International (MNN) – Gift-giving is a major part of Christmas celebrations, but many people don’t even have the gift of God’s Word.
Wycliffe Bible Translators supports Bible translation around the world into local languages so people can read God’s Word in the language their heart understands. This year, Wycliffe USA created a gift catalog of 23 projects to support Bible translation and discipleship. They’re featuring projects in places ranging from Japan to Mexico to Cameroon.
Melissa Stillman, director of development at Wycliffe USA, explains that the gift catalog allows Wycliffe USA to connect people with projects Wycliffe is working on.
“We get to represent a variety of areas of the world and focus on the tangibility of the projects,” she says.
“So things like printed scripture, audio, and video scripture… we really get to go in deep [during this project], where we don’t always have that much opportunity in the regular monthly mailings,” she adds.
23 Ways to Support Bible Translation
(Photo courtesy of Wycliffe USA)
The 2019 gift catalog is the first catalog to have 23 separate projects to support. Wycliffe USA chooses each project with care, making sure to include projects from every price range. This year’s projects range from $12 to $100 suggested gift.
Stillman says, “We really go into this with a lot of prayer as we research to find what kind of projects we will share in the gift catalog.”
She adds, “Typically, we communicate about just one project or one area of the world, but with the gift catalog we’re able to feature many more projects that people can take part in.”
When Wycliffe USA chooses these projects, they look for something that will make an impact on helping someone receive God’s Word in their own language. “We were looking for tangible elements of the projects that would really be something people could relate to and wrap their minds around how their gifts would make an impact,” Stillman says.
Every Gift Spreads God’s Word
(Photo courtesy Wycliffe USA)
Each donation given during the Christmas season will help someone around the world receive the Word of God this year. Stillman says, “Every single gift does make a difference.”
Stillman explains that on Giving Tuesday this year, Wycliffe USA featured a project for the Kinga New Testament. This is a Bible translation project happening in Tanzania to complete a translation of the New Testament. The translation will help locals understand God’s Word in their own language, Kinga.
She reports that Wycliffe USA was successful in its goal of raising enough money to fund the creation of over 4,000 New Testaments.
Stillman adds that each of the 23 projects ended up on the list for a reason. “There was some special reason why God wanted them to be in the gift catalog and I think prayer exposure is one of those reasons,” she says.
Do you want to get involved? Check out Wycliffe USA’s gift catalog here to support their Bible translation projects around the world. You can also pray for Wycliffe USA’s work with each of these projects this year. Pray that these projects help people around the world understand God’s Word.
Header photo courtesy of Wycliffe USA.
