with the team, we don’t just get the Bible, we also get disciples." Reproduced with permission from Wycliffe Australia. Photo by Gary McMaster

Pandas. Elephants. Monarch butterflies. We’ve all heard of endangered species (especially the cute ones), and know there’s value in preserving them. But what about endangered languages? Have you heard of the Mlomp language of Senegal? How about the Tamazight language of Algeria? Or the Cocama-Cocamilla language of Brazil? There are over 2000 languages on UNESCO’s list of endangered languages. Over a third of all the languages in the world, in fact – but some linguists estimate that as many as half the world’s 7,361 languages may be at risk. Numbers are helpful for giving us an overview. But the truth is, it’s not about the numbers. It’s not even about the languages. It’s about the people who speak them. SIL, one of Wycliffe’s partner organisations, recognises the value of individual languages and believes that each language is a unique expression of culture and worldview. SIL is dedicated to coming alongside language communities as they strive to preserve their languages and identities. For more on endangered languages, check out SIL’s endangered languages page. For more on some of the people behind the numbers, have a look at Wade Davis’s TED Talk, where he uses some amazing photos to illustrate what the loss of a language really means. One of the ripple effects of Bible translation is that languages are preserved and strengthened. A member of the Bydla* translation team, who was the first Bydla Christian, reports that some words have actually been brought back into use thanks to Bible translation in her language: ‘Without this project, our language was withering; now it is saved.’ * Name changed for security reasons Reproduced with permission from Wycliffe UK.

by Joy Planning A few months ago, I accidentally jammed my right thumb in a car door and cracked the nail bed. As expected, the damaged nail turned black and then fell off. To my relief, a new nail had already started forming but it was five months before the nail grew back fully! I had not given much thought to the usefulness of a nail until I lost it. During those five months, simple tasks like peeling an orange or taking staples out of paper became awkward without the hard tip of a nail. The incident reminded me of 1 Corinthians 12:12–31 on unity in diversity within the church. Verse 12 says that “just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ”. Similarly, verse 27 reiterates that “now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it”. This analogy of the church as a body is just as relevant in the area of missions. Jesus’s Great Commission to make disciples of all nations in Matthew 28:18–20 was not just for an elite group. It was given to all of us who believe and who make up the church. We are called to be in this together. The word “missions” brings up different images for different people — Bible translation, church planting, medical aid, community development, etc. Some assume that one must have an aptitude for learning languages and know Greek and Hebrew, while others assume that one must have high cultural sensitivity to be involved in cross-cultural ministry. Still others feel that they are not called for missions because they think that their skill sets are not useful in the mission field. During my first term as a full-time worker in Southeast Asia, I worked with local and expatriate colleagues from many different backgrounds. Some had joined the work straight out of high school. Others had left high-flying jobs because they wanted to serve in the ministry. Still others joined after retirement and raising families because they still had strength and vigour to serve God in the mission field. Discourse analysis I made the same observation later when I went to England for training in translation principles and discourse analysis. My classmates were diverse in age and experience. One was a doctor who had served with a local faith-based NGO in Asia. Another was a mathematician who is now a linguist involved in Bible translation in Africa. One lady used her gifts of teaching and service in ministry in South America. Another man found that his nationality enabled him to enter parts of Central Asia to serve when other nationalities would not have been as readily welcomed. On a personal level, I have been able to participate in cross-cultural missions only because God used his people to enable me to do so. I was equipped and affirmed by my local sending church. I am encouraged and supported by people who faithfully pray for me and my ministry. I get practical help and advice from more knowledgeable and experienced friends on issues ranging from ministry strategies to personal financial planning. I receive technical training from people willing to share their know-how and skills. This support also extends to the ministry level. Someone has to balance the books. Far-sighted managers are needed for the planning of operations. The upward trend of mobile usage worldwide has opened up new ministry opportunities through mobile apps, so web and app developers, software programmers and designers need to be involved too. Other ministry resources such as the Jesus Film and the Bible Project (to name a couple) cry out for voice talents, writers, animators, filmmakers, theologians, and so on. We are each called to be engaged in missions, either as a goer, a sender or as a contributor of some talent or skill. Each one of us has something unique to contribute in service which others do not have. Think of a bicycle gear. It is arguably the most important part of a bicycle, since it directs force into motion. Yet, a gear brings a bicycle nowhere if it is not attached to the other parts. That is the beauty of diversity in the church. So let us bring together all these different roles to serve God as one body. Joy is currently completing her thesis on verb morphology (fieldwork analysis) for her MA in Field Linguistics. She has also begun her assignment in translation and Scripture use project in Southeast Asia.

by Dr. Paul K. Kimbi In November 2017, the Board of Wycliffe Global Alliance passed a motion expressing its desire to see Alliance Organizations partner together with local communities to ensure that the whole Bible is eventually translated and made available in the appropriate media in these communities. Hitherto, the focus of translation for many organizations has been on the New Testament, ostensibly in the belief that the New Testament is good enough for the salvation of a given community. But there is a high value in the translation of the Old Testament and I would like to cite some reasons in support of this. The Canon of Scriptures consists of 66 books for Protestants, and we believe that God’s mission is holistic and integral and is revealed through the full counsel of Scriptures. Millions of Christians across the world are taught prayer through the Psalms. When the Psalms are not translated, it deprives people of Christian growth in this spiritual discipline, and this is tantamount to deciding for a given community what the Canon should consist of. God is calling us not just to be saved from sin but to enter into a loving relationship with Him. A Christocentric canon that centres only on the New Testament and salvation from sin deprives us of the beauty of the enduring relationship with God that is taught in the Old Testament. God’s sacrificial love in the book of Hosea and His forgiving grace for Gentiles in Jonah are good examples. The Old Testament background culture is in many ways similar to the cultures of Africa. This presents a good stepping stone into the faith. The Old Testament itself contains the ten commandments, said to have been written by God Himself with His own finger and thereafter He gave it to Moses (Exodus 31:18). That is the starting point of our Scriptures as we have it today and that is the book from which Jesus quoted all the time and said, “it is written”. Dr Paul Kimbi is Bible Translation Programs Coordinator for Wycliffe Global Alliance Africa Area and serves on the Alliance Leadership Team as Consultant for Bible Translation Programs. Photos by Marc Ewell Reproduced with permission from Wycliffe Global Alliance

Mud bricks drying in the sun Mud bricks have been used in construction for thousands of years. In the days of Exodus, nearly 4,000 years ago, Hebrew slaves made bricks with mud and straw for Pharaoh’s huge building projects. Interest in this traditional building method has revived in recent years. It is natural, sustainable, inexpensive and easy, and thus especially suitable for poor rural communities. The high thermal properties of mud bricks means that the buildings stay cool inside without fans or air-conditioning, even in hot tropical climates. The mud brick walls are protected from rain by deep eaves, and can be coated with other protective materials. Front and back of sample house Wycliffe Bible Translators Thailand (WBTT) has embarked on an ambitious mud brick building project to build an office, with additional facilities and guesthouses for language teams and visitors. Some years ago, WBTT was gifted a plot of land, but could not afford to build on it with conventional methods. However, WBTT recently drew up plans and received approval to construct a small “sample house” of mud bricks. WBTT staff have already made enough bricks for this house, so building can begin once they find someone to take charge of the actual construction. David Tan, Executive Director of Wycliffe Singapore, joined WBTT staff and volunteers in one of their weekly brick-making sessions in January. First, everyone got into the mud pit to tread the mud with rice chaff. When the mud was at the right consistency, it was pushed into wooden moulds to form the bricks, which were then left in the sun to dry. They are able to make about 100 bricks each session. Making mud bricks Besides building the centre, WBTT hopes that the expertise gained in using this traditional method of building can be used to reach out to indigenous communities in rural areas who are unable to afford to build with modern materials. Such community development projects can be an effective way to connect with unreached groups.

by Ling Lam, Asia Pacific It is early November in Bangkok. On some typical sunny days, an ordinary group of men and women gather in a small meeting room. Nothing is special at a glance. One may think it is just another meeting. However, if you listened carefully to their discussion, you would soon be caught up by the enthusiasm of this group. No, this is not just a group – they call themselves a community. They are the Community of Reflective Practitioners on Bible Translation and Consultancy. As a community, they endeavour to ensure that the Bible is translated well in everyone’s heart languages. They not only do it by themselves, but also by inviting and training others to carry it on. Why Community? Since 2018, Wycliffe Global Alliance Asia-Pacific Area has been inviting Alliance Organizations to be part of learning communities on key issues within the Alliance. The groups are called “Communities of Reflective Practitioners” (CoRPs). One of these CoRPs focuses on Bible translation training and consultant accreditation. The community gathers a diverse group of experts with extensive experience in translation from Alliance organizations across the Area, which are facilitating Bible translation programs and training. The consultations of CoRPs have provided space for deep conversation on important issues such as consultant training and accreditation, and oral Bible translation. By drawing on collective wisdom, the community aims to foster Bible translation movements in new ways with new strength. The first consultation was held in Bali in March 2018. This was the second round in Bangkok where 36 participants from 14 Alliance Organizations attended. “The idea of bringing people together is [that] they have a voice in what the Alliance is doing in terms of training,” shares Dr. Bryan Harmelink, the key facilitator for the consultations. Dr. Harmelink is also the Director for Collaboration of the Alliance. “It's only by coming together like this with a diverse group of people from various organizations across the region that we can learn different things about the realities in different parts of Asia-Pacific.” Dr. Harmelink has been serving in translation training and consultancy for many years throughout Africa, Latin America and other regions. Yet he is aware that what he understands from a global perspective might be totally different than what he hears from people working in various organizations locally, especially the perceptions of what the needs are and what the gaps may be in training. Consultation host, Simon Wan, Asia-Pacific Area Director, echoes this perspective, “The Alliance movement does not depend on a top-down prescriptive approach, but we would really like to see the community reflecting on their own respective contexts. We believe that the best kind of reflection is done in a community.” Reflecting, Praying, Sharing and Learning He finds the CoRPs consultations a process of mutual learning as the participants hear about both positives or strengths of the work, and honest sharing on things that have not worked well, or even disappointments. It is encouraging to have so many participants with extensive experience in Bible translation training in the community, yet Simon acknowledges they do not have all the answers. He reflects, “It brings us back to our dependence on God as we spend time in prayer. We commit to meet together again to seek God in prayer and also to continue reflecting and learning.” Alex Mathew is a guest speaker from Faith Comes by Hearing , who has many years of experience serving in Bible translation and training in India. In his opinion, this CoRPs on Bible translation training and consultancy is so important that it should become part of the agenda of Wycliffe Global Alliance. He points out, “Today we are living in a world where more and more national movements are getting involved in Bible translation.” He says as we look at the organizations in Wycliffe Global Alliance, we would find out that “out of the 100 plus Alliance Organizations , a significant number are leading translation work in their respective local contexts.... There should be an avenue where national organizations are able to come together and share their best practices”. James Daguman, the Director of Translators Association of the Philippines , recognizes the value of CoRPs as a learning community. He says, “From here we can see what the Lord has been doing in different parts of Asia-Pacific.... We can pick up good practices, and incorporate those into our training programs, so that ours will be more effective.” Rose Girsang, the Associate Director for Training Academy of Kartidaya in Indonesia, expressed her excitement to be part of CoRPs: “I'm really blessed! Through the meetings I’ve seen different kinds of training happening in Asia-Pacific…. Of course, I cannot just copy and paste [these trainings] to Indonesia, but adjust [them] to see which kind of trainings [are] suitable for Kartidaya, especially in rural areas.” New Ways and New Strength from Diversity Barry Borneman, the outgoing Wycliffe Australia CEO, is among the participants. He describes CoRPs as “an absolute privilege to be at”. “It brings together so many different people with different experiences and different understanding, and you get a chance to hear and see what that means for us as a community.” He recalls when he first attended a global meeting in 1990s in the United States, he was sad to see the participants were 99% western men. Now looking around in this community, the picture has changed drastically. Its diversity in nationality and gender has opened up a new way and has brought in new strength to the community to serve together in the Bible translation movement. Having served alongside many Pacific friends for 30 years, Barry finds this community especially meaningful to him, “I just love the fact that Duncan [Kasokason] is here from Papua New Guinea. We're part of this bigger community!” Hot Discussion and Warm Community Though it is only the second round of consultations and the course is just three days, it is not difficult to see people around the room engage eagerly in discussion with each other. “You just see the great friendships that are formed,” says Dr. Harmelink. As he and Simon Wan observe, the level of relationship and friendship is very notable, and there is a level of openness and confidence that allows participants to share difficult things. Many are ready to share their own experiences, their inspirations, and even their dreams. During the three-day course, on top of training and supporting translation consultants, oral Bible translation is another topic which has come under the spotlight. Asia-Pacific Area has invited speakers from Faith Comes By Hearing to show a picture of some of the latest trends and tools available for oral Bible translation, while Anita Beniston from India shares her experiences in using Render , an oral Bible translation software. Let’s Take Action! Looking into the future, the community members are not content simply with reflection and discussion; they are looking forward to putting these ideas and thoughts into practice. Alex Mathew comments, “We'll need to come to certain definite and specific action items, and know where it can be pursued in various areas of training.” He hopes there will be specific training and goals developed with Asia-Pacific Area Leadership, so that the Alliance Organizations can develop trainers to go about it. Dr. Harmelink agrees that there should be some action plans for different Alliance Organizations as they work to define what will be best to meet their training needs in their own contexts. One of the Alliance’s values is to serve in community through holistic ministry that facilitates translation, access and application of God’s Word. With the formation of different Communities of Reflective Participating (CoRPs), the Asia-Pacific Area Leadership Team continues to help Alliance Organizations to build up and benefit one another in various aspects, so that everyone can be growing together in community. Article from Wycliffe Global Alliance Photos by Ling Lam

By Peter & Susan What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ (Luke 15: 4-6) When local believers in Peru heard this parable, they were amazed that anyone would do such a thing. As sheep farmers, they all agreed that none of them would ever abandon a flock to look for one lost sheep. How could a single sheep be worth the time and trouble to look for it? What is one sheep when you still have 99? Last year, we saw first-hand what happens to a “lost sheep” among the Celana*, a people group who live on an island in Southeast Asia. In August, a family from a very remote village came to the town to seek medical treatment for their young daughters. As the already overwhelmed father, Aman, observed his daughters having intravenous drips inserted, he panicked and ran away from the hospital. His family assumed that he would just try to walk home to his village through the mountains and the jungle (more than four hours away by car). He was last seen by woodcutters in the jungle not far from the town, but there was no further trace of him. Peter and some Celana men searched for him several times but without success. Peter also approached different village chiefs and police stations for help, but it was evident that no-one was very motivated to look for a run-away villager without some reward. Even fellow-villagers showed little interest, especially since it was a classic needle-in-a-haystack situation. Where in the dense jungle should they look for him? What direction did he take? Since we knew that our Lord loves every single person and looks for the lost, we prayed that the Lord would look after Aman and bring him home. We also encouraged the Celana believers not to give up hope and to continue to pray for his return. Ironically, “Aman” means “safe”, yet it was his safety we were worried about. The Celana people are steeped in animism. The villagers consulted the spirits and, a few weeks after his disappearance, the demons told them that Aman had died in the jungle. His family was pushed to hold a funeral quickly so everyone could move on with life. But there were a few believers in the village who persuaded them to wait so that they could continue to ask the Lord for guidance and wisdom. The Lord answered the prayers for this “lost sheep”! After nine long weeks, in October, a hunter and his dog came across Aman deep in the jungle, far away from the town. Aman later shared his story: When he first ran away in panic and confusion, he heard many voices in his head that told him where to go and where not to go. When he realised that he was lost, he cried out to God in desperation to help him and show him the way. From then on, he said, the voices stopped and he felt God leading him and providing for him in amazing ways. Aman was safe in God’s hands all the way. Although he ate mainly wild fruits and palm shoots, once, God even provided him with a pig! Aman told how he came across a wild pig that had been bitten by a poisonous centipede, so he had been able to easily kill and roast it for dinner. Dense jungle; wild pig; using a machete The whole village was amazed that Aman returned to the village aman (safe) and well. They also realised that the spirits were wrong and that God is indeed above all demons and can be trusted. We praise the Lord that he keeps demonstrating to us that every person is valuable in his eyes. He does not just look after important people, but he cares for the forgotten and neglected ones in this world. During the weeks of searching for Aman, we shared about him with many people. Interestingly, most of them immediately asked whether he had his machete with him. This is the main tool that every Celana man carries with him. It was clear that everyone believed that the only thing he really needed was his machete — if he had it, he would be safe and would be able to survive. This reminded us that the Word of God is our “sword”. If we have God’s Word, we can survive spiritually. But sadly, it is this essential tool — the Bible in their own language — which the Celana people are still waiting for. How else can they know Christ, or grow in Christ, or teach others about Christ? Are we like those pragmatic Peruvian sheep farmers? Do we count the cost and look for good returns? Is it worth the money and effort to translate the Bible for such a small ethnic group? Peter and Susan, with their 2 young sons, have been living among the Celana people for the past few years. They are currently learning the language and hope to begin a Bible translation project soon. * Not the real name.

By Alan Nestled amidst the lush greenery of jungle and plantations in Southeast Asia stands the Bandi Language and Culture Association Centre (the Centre). Built in 2007 with help from the local community, the building in the district town serves as the nerve centre for many of the translation and scripture use activities of the Bandi people group. Growing the Ministry According to Ed, our host, growing the ministry was challenging. As a foreigner, he had to spend the first four to five years just focusing on building relationships with the villagers. During that time, he and his family not only lived like locals within the village, but also served the community with many acts of kindness. He shared how the villagers depended on him on many occasions to send the sick to the hospital which was situated a long distance away from the village. The Centre has attracted and benefited the villagers through programmes such as computer and language classes. Local village heads and politicians were supportive because of its positive impact and contributions to Bandi culture. Bible study The work at the Centre has evolved over the years. Today, its core activities include the drafting and translation of the Bible into the Bandi language as well as the production of Christian audio and video resources, teaching materials and oral stories in the Bandi language. This work is done with the help of 15 dedicated mother-tongue translators (MTTs). These committed ladies spend at least 20 days a month at the Centre. Their daily routine includes quiet time in the mornings, cooking and bonding over meals. Growing in Unity One cannot help but notice many churches within the community. There are five Christian churches of different denominations in close proximity to each other. It was so encouraging to see the leaders and members from these different churches working together in unity, translating the Bible into their heart language. Twice a week, men from the five denominations gather to review the work done by the MTTs. Growing in God’s Word While we were there, a video of Matthew’s gospel dubbed in the Bandi language was screened. Men and women arrived at the Centre, eager to view a few chapters of Matthew on video. The video was especially effective in reaching out to those who were not able to read. After viewing the video, the villagers divided into three groups for a Bible study session followed by a time of sharing what they had learnt from the scripture. It was great to see the villagers use the material that they had painstakingly translated. The MTTs have completed drafting Luke and Colossians, and John’s gospel is about 60% completed. The next step is for external language consultants to formally review the drafts. Other resources developed to help the Bandi Christians grow spiritually include oral stories, music albums, “big books” for storytelling and literacy, cartoons and even a dictionary. Growing in Outreach It was wonderful to hear testimonies of family members coming to the Christian faith. A local believer, together with his wife, daughter and grandchild are regulars at the Centre. He shared that he has a burden for the other members in his family and actively reaches out to them. Many other Bandi Christians also reach out to their own family members who may have other beliefs. The Bandi people have also been working with a few neighbouring people groups. They have conducted a number of workshops to share their knowledge and experience in developing oral stories, creating audio content and producing “big books”. Ed has teamed up with a local pastor and the workshops are supported by a local Christian denomination in the district. We observed that the Bandi teams conducting the workshops consisted of young people, with most of them in their mid- to late-teens. Many of them have had to leave their villages to come to the bigger towns to study and work. Kudos to these passionate young people for taking the lead to serve! Alan is a short-term volunteer with Wycliffe Singapore, and is taking the opportunity to see more of the work of Wycliffe. He has had a career in IT and has put those skills to good use for the organisation. He and his wife have 3 children, aged 19, 17 and 13. * Not the real name.

By David Tan A confession: I am a Star Wars fan and have watched all eight episodes of the film series so far. The first film came out in 1977 when I was a teenager and my Sunday school teacher brought our class to watch it. Some fans regard Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back as the best in the series, possibly because it revealed that Darth Vader was the father of Luke Skywalker, to everyone’s surprise and horror. In this instalment of the Star Wars saga, the Galactic Empire, having suffered the destruction of its Death Star, hunts down and attempts to destroy the Rebel Alliance. But what has Star Wars got to do with missions? Well, I feel that perhaps the best summary of God’s plan for mankind and creation can be expressed as “The Kingdom Strikes Back”. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and everything was good under God’s reign. But the first man, Adam, disobeyed God and brought sin into God’s Kingdom. Subsequently, mankind continued to rebel against God until he felt it necessary to destroy almost all of mankind in a flood, leaving just one man, Noah, and his family. However, that did not solve the problem of sin as mankind’s rebellion against God continued. Photo: Elyse Patten, Wycliffe Global Alliance. In fact, mankind even deliberately ignored God’s command to “be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Gen 1:28) In Gen 11, the people said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” (Gen 11:4) So God confused the language of human beings so they were not able to complete the Tower of Babel project. Instead, they were scattered all over the earth. It seemed that mankind was determined to rebel against God. But all was not lost – in Gen 12, God launched his plan for restoring his Kingdom (or redemption) by calling Abraham and promising that all the nations of the world would be blessed through him. The whole biblical narrative is basically the story of how the Kingdom of God fell and how God restored and continues to restore his Kingdom through Abraham, Christ and the Church. When God called Abraham, he told him that he would not only bless him, but would also bring blessing to the nations through him. This blessing eventually came through the seed of Abraham, namely Christ. When Christ was on earth, he often preached about the Kingdom having come through him, e.g. “‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!’” (Mk 1:15). The Tower of Babel event marked the height of mankind’s rebellion against God’s rule. God’s punishment of confusing the language of mankind created different ethnic groups or nations that were spread over the earth. The good news is that all these will one day be restored to God’s reign under Christ. This was always God’s plan for humanity, that in the end, “every nation, tribe, people and language” will worship before the Lamb (Rev 7:9). The Holy Spirit’s coming at Pentecost gave a foretaste of what this would be like by enabling the early believers to declare the praises of God in different languages which they had not learned. So what does this mean for Christians? Well, contrary to what many believers may think, salvation is not just about receiving forgiveness for our sins. Yes, it does include that, but the true meaning of salvation is really the restoration of God’s Kingdom and rule over all creation. We, having been justified by faith and forgiven, enter into God’s Kingdom. And we are commanded to be God’s ambassadors to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to others too. In particular, we are commanded to go and make disciples from every nation so that all nations will be represented in worship before God for all eternity. The Great Commission given by Christ is a clarion call to his people to join forces with him to strike back against sin and restore his Kingdom – The Kingdom Strikes Back! To God be the glory! Dr David Tan is the Executive Director of Wycliffe Singapore. He and his wife, Sharon, served overseas for several years.

Languages around the world have been disappearing at an alarming rate, many of which are spoken by indigenous peoples. In a bid to preserve, revitalize, and promote indigenous languages, the United Nations has declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL2019). While the UN considers this a "matter for development, peace building, and reconciliation", we at Wycliffe also believe that the value in these indigenous languages lies in their ability to connect with and reach people who speak these languages in a deeper spiritual and emotional way. Watch video "Your Language Matters" on Youtube. What language do you speak? When people come to know Christ, they need the Word of God to be able to grow in faith. While the Word may already be available to them in a language they are literate in, it is only when they read God's word in their heart language - the language they grew up with, think in, dream in, and understand best - that they can be truly touched not just in mind, but also in heart; subsequently, whole families, communities and generations come to be touched by God's love. This is why at Wycliffe, we persist in our mission to provide a Bible translation for every people group that needs it, "... for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Gal 6:9