Annual Review Year ended 30 September 2019
A man reads the Giryama Bible at the launch in April 2019
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD
‘The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.’ Psalm 119:130 At a time of much uncertainty and darkness in our complex world, it is so wonderful to know the truth and promises in God’s word, which is good news for all people. At the heart of all we do at Wycliffe is our great desire to ensure that everyone can hear God speak to them, as they engage with the Bible in their own language. This year more people than ever can read about Jesus in their own language. I was very touched by the story of Mercy – pictured on the cover – who read from the Bible at the launch of the Giryama Bible in Kenya, and afterwards said that she couldn’t wait to read the Bible to her parents, who can’t read it for themselves. She is the first generation of Giryama children to grow up able to read the Bible in their language. It has been such a joy to see this and a number of other Bible and New Testament launches this year. Yet we face a great challenge, knowing that 1 in 5 people
around the world are still without the Bible in their language. This is why Wycliffe continues to work with passion and urgency, so that more generations will grow up following Jesus.
We are also thankful to all our people for their wonderful enthusiasm, dedication and perseverance, often working in difficult and demanding circumstances.
Bible translation wouldn’t happen without you. We are immensely grateful to all of you who partner with us in supporting this ministry. We are truly blessed to have so many individuals, churches and trusts walking with us and sharing our desire that all peoples will be able to have the Bible in their own language. Thank you to you all.
May the Lord bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
David Steinegger Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
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The Kyela Church in Tanzania, where the Nyakyusa New Testament launch was held in May 2019
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The ministry of Bible translation is playing a significant role in the growth of churches around the world. The Kyela Church in Tanzania (left), where the Nyakyusa New Testament launch was held in May (see page 18), is growing so much that a new building is being built around and over the old building. The church is people, not buildings. Yet the growth that makes this type of rebuilding necessary is one of the effects of people being able to hear about Jesus in the language they know best. Bible translation is one of the most significant parts of world mission. We are humbled by the way that God continues to use the work of Wycliffe to grow his Church, to draw people to him, and to enable those who are already Christians to deepen their walk with Jesus through being able to engage
with the Bible in the language they know best. Over the past year we have continued to build Wycliffe into an organisation that can fulfil the vital purpose God has called us to and that is able to sustain – and accelerate – the urgent work of Bible translation around the world. The giving and praying of our supporters is the foundation upon which Bible translation work is built. Thank you for your generosity in and commitment to being part of God’s work in this way.
In the coming year, we hope to be able to do even more. We’re asking God to provide more people to pray, more people who can give, and more people to serve with us, so that churches will continue to grow and so that many more of the 1 in 5 people without the Bible will soon know the joy and hope of having God’s word in their language.
James Poole Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
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ada Wycliffe C an an Hood/ Photos: Al
A man in the country where Ibrahim* lives and Leoma* is spoken
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
‘We are talking about human beings, and lost human beings – they have the right to know about what God says, and they will only understand it when it is in their language, which talks to their heart. Bible translation is a dangerous thing. We know it, but we take up the challenge for the simple reason that we are interested in those people for whom the Lord gave his life. If God loves the whole world, then the Leoma* people are included, but how will they know that God loves them if they do not have the message in their language? That is what keeps us going.’ Ibrahim* Translator for the Leoma* people in West Asia *names changed for security reasons
Children riding horses at sunset in the country where Leoma* is spoken
Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
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The Deputy President of Kenya, Dr William Ruto, hands a copy of the Giryama Bible to Rev Johana Karisa.
Rev Karisa was among the founding committee members of the Giryama translation project. He is now 94 and has waited for the Bible all his life. He said that ‘having the Giryama Bible is a prayer come true for me’.
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
Light has come to this land through the Bible ‘The tool that we are putting in the hands of the Giryama people today is the only thing that can bring a lasting transformation in their lives,’ Rev Peter Munguti, the director of BTL (Bible Translation and Literacy), our partners in Kenya, said at the launch of the Giryama Bible in Kenya last April. The Deputy President of Kenya, Dr William Ruto, was one of the over 2,500 people who joined in the celebrations. Ben, one of those present, said: ‘When I read the Bible in English or Swahili I am thinking in Giryama, so it is hard to make sense of it. Now I have it in my language I understand!’ The launch of the Giryama Bible is the result of a project begun in the 1980s. The New Testament was completed in 2004, but thanks to the work of Bible translation teams in partnership with the local church, the Giryama people now have the whole Bible.
‘We are now no longer Bibleless. We will never walk again in darkness, because light has come to this land through the Bible.’ Rev Peter Munguti BTL director
Mercy reads Matthew 11:28 at the launch of the Giryama Bible (see the verse on the back page)
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The word of God has become my best friend and I sleep with my Bible in my bed Every week a group of women visit the female section of the prison in Jos, Nigeria, to lead a Scripture Listening and Reading Group. ‘We sit on benches in a square in the ladies’ compound.
There are around 12 to 15 women prisoners who come,’ says Helen Fisher, who works to encourage people to engage with the Bible in Nigeria. ‘Some are from a Christian background, but some come from a Muslim backgrounds.’ Engaging with the Bible in this way is changing these women. One women from a Muslim background – who has since been released from prison – said that ‘the word of God has become my best friend and I sleep with my Bible in my bed. And when I read it, I understand it.’
Nigerians being trained to lead Scripture Listening and Reading Groups
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
Four of the women have recently been baptised. ‘I think that baptisms are wonderful anywhere,’ Helen says. ‘But there was something very moving and significant about having them in the prison.’
One of the prisoners, called Esther, said that a friend had recently asked her: ‘Are you not angry that you are in prison?’ But Esther replied: ‘No, because I am in the better place for me. I never went to church and if an evangelist came around, I would lock my door and hide in my house.’
‘But now that I am in prison, I am hearing the word of God. And now my anger has turned to laughter.’
Two of the women who lead Bible studies in the prison in Jos
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Progress towards all peoples being able to engage with the
There are 7353 known living languages ar 698 of these have the Bible
up from 683 last year The Nyakyusa New Testament in Tanzania
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
1548 have the New Testament
up from 1534 last year
1 in 5 people are still waiting for the Bi
Bible in the language they know best
round the world... 1138 languages have Scripture selections and stories
up from 1133 last year
Bible translation is in progress
in at least 2617 languages
ible in the language they understand best
Reading the Gospel of Mark – the first part of the Bible translated into Nyankpa in Nigeria
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The word in Wamey has come to live among us The double launch of the Wamey New Testament in Guinea and Senegal took place in late December in Guinea and early January in Senegal. When he held the Wamey New Testament during the celebrations, Abbé Urbain noted that the dedications were so close to Christmas, the time of year when we celebrate Christ coming to live among us, and he said that ‘this year the word in Wamey has come down to live among us. It’s now our job to read it!’ About 500 people came to each launch to celebrate the Wamey people having the New Testament in both written and audio form. Having the audio version is particularly important as many Wamey people are more comfortable with listening to the Bible on their phones and radios than reading it.
Two Wamey children hold the New Testament
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
‘Producing an audio version to accompany the printed version was always a priority,’ says John Gieske, who works with Wycliffe in Senegal. Music and singing is also very important to the Wamey people, so over 20 Wamey musicians composed and recorded 54 songs based on New Testament passages.
‘Local radio stations host a Wamey slot during the week and will play the audio New Testament, as well as the songs based on the New Testament,’ John explains.
‘People listen to their radios, so there is a ready-made audience, which means that God’s word will reach more people.’
AbbĂŠ Urbain presents the Wamey New Testament
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Understanding God’s word will bring change Spread across three districts in western Tanzania, and one in northern Malawi, are the nearly one million people who speak Nyakyusa. Until this year they haven’t been able to read about Jesus in their language – but that has now changed with the launch of the Nyakyusa New Testament. ‘Even our children can understand the Scriptures,’ Pastor Edwin Kanyiki, one of the two Nyakyusa translators, said during the celebrations at the launch event in Tanzania in May.
His fellow translator, Andrew Mwamatandala, noted that having the New Testament in Nyakyusa would mean his people ‘now will be able to know God better’.
‘We worked hard and long, sometimes even at night,’ Pastor Kanyiki says, recalling the dedication of the translators. And why did they work so hard? Andrew explains, ‘Because we believe that understanding God’s word will bring change to our people, and to our community.’
‘I want people to read the New Testament. I want them to know Jesus.’ Celebrating the Nyakyusa New Testament
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
Andrew Mwamatandala Nyakyusa translator
Presenting the Nyakyusa New Testament
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Finances Accounts for year ended 30 September 2019 Programmes and partners
Supported people
Wycliffe also directly supports Bible translation projects and partners around the world:
The majority of people working with Wycliffe do not receive a salary. Instead they are supported through the giving of supporters and churches. This, along with expenditure on caring for our people and training needs, enables our people to do their work:
£1,260,000
15%
Expenditure £8,218,000
Advocacy Raising awareness of the need for Bible translation and communicating about the exciting work that God is doing:
£408,000
61%
£5,032,000
5% 8% 8% 3%
Raising funds and support Working to raise increased funding so we can expand the urgent work of Bible translation:
£649,000 18
Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
Office accommodation Supporting charitable costs Costs covering the governance and running of Wycliffe:
£637,000
For our offices in High Wycombe, Belfast, Edinburgh and Bridgend:
£232,000 These are draft unaudited accounts. Post audit, further financial information can be found in the final accounts, which are available on request. All numbers rounded to the nearest thousand.
Wycliffe’s expenditure has been higher than our income for two main reasons:
Churches
Individuals
Serving churches is central to all that Wycliffe does. We are grateful for the 587 churches that gave to Wycliffe:
We are thankful for the 6,713 individuals who gave to Wycliffe last year:
£1,623,000
£3,776,000
22%
51%
Income £7,401,000
Other Additional income from charitable activities, events, investments, interest and other sources:
4% 9%
14%
£286,000
Legacies
Trusts and Organisations
We thank God for those who left a legacy to Wycliffe:
We also thank God for the 183 trusts, foundations and other organisations that give to Wycliffe:
£686,000
£1,030,000
A significant amount of legacy income from previous years has been delivered to translation programmes around the world this year. As part of our strategic plan, we are investing in raising support for Wycliffe. This is necessary as translation programmes are frequently delayed, and new programmes postponed, because of insufficient funding. We are working hard to raise more funding so that we can fulfil the purpose to which God has called us – translating the Bible for the 1 in 5 people who are still waiting for the Bible in their language.
Thank you to all who support the work of Wycliffe – we are grateful to God for our valued supporters. Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
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Three Shekkacho young people read from the New Testament at the launch
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
The number of people who are coming to church has doubled Having the gospel in their language is making a huge difference for the Shekkacho people of Ethiopia. Five years ago the Shekkacho Gospel of Mark was first printed. At that time all the activities of the life of the church were done in the national language and then translated into Shekkacho. So there was some resistance to using the Shekkacho translation of Mark. Then the translation team had the idea of distributing the Gospel of Mark amongst school students as it was one of the few books available for them to read in Shekkacho. When the translation advisor visited the area again for the launch of the Shekkacho New Testament in May he was surprised to see that the number of people coming to church in the Shekkacho area had doubled.
When he asked what had happened the answer surprised him: ‘After the children received the Gospel of Mark they began to read it to their families and neighbours. Because of this the number of people regularly attending churches has doubled – and this happened in churches from all denominations.’ Since the launch of the Shekkacho New Testament, and after seeing how the church has grown because
people can read God’s word in their language, the decision has been made that church services will now be in Shekkacho and will only be translated into the national language when it is necessary. When asked what it means to have the New Testament in their language, two daughters of one of the translators said: ‘It is giving us a big joy, and a sense of unity among us.’
‘The Bible in the other languages touches our heart, but having a Bible in Shekkacho goes to the blood of our soul.’ A Shekkacho pastor Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
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The big story of redemption that flows throughout the Bible Training people to be able to engage more deeply with the Bible – and then to be able to help others do so as well – is a central part of Wycliffe’s work. In Tanzania, Katherine O’Donnell trains local Christians to help children and adults engage with the Bible in the languages they know best. She trains her local colleagues as well as people in village churches and in Bible colleges. In some situations, she has the opportunity to teach an
overview of the Bible: ‘My focus is on equipping the students to handle God’s word carefully, within the context of the big story of redemption that flows throughout the Bible,’ she explains. ‘Some of the feedback I’ve received shows just how important this teaching is.’ Students have said things like:
‘I’ve learned to tell the big story of the Bible from start to finish’ Students practise leading group Bible studies at a Bible college in Mshewe, Tanzania
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
‘I’ve come to understand how the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New’
Photo: Jacomine Verhoeff
One of Katherine’s colleagues, Konga, was involved in training pastors and others in April in the Kinga language area. The goal of the training was to equip key people in the community to be able to use the translated Scriptures, including basic skills like how to use crossreferences and footnotes. Afterwards, Katherine reports, ‘One pastor came to him with tears in her eyes, saying how important this training was.’
‘Before I didn’t know when different events in the Bible took place, and how they fitted together in history’
A woman and child practise reading Mark’s Gospel in the Malila language in Tanzania
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‘I praise God; I am grateful that he is using us to do this work. It would not be possible without your support. Thank you.’ June* Member of the Aldor* team working to engage people in Southeast Asia with the Bible.
Boys cycling in Southeast Asia *names changed for security reasons
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Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
Wycliffe Annual Review 2019
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April 2019
. Photo: Ru
th Tormey
Ndzoni kwangu ninwi nyosi musirimao, na murio mudzaremererwa Come to me, all ni mizigo, nami you who are weary nindamuoyeza and burdened, and I will give you rest Math’ayo 11:28
a after the
launch in
Matthew 11:28
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lding the G s while ho
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Cover: M ercy smile
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iryama Bi
ble in Keny
Matthew 11:28 in Giryama and English
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