Training Center will help Papua New Guinea Christians in ministry

Papua New Guinea (MNN) — Wycliffe Associates, an organization that accelerates Bible translation by involving Christians in essential support services, is gearing up for a major project that will help nationals complete Bible translation for their own people.

Wycliffe Associates President Bruce Smith says that nationals are at a place where they can take on more responsibility. “Our staff at Wycliffe Associates and in our partner organizations with SIL and others, will be working mostly with consultants and trainers so that we can spread the task out among a larger team of people and expand Bible translation as a result.”

The need for Bible translation in Papua New Guinea is great, says Smith. “There’s over 800 unique languages in this Island. It’s an incredibly diverse area linguistically. Over half of those languages still need translation, they don’t have one verse translated into those languages.” With a more mature national church, believers there will be completing translation.

But, they need a training center to do that and nationals can’t afford to build it. “Wycliffe Associates’ particular contribution to this will be two fold. First, we’ll be mobilizing volunteers from the United States for building this facility as part of a team along with national workers as well. The other part of what we’ll be doing, naturally, is to develop some financial resources to help pay for the materials cost,” says Smith.

The design process is already underway. They expect to have materials ordered and ready for construction teams beginning in the fall. Smith is praying that the facility will be completed by next Spring.

As Bible translation is completed, thousands of people will be able to read God’s Word and eventually come to Christ.