Elders in the Tzeltal church of Chiapas (southern Mexico) using newly printed N ew Testament.
where appropriate. He questioned his audience to make sure they had understood, then proceeded to the next verse. Thus in an hour and 15 minutes the chapter for the day was ended. The translator sat quietly with the people, for she had labored to prepare the translation with the help of many Tzeltal be lievers through precious weeks and had patiently schooled Francisco in what each verse said during the week previous. Next week, another Tzeltal believer, with the Word in his own language, similarly pre pared to explain it, would take his turn. Little wonder that 150 such messengers would be instruments in the hands of God for the raising
up of more than 13 congregations with a total of over 4,000 believers. Wycliffe Bible Translators, chal lenged by the entire lack of Scrip tures in the languages of over 2,000 tribes of earth, believes that no more urgent task remains to be done than to pioneer the Scriptures into such areas as New Guinea, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Amazonia, and every nook and Granny of our globe where people exist without the life-giving Word of God. The need is not only for those who will translate, but also for those who will operate and maintain the ex panding aviation and radio service which makes it possible for trans lators to locate in isolated regions,
and others who can serve as teach ers, clerks, doctors and nurses. Each summer scientific linguistic training is offered to prepare work ers to learn hitherto unwritten lan guages. Each winter a special jun gle training camp is operated in Mexico to prepare new workers to live under pioneer cond itions. Literally hundreds of tribal areas are open to Wycliffe workers. No more basic, fruitful or lasting task could be envisaged by seminary, Bible school and wholly dedicated technically trained young men and women. Natural abilities, training and life itself — nothing will be wasted here, for the Word of God liveth and abideth forever. END.
SEPTEMBER 1956
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