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The Singapore group In May 2018, I accompanied a group of five people from Orchard Road Presbyterian Church to visit the Robeno translation project in a neighbouring country and attend a Bible Festival for one of the languages. For those five days, we left our comfort zone in Singapore to experience basic amenities in a village – and share in the joy of the villagers as they celebrated the arrival of Scriptures in their language. We first visited a translation workshop in the district capital during their third and final week. Translators from six different languages were there, along with their facilitators and translation consultants. They had finished checking Luke 8–10 and were busy producing booklets from those chapters as well as other portions that had been translated previously. Although one of the language groups lived in the capital, the others lived further away. One group needed two days to travel back to their home! During closing ceremony of the workshop, the group from Singapore sang a worship song in one of the languages (we had practised beforehand!). It was much appreciated by everyone. We and some of the workshop facilitators then accompanied this group back to their home region for a Bible Festival. Because of the pouring rain, what was usually a five-hour journey turned into an eight-hour journey, much of it on rough roads. It was already 9 pm when we finally arrived in the village. We, with other guests, stayed in the best accommodation in the village – the pastor’s house. Some unforgettable experiences for us city folks from Singapore – sleeping closely packed together on thin mattresses on the floor; sharing the single bathroom in the house; flushing the squat toilet with a dipperful of water from the ‘tangki’ or water tank next to it; and bathing with water dipped from the same tank. When the water ran low, the pastor turned on a generator for electricity to refill it from another, larger tank. This village had no piped water, but caught and collected rainwater from the roofs. The hospitality we experienced was wonderful. The pastor and his family not only gave up their bedrooms for us, but they also fed us and all the other visitors – about 25 of us. Through the two days we stayed there, there were a few women busy in the small kitchen all day, turning out rice, vegetables and meat dishes for every meal. After breakfast the next day, the men in the group were invited to bless the rice harvest at a villager’s house. Imagine their surprise when they entered his rice barn and were confronted by a cooked whole chicken beside a bowlful of rice sitting atop the sacks of rice – the traditional offering to the spirits. Even though this village was Christian, many people still trusted in the old rituals for their security. Later that morning, one of the visiting pastors preached about it. He said that, when he was a child, he trusted in the sacrifice of chickens, but now he put his trust only in the blood of Jesus. The following day, there were more requests for all of us to pray for blessing on the rice harvest. This time, there were no chicken offerings. However, at one home we enjoyed a delicious traditional meal of roasted chicken and rice wrapped in leaves. Traditional chicken offering; Bible festival The day was entirely occupied with the Bible Festival. It took place at the village church which was packed with visitors from 11 other villages. There was much singing and many speeches. This was followed by competitions for Bible reading, Bible memorisation, and singing of Christian songs. There were also games for children, and a photobooth that immediately printed out pictures of villagers with a Bible verse in their language printed on them. The singing contest generated the most interest. All ages competed – from a group of older ladies who also danced in their traditional style, to a group of children who had walked two hours from another village to take part. The children didn’t win a prize, but still they were happy as they prepared to walk two hours back to their home. The following day was a Sunday, so we were back at the church for the morning service. Once again, the congregation and many performing groups sang songs in their language. Our group from Singapore also sang our song again! Then, the elder leading our group preached a sermon in English with interpretation. The journey back to the district capital took only five hours. We brought back memories of the hospitality of the villagers, and the joy and cheerfulness of the children, even though they didn’t have much. This trip showed us that there is a big world beyond the rich and comfortable shores of Singapore. We saw that people can be happy with very few material possessions – but also that having only a little of the Word of God in the national language isn’t enough for them to have a good footing in the gospel. The Gospel of Luke is reaching them as it gets translated bit by bit. But there is so much more than they need to know and understand. We pray that in time they will understand in full, and that their joy will be complete. Felicia* has been a member of Wycliffe Singapore since 1996. She worked for two years in the Philippines as an Academic Publications Manager, then moved to a nearby country to work in a language project. In 2011 she returned to Singapore for family reasons. In 2016, she began working in the Wycliffe Singapore office. At this time, she is looking to get involved in field work once more. * Not the real name

The 1000th New Testament with SIL (a partner organisation of Wycliffe) involvement has been completed! In 1998, the translation team working on the Keliko New Testament fled south Sudan to escape the violence that had broken out. This was the second time that war had interrupted work on the translation. But this time, the team continued the work in Uganda, and the New Testament will finally be published this year. Read the story and celebrate with the Keliko people who now have God's word in their heart language. Read the full story of the Keliko New Testament HERE .

The annual Camp Wycliffe in Thailand is an immersive 5-day missions exposure camp. Participants get a chance to experience living cross-culturally and get a taste of missions. This year, a group of seven people from Wycliffe Singapore went to join the other 30 or so people who attended, with participants from Thailand, Hong Kong, and even as far away as Canada! As in previous years, the programme was divided between a training phase and a village stay. The training phase saw participants being given introductions to aspects of Wycliffe’s ministries, such as cross-cultural issues, language learning, phonetics, Bible translation, literacy, etc. The highlight for most participants was the village stay where they could try out a few of the language learning techniques they had learned, interact with the villagers and experience village life. This year, the village project was to help build a Sunday School venue, and also hold a children’s programme. What participants said: ... as I sat in the back of the truck and looked at the mountains all around me on the way to the village, I was amazed at the thought of how God knows where all the people are and desires for them to know Him as well. ... there many people groups who do not have the Bible translated into their own heart language yet, and many of them are found in Southeast Asia. ... the realities of spiritual warfare ... it hit me that these things are definitely real and present. ... hearing God's call is simply being obedient and ready to listen to His leading and guidance. ... my next step is to find out how I can be involved in missions after graduation, whether short-term or long-term. If you are interested to get a taste of missions, join Camp Wycliffe in May 2019! Sign up to receive our news and updates here.

By Levene Wong As I look back on the six weeks of ACTI, I don’t even know where to begin. It was a whirlwind of experiences, from meeting 16 other missionary candidates and 23 facilitators, learning 28 different modules, travelling to Chiang Rai for a mission trip and the final graduation ceremony —it’s really hard to describe succinctly what ACTI was like! Hill tribe church: worship; children's programme ACTI began in 1985 with a vision to equip missionaries who were just stepping into the field — preparing them for the many challenges and culture shocks that they were certainly going to face. The topics ranged from Honour & Shame, Contextualization & Worldviews, to Phonetics, and Church Planting Strategies. All these topics were very helpful in giving us an overview of the different worldviews and practical issues we would encounter. However, there was a sense that this was just scratching the surface — it was good to learn some handles by which to navigate in the field, yet at the same time, I am awed by how impossible it is to bridge cultures and transform lives in our own strength. This work can only be done by the empowering of the Holy Spirit and by prayer. Faced with such an immensely impossible task, we see that this is God’s mission and God’s work that he has given us the privilege to be part of. It is wonderful to be able to see His hand at work in miraculous ways! As part of the course, we were asked to come up with a masterplan for our future ministry. Initially, some questioned the need to do this — shouldn’t we simply go into the field and see where God leads? Wouldn’t writing a masterplan counter the leading of the Holy Spirit? Our facilitators explained to us that creating a masterplan did not mean that we were tied to it. It was simply a way to help us think clearly about the needs, the people, available resources and how to use them effectively. It was also a way to help us set clear goals and make sure that we were focusing our energies in the right direction. In the mission field, we would not have a boss to tell us what to do! Lastly, it would help us communicate our ministry clearly to our sending church and supporters so that they would be able to understand what we were doing miles away! At the end of the course, all of us were pleased to be able to present our masterplans clearly and confidently. But while we want to be good stewards of the knowledge and experiences God has given us, at the same time, we want to be prepared to change our plans when he calls us to! ACTI equipped us with the knowledge and tools for service in the mission field. More importantly, the fellowship among the trainers, experienced missionaries and course mates has and will continue to impact us for the rest of our lives. From the trainers and missionaries, we not only learnt from their teaching, but from their personal life testimony and stories. We were awed and humbled to see how these servants of God had striven for the gospel, many in difficult places, yet their lives radiated joy and hope. Their confidence in God and his sovereignty was truly inspirational. Our fellow course mates came from many different cultures, nationalities and languages, and it was like a piece of heaven to fellowship, worship and pray together with them — not to mention the fun outings and lots of laughs together. It was such an encouragement to be among peers travelling on the same journey, to hear of similar struggles, and to know that we were not alone, but one in Christ. I was excited to hear about where God is leading each of them, to rejoice together in triumphs, and pray together in trials. ACTI has been an unforgettable experience, and we have all been truly blessed by it. Levene serves in Wycliffe Singapore as an Event Coordinator and Communications Designer. She and her husband attended ACTI in 2018 and are considering how God can use them in the mission field.

by Jason & June Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. (Psalm 36:5) Anticipation and Trepidation “Mummy, when will we be leaving for Canada? Will it be tomorrow?” our five-year-old son asked when we saw Jason off at the airport last June. “Not yet, you’ll have to sleep another 60 times or go to church another eight Sundays, and then we’ll be on the plane and join Papa there.” His eight-year-old sister did understand how long this was. The children couldn’t wait to begin the great adventure ahead. For us parents, however, anticipation alternated with varying levels of trepidation. We knew some of what lay ahead: Jason had finished a two-year course at a local seminary and was embarking on an MA in Linguistics at the Canada Institute of Linguistics (CanIL). June had resigned from her job, we had student visas, our support-gathering progressed, and flight tickets were booked…. First signs of God’s provision! Yet, many things were not entirely clear. Jason had to take a prerequisite course in linguistics while finding an affordable car, a suitable flat, basic furniture, and a school for the children — all within eight weeks. June had to single-handedly pack up ten years’ worth of home and family life, tie up loose ends at home and work, look after the kids, as well as prepare them for the upheaval ahead. The bigger picture also elicited mixed feelings. Uprooting the family was a big decision — what if the studies didn’t go well, or the kids couldn’t cope … what if we had to come back? Our home in Singapore was to be someone else’s place. We found ourselves having to reframe our understanding of “home” and intentionally convey to our kids that home is where we are as a family, wherever God leads us. All too soon, June and the children were bidding farewell to family and friends at the airport. Photos were taken, hugs given, tears held back. The kids played hide-and-seek with their friends as if it were just another play date — only that this was to be the last one for a long time to come…. Thank You, Lord! Alone in Canada, Jason juggled coursework with preparations for the family’s arrival. The first big challenge was finding a flat in an unfavourable rental market. Jason and his classmates prayed for one another in their daily phonetics class. One day, a classmate from Hong Kong fed this concern to his network of Chinese friends. News came that a Chinese lady was seeking a trustworthy tenant for her basement flat. One hour later, the rental agreement was signed. What an answer to our prayers, and what a relief! Unlike Singapore, schools in Canada are assigned by precinct. Our flat is a five-minute walk from a popular school, but we had missed the deadline for a place. Yet, as it turned out, there were a few vacancies and our children were virtually the last students to be admitted. Another big thanks item on the prayer list! Indeed, we learned that there is only so much we can prepare for. We have become much more aware of our dependence on God’s provision for everything we need—and when He answers our prayers, we are humbled by His goodness. God is good and He is sovereign! Embracing a New Season, a New Home We arrived in the middle of summer, the perfect season to transit from sunny Singapore. The children loved being able to play outside without sweating profusely! They learned how to cycle (on the road), and could walk in the forest, see farms and cattle, stables and horses. In many other ways, we saw how God paved the way for us. Which child would not want blackberries in the garden, friends next door whose parents sold ice cream and cotton candy in the summer, less than six hours of school every day with two recess breaks, and no exams at all? Things are literally great: “Wow, these mountains are higher than Bukit Timah Hill!” (Son). We attend a welcoming, international church and a cell group that even has a member from the country where we intend to serve. It is not all smooth sailing, though. We are increasingly becoming aware that not everybody in the family has fully arrived, and fully embraced the new home. While one child fits in smoothly, the other struggles with making friends and finding acceptance. It is a challenge for everybody involved. We are learning that culture shock also happens when almost everything goes well. Our heavenly Father knows that and we trust that He will help all of us to settle in fully. Studying Against Injustice We are reminded daily that we are here to prepare for Bible translation: the courses are interesting, the assignments challenging. While Jason studies full-time, June attends some relevant classes and also connects with parents from the children’s school. It is great to be able to share with others about the need for God’s Word in people’s heart language. Some friends are puzzled about our mid-career switch. As the father of one of our kids’ friends told Jason, “From being a materials engineer, you are now becoming a ‘soul engineer’.” Recently, during a message at CanIL, we realised that not having the Bible in one’s heart language is not merely a need requiring compassion — it is an injustice. An injustice because people are deprived of God’s Word in their heart language. And so, while plowing through morphosyntax, phonology, tone analysis, semantics/pragmatics, intercultural training, etc., we recognise the privilege of preparing to play our part in God’s plan to speak to people’s hearts. June & Jason are currently in Canada where Jason is pursuing an MA in Linguistics at the Canada Institute of Linguistics (CanIL) in preparation for Bible Translation in Southeast Asia. They have a daughter (9) and a son (6) who are having their first taste of cross-cultural living.

Interested in missions but not sure how you can serve? At the Missions for Everyone event in March, participants had a glimpse of the wide range of opportunities to serve in missions. It was an eye-opener for many. Three broad areas were introduced: Language-related roles such linguists, translators, surveyors and literacy specialists all contribute to giving people groups the scriptures in their heart languages and, if necessary, teaching them how to read. Participants were introduced to the foundations of translation – language assessment (surveying who speaks what, where, how many), language analysis (grammar, sound system, writing system), cultural studies and training co-workers. They were also told about literacy programmes to help people learn to read and write in their own language. “... [I learnt] how critical it is to use the heart language, arts and culture in discipleship.” EthnoArts specialists are needed to make use of the traditional artistic expressions of a people group to reach them with the gospel. Those with skills in visual arts, music, dance or drama can serve by working alongside communities to create artistic works in the art forms of that people group to effectively communicate God’s message and transform lives. The workshop leader shared that every culture has its own unique art forms which communicate meaning. When they worship God using their own instruments and art forms, they are both touched much more deeply, and also better able to reach out to their own community. So rather than expect people groups to adopt western music and art forms when they become Christians, we should help them use their own art forms to worship God. "I am educated more about how translation work is done and how arts can help ethnic communities..." Professional skills of many types are needed to provide essential support functions for field projects. There is much more to missions than just sharing the gospel! One of the greatest needs is for people with management, administration, finance, teaching or IT skills – whatever skills that God has gifted you in, there is a need waiting for you to fill! The speaker shared that although his background was in IT, he has worn many different hats in his over 15 years in the field. He spoke about holistic missions, which includes meeting the needs of communities for things like clean water and education. Participants were grouped by their skill areas (eg. business, IT, teaching, finance etc.) to discuss a case study, and saw how their expertise could make a difference in the mission field. "I got to understand more of the variety of needs present in the field that ... that requires partnering and sharing of resources." Altogether, about 50 people attended, and 15 indicated an interest to find out more. In fact, one young lady was has already arranged to go on a 3-month attachment overseas beginning in May!

Wycliffe Singapore will be participating in this year’s GoForth conference! Look out for: Keys to Cross-Cultural Communication (Workshop A4) Dr David Tan, Executive Director of Wycliffe Singapore, will discuss the skills needed to be a good cross-cultural worker. This workshop will give you a perspective of how to observe a culture, and equip you with a set of practical tools to gain an “insider's” view of another culture. Multilingual Education for the Minorities (Workshop C7) One of our members with many years of experience in literacy and multilingual education will discuss how to contextualise educational programmes and curricula into a local context. This workshop introduces some ways to break through the language barrier in reaching out to nationals through education. Cross-Cultural Communication Experiential Learning (Workshop A14) An opportunity not to be missed! Participants will be given some tips on how to learn language and culture, and then get to try them out with some foreign language speakers. You will also be able to visit a “market” and have a “meal”! WBTS Booth Wycliffe Singapore will also have a manned booth at the conference. Do drop by to find out more about our ministries. See you there! Find out more at: http://goforth.org.sg/

“Language surveyor? What’s that?” Zoe has had to answer these questions more often than she can remember. In 2014, she attended TOTAL It Up* (Taste of Translation and Linguistics) in Dallas, Texas, a five-day course designed to be an intense but fun introduction to Bible translation. Convinced of the vital role of language survey, she immediately signed up for a six-month survey course. For the past few years, she has been serving in an Asian country, collecting language data from various unreached people groups for language teams in the field. Language surveyors play a very important role in Bible translation and language development work. They pave the way by going into the field to collect data about the languages and how they are used. Analysis of the data collected yields invaluable information for strategic planning of language projects such as the vitality of the language, who speaks it, what contexts it is used in, and which dialect is understood by the greatest number of people and hence has the widest reach. A surveyor typically collects lists of words for common objects, actions, relationships etc. from several data points and compares them in order to determine how similar the languages are. Finding respondents who can speak clearly (they need to have most of their teeth!) and are willing to take the time can be a challenge. The surveyor records stories and texts from the different data points and tests intelligibility by finding out how well people at one data point understand the recordings from another data point. The extent of multilingualism and other information may be collected through participatory methods, questionnaires, interviews and observation. The Ethnologue, a database of information about every known language on earth (there are currently 7099 known living languages) published by SIL, includes information about location, dialects, population, literacy rates, writing systems etc., much of it contributed by surveyors in the field. Zoe says, “It’s not just an academic exercise.” She elaborates that there are millions of speakers of these little-known minority languages, and many of these people cannot hear word of God in a language that speaks to their hearts. This makes them unlikely to be receptive to the gospel message. More than that, many of these minorities feel ignored and unvalued, and to have someone from outside reach out to them and show an interest in their language and culture is a great boost to their self-respect. Zoe tells of an experience in a remote village where a lady gripped her arms and was so welcoming, saying that no-one had shown interest in their culture before. They had also never encountered Christianity before. Speakers of minority languages which have yet to be surveyed usually live in remote and inaccessible areas. Getting to them often requires long hours of driving along narrow winding mountain roads or hiking. But the scenery along the way can be breathtakingly beautiful! Zoe says that those who like to travel off the beaten track and are naturally curious about other cultures are ideal for this role, as long as they are also able to manage the extensive recording and data analysis required. She also warns that a willingness to try new foods would be an asset! The experiences are not always comfortable, the work can be long and tedious, and finding suitable respondents is not always easy, but it is rewarding to be one of the first outsiders to visit a place. She remembers collecting a wordlist one summer in a house with a corrugated metal roof which became like an oven by the end of the day and, on another occasion, a man who laughed at many of the words on the wordlist, which made it a very long job! Food offered to idols What is her motivation to continue? She says that since many Christians in Singapore are blessed with so much, we should be willing to bless others in turn. She also realises that many depend on the data she collects, such as translators who need to select a reference dialect to work in, or evangelists and church planters who need the translated materials for their outreach and discipleship efforts. Ultimately, the goal is to reach the millions who have yet to hear the gospel because of the language barrier. That’s what keeps her going! Zoe has a background in IT and youth work. In 2013, she became a member of Wycliffe Singapore and now serves as a language surveyor in an Asian country. * TOTAL It Up (Wycliffe US) has been replaced by Explore Bible Translation. Other programmes are also available.

What comes to your mind when you think of missions? Perhaps you’ve imagined yourself sharing in far-flung corners of the world or translating the Bible into a minority language or ministering cross-culturally in a foreign land. However, there is an oft-neglected side of missions — the less “exotic” roles that are crucial in ensuring that missions is done well. One of these essential areas is human resource (HR) management. Jo is the current Personnel Coordinator of Wycliffe Singapore, dealing primarily with the mobilisation and care of workers from Singapore. She finds “interacting with members and their supporting churches, providing member care, and helping them administratively” the most rewarding parts of her job. Wycliffe Singapore currently has about 40 members serving overseas and receives about 50 enquiries from interested parties annually. Katherine receiving a long service award. Katherine was Wycliffe Singapore’s Personnel Coordinator from 1992 till 2005 but now serves as trainer, mentor and consultant for personnel officers of Wycliffe organisations in the Asia-Pacific area. Katherine points out that HR work in the missionary enterprise is to be an advisor, friend, critic, supporter and broker all at once. Responsibilities range from processing candidates, communicating with church and field, recommending training and pre-field preparation, on-field member care and dealing with re-entry needs. The job spans the entire missionary career from the initial enquiry to eventual retirement. It is no wonder then that deep relationships are forged with candidates and other stakeholders in this process of journeying together. HR personnel play a key role in facilitating the dialogue between the missionary, the field entity and the supporting church. This includes understanding church policies, the needs on the field as well as the expectations of key stakeholders. Issues such as budgeting and financial support, children’s education, further training, retirement planning, home assignments etc. all come under HR! These discussions begin before the missionary leaves for the field, continue through his period of service, and extend through the re-entry period, with the nature and emphasis varying according to stage of life and circumstances. In these conversations, HR personnel are able to offer the benefit of their experience. Before a candidate can leave for the field, HR personnel guide the him/her through the screening process, identify training needs, and advise on support and other issues. Such equipping and care of members continue throughout the missionary’s service. HR personnel make a point to travel overseas to visit missionaries on the field to provide care and support, and also to meet leaders of field entities to foster good working relationships. And when the missionary returns to Singapore, whether for home assignments or for good, HR personnel are again on hand to advise and help with re-entry issues. HR work in a missions agency is a calling just like any other missionary service. For missionaries, the support of HR personnel is invaluable in sustaining their ministry. Without these dedicated people behind the scenes, it would not be possible to send out and support a missionary well!

by Sharon Tan “Tell me how to celebrate Christmas,” Ruth said. She had been a believer for only a few months, so this would be her very first Christmas and she was eager to celebrate her first Christian festival. Would she need to get a tree? Where could she get the special food that was not available where she lived? We had told her the Christmas story from the Bible, but she could see that the modern Christmas portrayed on TV was very different from that night in the stable! Ruth’s request made us stop and think. In the first 300 years after Christ, his birthday wasn’t even celebrated. In the centuries since, many Christmas traditions had been borrowed and adapted from pagan feasts linked to the winter solstice. Outside the church, the modern Christmas has almost completely lost any religious references, becoming an excuse for partying, eating and over-indulgence. Should we teach Ruth to celebrate Christmas just as we did in Singapore, with a tree, gifts, carols and turkey? Or be purist and tell her to avoid anything “non-religious”? It seemed rather spoil-sport to tell her to keep to only the religious Christmas traditions. On the other hand, it seemed silly to encourage her to adopt all the western trappings of Christmas, especially as many of the food items and traditions were unfamiliar in that culture. The question was: how could Christmas be contextualised for this people group? After some thought, we told her that Christmas was a celebration of Jesus’s birthday, and asked her to tell us how birthdays were celebrated in her culture. “That’s easy,” she said, “We’ll invite friends over for a meal!” In that place, every winter meal was a hotpot meal, so deciding on the menu didn’t require much thought. And since it was a birthday, and having western-style birthday cakes had already become quite commonplace, it was decided that we should have a birthday cake, complete with candles! The food settled, we suggested that the party would be a good opportunity to share the Christmas story with her guests, so she asked us to tell the story, interspersed with a few carols (translated, of course), before the meal. Instead of decorating the room with auspicious symbols and banners, we bought some tinsel and decorations and hung them on the walls. And of course, each child there was given a small gift, and told that we were celebrating God’s gift of his Son that first Christmas in Bethlehem. We have celebrated Christmas in many parts of the world, with many different types of food, but that was the first time we had a Christmas hotpot meal!