Associating with the Associates!

This week, I’m writing this blog from Orlando, Florida where I’ve been invited to participate in the semi-annual board meeting of Wycliffe Associates.  Although I’ve known about WA for years, the past few months of starting to work with this mission in a part-time consulting capacity has given me a new appreciation for the amazing way they are impacting the world for the cause of Christ.

Not to be confused with Wycliffe Bible Translators (WBT) ,the organization that raises Bible translation funds in the US, or the Wycliffe Global Alliance, the international network of Wycliffe groups or SIL (Summer Institute of Linguists) the cadre of professional linguists who do a lot of the translation work, or even the Seed Company, the more recent newcomer that mobilizes indigenous, grass-roots Bible translation teams, WA is actually an independent organization, that is fully dedicated to support all of the above.

Co-located alongside WBT on a beautiful pond-filled property generously donated to the mission, WA has become second to few in its ability to mobilize volunteer men and women into second-career ministry work. Every year, some 3800 men and women (mostly over 55) all across the US become engaged in one way or another with WA, a huge number of whom will actually travel overseas to teach school, construct a new facility or install a generator. On top of that, WA raises virtually all of the funds necessary for these stalwart volunteers to accomplish their task—some thirteen million dollars worth!

Since my friend and former MAF colleague, Bruce Smith took over the CEO reigns of WA, this ministry has generated not only enough capacity to respond to the needs the various Wycliffe groups mentioned above, but now has room to spare for other national, indigenous church organization that are committed to translating God’s word into a language that needs it. As a result, WA has five full time Area Directors managing over 160 projects in their respective regions of the world.

One noteworthy example was last year when WA volunteer specialists installed over 70  satellite communication devices in places like Nigeria giving remote, national translation teams affordable, daily communication with their language consultant specialists in other parts of the world. University professor, Dr. Roger Morhlang, shared with me how this simple improvement alone has literally shaved months and maybe even years off of the Old Testament project he is consulting on with one of those Nigerian teams.

What will my role be with WA? To explore the organizational development needs of the most needy indigenous translation agencies and then mobilize some key professionals from among those 3800 volunteers who can provide training and coaching for those that can use it.

I wish I could share more of the stories I heard in the meetings today,  but I trust that this quick report stimulates you to learn more about the significant, behind-the-scenes efforts Wycliffe Associates is performing in the world of mission endeavor today.  (Check out http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/)