International (MNN) — Three Australian mates are resting up after completing a 2,000 kilometer walk. Why 2,000 kilometers? 2,000 languages around the world still do not have a single verse of the Bible translated. Those languages represent 350 million people who have no access to the Word of God.
It took Andrew Sav, David Carnell, and Andrew "Carnsey" Carnell from August 24 to November 11 to complete the 19-mile journey. It took a total of 80 days: 64 days of walking and 16 days of rest. Along the way from Cairns, Australia to Stanthorpe, Australia, the walkers held meetings in 35 towns to raise awareness about the need to translate the Bible for every tribe and tongue.
The trio also raised funds for projects supported by their two partners, Operation Mobilization and Wycliffe Bible Translators. OM's Ismaili translation project will support translation work for the Muslim Ismaili people of Tajikistan and Afghanistan. These people have no written Scripture in their own mother tongues.
Approximately the first $2000 of the project will finish the translation of two DVDs: a 90-minute claymation story of Jesus called "The Miracle Maker," and 2 half-hour testimonies of Muslims who became followers of Christ. The rest of the money will fund the ongoing work of Bible translation.
Pray for the Ismaili people. They live in an isolated location. Their spiritual leader, the Aga Khan, encourages them to have open minds and pursue education. They have very little access to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You can learn more about the work being done by e-mailing [email protected].
The other half of the funds raised by the 2000 walk will support Wycliffe Bible Translators Project VITAL (Vernacular Initiative for Translation and Literacy). This project involves bringing representatives from 12 village communities to four-week VITAL courses three times a year.
At the courses, the villagers work on translating the Bible and check their work with more experienced translators. So far, they have made progress on translating the books of Genesis, Acts, and the Gospel of Mark.
The walkers — Sav, Dave, and Carnsey — want people to be aware of the vast need for making God's Word available to every tribe and tongue and language. Before finishing their trek on November 11, they wrote the following words on their Web site:
"This world has a finish line. We don't know the exact day,but we do know that the Lord will come back soon. We have His promise in Revelation 7:9 that on that day, there will be ‘a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.' If the homecoming at the end of The 2000 Walk will be a time of great joy (and believe us, it will be!), then the final homecoming of the nations will be a million times more joyful."
