Equip training sessions prepare workers for translation

International (MNN) — In an effort to translate Scriptures
into the remaining languages that do not have God's Word, in 1999 Wycliffe Bible
Translators set out on their Last Languages Campaign to be completed by 2025.

Today, 350 million people and 2200 language groups are still without God's Word.

As part of this campaign, Carl Campbell of Wycliffe trains
new workers through Equip sessions: "It's our commitment to ensure that Bible
translation movements worldwide are resourced and that resources include prayer, finances
and personnel. Equip is the program that is involved in the personnel part
of it. It's our new member orientation and training as they first come into
Wycliffe."

Every year, Wycliffe holds four Equip sessions. Campbell
just concluded the third session this year with 50 people, bringing the total
number of new translation works trained in 2010 to 130. The final session will
take place in October, with 50 people already signed up.

The sessions are aptly named: "It really is
equipping them to raise their team of prayer and financial partners who are
going to be supporting them and encouraging them as they go out in their
ministry with Wycliffe," said Campbell. He continued, "It just
renews their passion … about Bible translation and being a voice for the Bibleless
peoples of the world."

Equip consists of a six-week online training course, then a
two-week session in Orlando, Florida, where Campbell and his staff teach the
workers the hands-on knowledge they will need. Once the session is
complete, the participants raise their prayer and financial support and
eventually head to various regions of the world. Recently, workers have joined
translation in Papua New Guinea, Tanzania and East Asia. Others have joined
staff in Dallas, Orlando, or JAARS–Wycliffe's technical support partner.

With such a momentous task in front of them, Wycliffe and its
partners need all the help they can get. Join the Last Languages
Campaign by praying, giving or going.

To go, sign up for the next Equip session by visiting
Wycliffe's Web site or calling (800)-WYCLIFFE.