International (MNN) — The work of Bible translators can often be both dangerous and isolating. However, Wycliffe Associates has found a technological breakthrough that addresses the need for safety and connection — Starlink.
“Starlink is a tool that essentially allows someone to have an internet connection via satellite, that is similar to having a hard wire connection,” explains Mark Roberts. “So, the speed, the reliability, the consistency, is really a breakthrough technology that gives a comparable service to the internet that you and I have in our home.” And, Starlink, a satellite internet service owned by SpaceX, is the latest tool in the toolbelt of Bible translation services.
How does it work?
Diamond Head Crater (Photo courtesy of Unsplash) https://unsplash.com/photos/aerial-view-of-mountains-and-cloudy-sky-7yKgU0xemJw
First, Starlink enables teams to communicate securely with translators in remote or persecuted areas, providing mentorship, encouragement, and fellowship. “When you think about, for example, an island nation in the Pacific, it might take a day for you or me to travel to that location. Then, it might take another day via vehicle, boat, and walking or hiking to reach these places where Bible translators live, work, and do their ministry,” says Roberts. However, Starlink provides an opportunity to be just one click away from communication!
Secondly, it provides access to tools and resources that would otherwise be out of reach. With a steady connection, translators can download essential resources, use advanced translation tools, and safely upload their work, ensuring steady progress.
Finally, Starlink’s stability and safety shield translators from persecution risks. “With those who are in areas of persecution, they are often watched. They’re followed. If they leave their home, they might have to go to an internet cafe to do their work, and their history and their activity can be tracked in those locations,” Roberts explains.
While Starlink is not a cheap technology and relies on the support of donors, it is worth the cost. It provides much greater value compared to other options Wycliffe Associates has used in the past, delivering reliable speed and stable connections essential for Bible translation.
“The opportunity to give them a stable connection that lets them receive the encouragement they need, for our teams to pray with them, to provide the immediate support they need, to use the technology and tools, and to commit to completing their translation and having it reviewed and uploaded to the cloud—is invaluable for us.”
Pray for Bible translators to be uplifted and encouraged, knowing that people around the world support them. Pray also for God’s Word to be translated and spoken in many languages, including those of indigenous tribes and unreached groups.
The header photo of Venus and Starlink satellites is a representative stock photo, courtesy of Mike Lewinsky via Wikimedia Commons.
