The Finish Line - Wycliffe Bible Translators

Dear friends,Hooting, chanting, and dancing, Ketengbanmen and women in Southeast Asia greetedtranslators Andrew and Anne Sims as theyreturned to the rural mountain village aftera long absence.Although Andrew and Anne were responsible for the Ketengban translationproject, and this was Anne’s first visit since the New Testament dedicationeleven years earlier, they hadn’t expected such an exuberant welcome.At the edge of the crowd, Andrew and Anne saw a small group of youngmen. Covered in white mud from head to toe, they stood silent andexpressionless, in stark contrast to the rest of the crowd.Village elders explained:Today we celebrate your return, Andrew and Anne—you who broughtGod’s words to us in our own language. But we don’t want to forgetwhat life was like before we had the Word, so we asked these youngmen to cover themselves with mud and to stand apart, silent andsomber. They represent the lives of all of us before we understoodGod’s words to us. We were like dead men walking. We didn’t knowGod or His Son. We lived in guilt and fear and constant warfare,always under the power of the evil spirits who terrified us and causedus to fear one another.Now we are alive in Christ and free from our dark past. But ourchildren don’t remember what it was like to be outsiders and walkas dead men, because they were born after the coming of God’s words.We want them to understand our past so they will fully value whatthey have with Jesus and always give thanks to God.What a privilege it is to share God’s Word with millions of people like theKetengban, in a language and form they can clearly understand, and to seethe hope and transformation it brings to entire communities.3

The people groups represented in this issue of The Finish Line will soonshare this life-changing experience as their translation projects arecompleted. This important time requires much prayer as projects oftenexperience significant setbacks leading up to the completion of Scripture.We stand at a pivotal time in the history of Bible translation. The currentrate of Bible translation is truly unprecedented. God has sanctified HisWord and, I believe, is multiplying our efforts. Faithful partners likeyou stand with us and are paving the way for Wycliffe’s mission: to seea Bible translation program in progress for every language still needingone by 2025. Thank you for your dedication to the Bibleless people of theworld. This year, let’s continue to pray that God will bring new hope tocommunities as they receive His Word for the first time in a languageand form they can clearly understand.Warmly,Bob CresonPresidentWycliffe USA4

Delivered Through Prayer,Dedicated to GodBibles were arranged in neat piles on the tables, but they didn’t last long.On a warm summer day in Plateau State, Nigeria, men, women, and children—mostly Berom speakers—gathered to celebrate something special, somethingnew. They had come together to dedicate the good news in their language,and to get their own copies of it.Following decades of hard work, a Berom translation team had completed allsixty-six books of the Bible. Now God’s Word was finally available in the Beromlanguage. From a stage decorated with banners and ribbons, a Berom speakertold his community, “We have no more excuses to say, ‘I don’t understand.’”Translation workers watched as the Bibles sold quickly. People handed overa thousand naira (roughly seven U.S. dollars) in exchange for the Book—asignificant sacrifice for the average Nigerian, and a testament to the high valuethey place on the newly available Scripture.Once the neat piles vanished, boxes were brought out with more Bibles, andeach box was emptied and the contents sold within a minute of its opening.That day was more than a Bible dedication—it was a spiritual victory. Like anyother Bible translation project, there had been many obstacles to overcome,and even at the finish line, it took countless prayers to get the Berom Bibleinto the hands of the people.Printed in Korea, the Berom Bibles arrived in Nigeria more than three monthsbefore the scheduled dedication but were detained at the port of entry. Asdedication day approached, the Bibles still had not been released. Importationfees were higher than expected, and problems with paperwork kept the Biblesinaccessible. The Berom translation team united with colleagues and prayerpartners around the world, pleading with God to move men’s hearts and usherHis truth to the Berom community.Three days before the dedication, all thirty thousand Berom Bibles werereleased and loaded onto trucks for the two-day journey to Plateau State.The Bibles arrived at midnight, the morning of the dedication.5

How to use this prayer guideThe language projects listed in this guide are arranged first by location, thenalphabetically by language name. You can pray through the projects one byone, or focus on a particular country or area for a given time. The map onthe next page serves as an index for the languages listed by country.There are a number of components included in each project listing to helpyou pray more specifically.LocationPartnersLanguage namePopulationNAHUATL, SOUTHEASTERN PUEBLA; Americas; 92,000; Ralph and Judy.Pray for the audio recordings of the 22 different voices in the New Testament.Pray for the typesetting of the New Testament in 2010 and for subsequentpublishing and recording. Ask God to use His Word to enrich the lives of theSoutheastern Puebla speakers.www.faithcomesbyhearing.com; www.jesusfilm.orgWeb sites for additional informationSuggested prayer topics7

RussiaPages 31–32BurkinaFasoPage 11SpainPage 32SenegalPages 26–27SierraLeonePage 27Côted’IvoirePage 16MaliPage 21GhanaPage 20TogoPage 28nigeriaPages 22–26CameroonPages 11–14ChadPages 15–16CentralAfricanRepublicPage 14DemocraticRepublic ofthe CongoPages 16–18SudanPage 27UgandaPage 28EthiopiaPages 18–19KenyaPages 20–21TanzaniaPages 27–28MalawiPage 21NamibiaPage 22MozambiquePages 21–228

How do I Pray for TranslationProjects Nearing Completion?Every translation project is unique, but many face similar challenges and obstacles.You are welcome to use this list of prayer points to help you begin and focus.PR AY FOR THE PEOPLETranslation teams and their families are vulnerable at this time. Pray for theirstamina and health. Pray that their focus would remain on Jesus, despite thechallenges that will come. Pray for their hearts to be encouraged by one another.PR AY FOR THE PROCessPray for trained consultant checkers. Pray for the involvement andconsensus of church denominations on the wording, writing, and printingof the translation. Pray for the final proofreading process, asking God tocorrect any errors that would mar the translation. Pray for the technologyinvolved in every project so that it would not hinder the finished product.PR AY FOR PROTECTIONPray for those involved with translation projects operating in secrecy. Prayfor peace in areas affected by subversive political forces. Pray for provision inthe event of hurricanes, cyclones, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.Pray for the courage and strength of mother-tongue speakers in the eventof persecution.PR AY FOR THE PrinTINGPray for the typesetters, who often work in a language they do not understand,that they may be accurate and maintain the integrity of the translation. Prayfor availability of paper. Pray for the printers as they work to ensure thatinking, pagination, and binding result in clear and durable books. Pray thatthe published books will be delivered in God’s perfect power and timing.“It is the same with my Word. I send it out, and it alwaysproduces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and itwill prosper everywhere I send it.” —Isaiah 55:10–11 (NLT)For more tools to guide you in your prayers for projects nearing completion,as well as other helpful prayer resources, visit www.wycliffe.org/pray.9

AfricaNOTE: The Finish Line is a quick-access resource to help you pray more effectivelyfor translations that are within three years of publication or arrival to a languagegroup. For deeper prayer points and updated information, visit a Web site(s) is listedunder some language group. Unless otherwise noted, each project is for a completetranslation of the New Testament.Burkina FasoBUAMU; Burkina Faso; 186,000. Pray that nothing will hinder the team orconsultants from accomplishing the final checking and then the typesettingof the translation in 2011. Pray for the health of all concerned. Ask the Lordto provide stamina and protection during their travels, especially in therainy season when the risks are increased.CERMA; Burkina Faso; 63,100. Praise God that the team has reached thelast stage of the revision. Pray for sharp minds as they complete the finalScripture read-through and computer checks in January and February 2011.Pray that the text will be ready for typesetting in March 2011 and that thegroundwork will be laid for the dedication celebration in the dry season, late2011 or early 2012.DAGAR A; Burkina Faso; 80,000. Ask God for wisdom as the teamtranslates the Scriptures in a way that is both clear and culturally relevantto the Dagara people. Pray that potential readers will jump in with bothfeet! www.theseedcompany.orgCameroonAKOOSE language, BAKOSSI people; Cameroon; 60,000. Pray for theBakossi team members as they work toward typesetting in 2010. Praythat the translation will make it through the remaining publication processunhindered. www.theseedcompany.orgOne of the 20 countries with the greatest remaining translation need.11

DENYA language, ANYANG people; Cameroon; 20,000. Dedicated onDecember 18, 2010. www.theseedcompany.orgHDI; Cameroon; 25,000. Pray for careful checking of the text by thetranslation team and consultants as they look for corrections or revisionsthat need to be made. Pray for adequate consultant help when each bookis ready for the checking process. Pray that the Scriptures will continue tospeak to those involved in the checking process and that they will not bediscouraged by the amount of work.JIMI; Cameroon; 3,500. Pray for the team members who are workingwith consultants, carefully checking the text for accuracy and clarity andmaking corrections or revisions. Pray for adequate consultant help. Praythat the team will be encouraged by the Scriptures as they work through thechecking process.KENYanG language, BAYANGI people; Cameroon; 65,000.Dedicated on December 19, 2010.LAMNSO’; Cameroon; 125,000. Pray that the Old Testamenttranslation can be completed in 2011. Pray that a revision of the NewTestament will be completed quickly so dedication celebrations for bothcan take place in 2013. Pray for the translation consultant whose wifedied in 2009. Ask for God’s blessing on his new marriage as they begintheir life together early in 2011.MAKAA; Cameroon; 80,000. Praise God that the “JESUS” film equipmenthas been repaired. Thank the Lord for two churches that showed the filmlast year. Pray that other churches will start to use this powerful tool. Praisethe Lord that the first draft of the New Testament is proceeding throughchecking and editing sessions. Pray that many church leaders will join theteam as they revise and polish the text before the typesetting process begins.MBUKO; Cameroon; 13,000. Dedication in January 2011.MEREY; Cameroon; 10,000. Praise God that the New Testament has beendrafted. Pray that nothing will hinder the checking process, which willtake place over the next couple of years. Now that the Scriptures are in themother tongue, Pray that they will find a place in the hearts of the people.12Arrows denote translations that were recently completed.

META’; Cameroon; 87,000. Pray for team members as they work to preparethe translation for final checking sessions. The many responsibilities thatlie ahead would be daunting to most people. Pray that team members willexperience His outstanding peace and wisdom as they work toward thecompletion of the translation in 2012.MUYANG; Cameroon; 30,000. Praise God that the New Testament hasbeen drafted. Pray that nothing will hinder consultant checking and otherchecking processes prior to typesetting, which is planned for 2012. Pray thatmother-tongue Scripture will be put to use and find a way into the hearts ofthe people. Pray that they will “put on salvation as [their] helmet, and takethe sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17, NLT).NOONE; Cameroon; 25,000. Praise God that this New Testamenttranslation has been competed! Pray for God’s blessing on all whocontributed to the work. Pray for the typesetting process planned forJanuary 2011. Pray that the people will “study this Book of Instructioncontinually. Meditate on it day and night so [they] will be sure to obeyeverything written in it” (Joshua 1:8a, NLT).One of the 20 countries with the greatest remaining translation need.13

NUGUNU; Cameroon; 40,000. Pray for spiritual growth for every Nugunuspeakingperson who claims the name of Jesus. Ask God to use His Word tospeak to hearts—theirs and the translation team’s! Pray that nothing willhinder the consulting process, which is taking place in another location. Theteam wants to stay on schedule to complete the New Testament in 2014.www.oneverse.orgOKU; Cameroon; 40,000. Pray for God’s perfect solution to the team’scomputer problems. Pray that they will be able to fix an old computer andbuy a new one. Pray for a way to meet their desired completion date in 2012.Pray that the Lord “will put [His] instructions deep within them, and writethem on their hearts” so that He “will be their God, and they will be [His]people” (Jeremiah 31:33, NLT).VAME; Cameroon; 8,500. Praise God that the translation text has beendrafted. Pray that nothing will hinder the completion of the checkingprocess prior to typesetting, which is planned for 2012. Pray that the Vamepeople will use the mother-tongue Scriptures, and that their truths will finda way into their hearts.WUZLAM; Cameroon; 10,500. Praise God that the New Testament hasbeen drafted. Pray that nothing will hinder the completion of checkingprocesses prior to typesetting in 2012. Pray that mother-tongue Scripturewill be put to use and find a way into the hearts of the people.YAMBETA; Cameroon; 3,700. Ask God to provide a large office space sothe whole team can work together. They are striving to complete the NewTestament translation by 2014. Pray for wisdom and grace; team memberswant their lives to model biblical principles for their families and community.Pray for more literacy workers throughout the widespread language area.Central aFrican RepublicSANGO; Central African Republic; 350,000; Bibles International. Pray forgood progress with the corrections, revisions, and proofreadingso that printing and publishing can proceed on schedule in 2012. Ask Godto open people’s hearts so they will believe and serve others when they hearGod’s Word. “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety ofspiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10, NLT).14Arrows denote translations that were recently completed.

ChadBEDJOND; Chad; 36,000. Pray for the team as they go through theconsultant-checking process. Pray for God’s grace when the fluctuatingelectricity supply makes it difficult to use the computer while they are inthe village. Pray that the typesetting can take place in July 2011.CHADIAN araBIC; Chad; 896,000. Pray that the New Testament willbe finished within the next two years. Praise God that His Word will soonbe accessible in this language and used in many of the churches.DANGALÉAT; Chad; 45,000. Praise God that the team has made goodprogress. Pray for the remaining checking and reviewing of the SynopticGospels and biblical key terms. Give thanks for good working relationships andmutual respect among team members. Pray that typesetting will take place inAugust 2011. Praise God that the Dangaléat Oral Bible Story project has begun.KENGA; Chad; 40,000. Pray for team members as they review the finalbooks. Pray for the Lord’s help as they try to balance many responsibilities.Pray that the typesetting work can begin in June 2011. Pray, too, for God’sOne of the 20 countries with the greatest remaining translation need.15

wisdom as team members begin contemplating their next steps after thetranslation is finished.KUO; Chad; 15,000. Pray that team members will persevere and continueto experience joy during the remaining consultant-checking process. Praythat they will meet the typesetting date scheduled in 2012. Praise God forthe Scripture-use courses the team has created for each book. Pray thatpastors, evangelists, and other church leaders will use the materials. Also,Praise God that literacy is accelerating among the young people.Côte d’IvoireDJIMINI; Côte d’Ivoire; 85,000. Pray for the team leader, who is now atranslation consultant for other teams and is working toward his master’sdegree. Pray that the team will work well in his absence and complete thetranslation of the entire Bible into the Djimini language by 2014. Pray forGod’s special protection over the team. Every member has suffered illnessin the last year. They have also faced frequent electrical and communicationdisruptions due to the unresolved political conflict in Ivory Coast.www.theseedcompany.orgJULA; Côte d’Ivoire; 179,000. The typesetting of the Jula Bible is scheduledto take place in 2011. Please pray for the main translator and revisers as theyread through the whole Bible once more, looking for any inconsistencies.Pray for protection for the team physically, emotionally, and spiritually.Continue to pray for peace and stability in the Ivory Coast, as the countrywaits for elections and reunification.Democratic Republic of the CongoLOGO; Democratic Republic of the Congo; 200,000. Praise God for thesuccessful move of the translation team to a different town, alleviatingchallenges in communication and administration. Maintaining adequatehousing for the translators’ families continues to be difficult. Please praythat this situation will soon be remedied. The consultants now expect tofinish their checking by 2012 so that the work can be published in 2013.www.theseedcompany.orgMAYOGO; Democratic Republic of the Congo; 100,000. Pray that thisteam will be able to complete the translation in 2012. Praise the Lord16Arrows denote translations that were recently completed.

that believers are starting to sing to Him in their language. Pray for teammembers as they promote the Bible translation project to various churches.Praise God that excitement is growing among the churches as the projectnears completion. www.theseedcompany.orgMBANDJA Bible; Democratic Republic of the Congo; 362,000. Pray thatthe team will have the strength to finalize and proofread the entire NewTestament. Praise God for providing funds for printing the New Testament.Pray that they will be able to hold the dedication celebration in 2012. www.theseedcompany.orgTA ABWA; Democratic Republic of the Congo; 382,000; The Word ForThe World. New Testament completed in 2010.TA ABWA; Democratic Republic of the Congo; 250,000; The Word For TheWorld. Pray for the Old Testament translation team, which is working toachieve publication in 2012. Pray that God’s Word will get to the people;some villages are reached only by bicycle. Pray as Jesus did: “Make themholy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 17:17, NLT).One of the 20 countries with the greatest remaining translation need.17

UBANGI cluster—MONO, NGBANDI-NGiri, and PAGABETElanguages; Democratic Republic of the Congo; 393,000. Pray through thefollowing Scripture verse for these team members, who have set a goal tocomplete their work by 2013: “Work hard so you can present yourself to Godand receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to beashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, NLT).www.theseedcompany.orgEthiopiaBAsKeTO; Ethiopia; 57,800. Praise God for consultants from the BibleSociety who are in the final stages of checking this translation. Pray forthe timely completion of introductions for each of the books. Ask God toprovide the funds needed to print the translation. Pray for the translators,who are starting Bible school in the fall. They will need to complete the finalread-through of the Bible during their schooling.ETHIOPia cluster—GAMO, GOfa, and DAWRO languages;Ethiopia;1,236,000. New Testaments dedications are planned for early 2011.www.theseedcompany.orgETHIOPia cluster—GAMO, GOfa, and DAWRO languages; Ethiopia;1,236,000. Pray for more consultants to be available to check the OldTestament. The team wants to complete the translation by 2013. Pray for aresolution to electrical problems that sometimes hinder the work. Pray fordevelopment of a literacy project to help with Scripture use.www.theseedcompany.orgHADIYYA; Ethiopia; 595,107. Pray this Scripture back to God on behalf ofthis team: “Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light willshine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as brightas noon. The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when youare dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden,like an ever-flowing spring” (Isaiah 58:10-11, NLT).K AMBAATA; Ethiopia; 570,000. Praise God for mother-tongue translatorswho are drafting, editing, and checking some of the Old Testament books.Praise God that the Bible Society of Ethiopia is printing New Testaments inthe traditional Ethiopic script and the now “official” Roman script. Pray for18Arrows denote translations that were recently completed.

the typesetting process. Pray, too, for God’s perfect provision for some ofthe translators, whose churches are having financial difficulties.KOORETE; Ethiopia; 104,000. Praise the Lord that this translation hasbeen completed! Pray that funding for printing the New Testament will belocated. Pray that a dedication celebration can take place by the end of 2011or beginning of 2012.MAJanG; Ethiopia; 15,300. Pray for this fledgling team as they delveinto the depths of God’s Word. Pray that consultants will be available inGod’s perfect timing, that the team’s health will be excellent, and that officemachinery will work properly. The team hopes to finish in 2014.www.theseedcompany.orgSIDAMO; Ethiopia; 2,900,000. Praise God that the team has finished theOld Testament and is currently revising the New Testament. Pray that theywill have great wisdom as they proceed without an advisor. Pray for onetranslator who began Bible school in September and will need to help withthe final editing activities while he is going to school.One of the 20 countries with the greatest remaining translation need.19

GhanaCHUMBURUNG; Ghana; 69,000. Dedicated on November 25, 2010.NAWURI; Ghana; 14,000; Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy andBible Translation. Pray that this project team will have God’s strength topersevere. The Nawuri people are eager to hear God’s Word in their ownlanguage. Pray for protection over the team as they ride their bicycleseverywhere! Their completion goal is 2011. http://www.globalpartnerlink.ca/index.php/project_detail2/nawuri/NKONYA; Ghana; 28,000; Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacyand Bible Translation. Dedicated on November 20, 2010.WA ALII; Ghana; 138,000; Bibles International. Dedicated on May 29, 2010.KenyaRENDILLE; Kenya; 34,700; Africa Inland Mission. As this team workstoward their publication date in 2013, pray that they will be encouragedby these Scriptures: “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable,and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things thatare excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8, NLT), and “… thissame God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His gloriousriches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, NLT).SAMBURU cluster—SAMBURU and ILCHAMUS languages; Kenya;190,000. Praise God for the opportunity He has opened up for Scripturereading on the local radio station. Pray for the team as they do otherScripture-use training and work toward their goal of completing theNew Testaments in 2014. www.theseedcompany.orgSUBA; Kenya; 90,000. Dedication is expected in late 2010 or early 2011.www.theseedcompany.orgTHARAKA; Kenya; 112,000. Pray for this team as they explore thepossibility of completing the consultant checking remotely. They urgentlyneed consultant help, but no one is available locally. Pray also for an20Arrows denote translations that were recently completed.

additional translator so drafting and other translation tasks can beaccomplished more quickly. www.theseedcompany.orgMalawiLAMBYA; Malawi; 45,000. Praise God that the New Testament has beencompleted and a dedication celebration is pending. Pray for team memberswho are currently working through the Old Testament. Praise God thatlocal choirs are now composing and singing in their own language.MaliDOGON; Mali; 600,000. Dedicated in January 2011.www.theseedcompany.orgMozambiqueMWANI language, KIMWani people; Mozambique; 100,000. Praise Godthat the final checking of the New Testament is happening now. TypesettingOne of the 20 countries with the greatest remaining translation need.21

OKPHELA; Nigeria; 100,000. Praise God that the consultant checkinghas been completed for this New Testament. However, much testing andreviewing work still remains. Pray that the team will have God’s grace toface the final work needed for typesetting with diligence and fortitude.www.theseedcompany.orgPIDGIN, niGerian; Nigeria; 1,000,000. This New Testament projectis continuing to advance. Work continues simultaneously on the OldTestament translation. Pray that the translators will progress well as theywork toward getting the New Testament ready for recording. Pray for therecording process. www.theseedcompany.orgTER A; Nigeria; 100,000. Translation work for this team continues steadily.Pray for the team members, who must balance numerous personal andcommunity responsibilities with translation tasks. Pray for literacyadvancement in preparation for the New Testament’s arrival in 2012.Pray that the truths of the life-transforming Word of God will impactTera people at the point of their need. www.theseedcompany.orgTYAP language, K ATAF people; Nigeria; 130,000. Pray that translatorswill continue to have the necessary consultant help for checking this fullydrafted New Testament. Pray that they will stay on track through the longchecking process. Praise God for the team’s commitment to producing ahigh-quality translation. www.theseedcompany.orgSenegalBUDIK; Senegal; 3,375; New Tribes Mission. Praise God that consultantshave checked all of the New Testament. Pray for the revisions being madeon books that were translated many years ago. Pray, too, for correspondingteaching lessons that need to be written. Ask God to stir up interest forthe translated Scriptures in the hearts of believers who cannot read. Praythat they will see the benefit of learning about and reading God’s Word forthemselves. www.ntm.orgMANDINK A; Senegal; 1,346,000; Bible Society in Gambia. OldTestament completed in 2010. www.gowestafrica.orgMANINK AK AN, WESTern; Senegal and Mali; 495,270; New TribesMission. Completion of the New Testament has been delayed. Pray that26Arrows denote translations that were recently completed.

this translation project will move forward despite delays. Please pray thatleaders who have a desire to teach and encourage others will emerge fromamong believers. Pray that the church will be strengthened in its faith andbecome grounded in the Word. Pray that believers will stand strong in theface of opposition.Sierra LeoneKRIO; Sierra Leone; 478,000. The Krio New Testament was published in1984. Pray for the translation team, which is working hard to prepare theOld Testament manuscript for printing in early 2011. The nation of SierraLeone will celebrate its fifty-year anniversary in 2011. Please pray, alongwith the Sierra Leone Bible Society, that translators will be able to launchthe Krio Bible during the national celebration.THEMNE; Sierra Leone; 1,230,000. Ask God to give this team renewedenergy to finish up the Bible translation by early 2011. One translatorsuffered major health issues, and the responsibility now lies primarilywith one remaining translator and the consultant.SudanANUAK; Sudan; 97,600; Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus(EECMY). Pray that workers are able to attend to the final translationdetails so this Bible may go to press soon. Pray for God’s precious Anuakpeople, who are eagerly waiting to hear the hope of God’s eternal promises.www.eecmy.orgSHILLUK language, Collo people; Sudan; 175,000. United BibleSocieties is expecting that the printed Bible will be on its way to the Collopeople by the end of 2010. Pray that His Word will speak loud and clear andthat literacy efforts will continue. Pray that the people will understand they“do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from themouth of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 8:3b, NLT).TanzaniaLUGURU; Tanzania; 789,000; The Word For The World, Pioneer BibleTranslators, United Bible Societies. Pray that the hearts of the people willOne of the 20 countries with the greatest remaining translation need.27

e open to hearing the gospel in their own language. Pray for successfulliteracy and Scripture-impact efforts. Pray for good health and safety forthe national translators.TogoNGANGAM language, GANGAM people; Togo; 46,000. Pray for thetypesetting of the New Testament taking place in Cameroon. Pray foreveryone involved, especially the translators and their families. Pray thatthe Lord will bless the preparations for the New Testament dedication.Recently, there have been changes in personnel that may have an impact onthe preparations. The dedication is scheduled for autumn 2011. Pray thatthe Lord will create even more desire among churches and Christians forHis Word in their language.UgandaLUBWISI; Uganda; 84,000. Praise God that He has not forgotten theLubwisi speakers. Thank Him for pastors who are preaching from translatedportions. Give thanks that the people are engaged in healthy literacyprograms in preparation for receiving the precious Word of God in theirlanguage during 2011. www.theseedcompany.org; www.thetask.net/bwisiLUGUNGU language, BAGUNGU people; Uganda; 49,000. Pray for astrong person to replace the chairman who died this year. Pray that Godwill quickly bring more teammates to finish checking the translation.Thank the Lord for the recognition this work is bringing to the culture ofthe Bagungu people. Now they are seeing that they can commune genuinelywith God in their own language.www.theseedcompany.orgWest aFricaAHUZAM; West Africa. Completed in 2010.AMIYA; West Africa; 2,000,000. This team is in the midst of recording theNew Testament. Pray for success in this endeavor as they work toward their2011 completion goal. Praise God that the Amiya people will soon be hearingGod speak to them in their own language! www.theseedcompany.org28Arrows denote translations that were recently completed.

NOON; West Africa; 25,000. Pray for this project, which is so close to thefinish line but facing unanticipated delays. Thankfully these do not surpriseour magnificent God. Pray for the final editing of the glossary, spellingcorrections in the post-literacy booklets, and planning of Scripture-useactivities in anticipation of the arrival of the New Testament in 2011.www.theseedcompany.orgYALUNK A; West Africa; 90,000. Pray that the Bible will be printed in 2011.Pray that the dramatized audio version of the New Testament, coupled withthe print version of the whole Bible, will greatly impact church growth. Praythat the Yalunka people will “write [his words] deep within [their] heart”(Proverbs 7:3, NLT).One of the 20 countries with the greatest remaining translation need.29

EuropeCOLOR ADO; Europe. Praise God that translators have made goodprogress. The New Testament is finished, and the team hopes to have theOld Testament ready for printing by the end of 2011. Pray for their success.Pray especially that the Colorado people will be eager to read God’s Word intheir heart language.E; Europe. Praise God that the Gospel of John booklet is ready for printingand that audio CDs of the gospel are ready for duplication. Pray for creativedistribution methods and that people will be receptive to the message intheir language. Pray as well for the next project—a recording of an OldTestament story in both audio drama and film formats.SINTE; throughout Europe; 200,000. Praise the Lord that the NewTestament is in the publication process! Pray that the Sinte people will beopen to receiving the Word of God. Pray that many will desire to read intheir mother tongue, and that through reading the translated Scriptures,their lives will be changed and their hearts strengthened. Continue to prayfor the distribution of Scriptures in non-print forms, such as the “JESUS”film, the Acts of the Apostles film, and others.TABASSARAN; throughout Europe; 128,900. Completed in March 2010.www.ibtrussia.orgRussiaBASHKIR; Russia; 1,451,340. As translation team members check theNew Testament for accuracy and verify that the wording sounds natural tomother-tongue speakers, pray that they will continue working well together.Pray for the Lord’s protection and His joy and strength to the end.www.ibtrussia.orgBURYAT; Russia; 445,175. Completed in November 2010. www.ibtrussia.orgOne of the 20 countries with the greatest remaining translation need. 31

CACHE; Russia; 1,330,000. Translation team members live in severaldifferent locations and communicate across many time zones. Thank theLord for enabling them to overcome numerous obstacles during the courseof their work. Pray for a clear path to typesetting, printing, and distributionin 2011. Ask God to send out His Word to the Cache people and to cause itto produce much fruit for His glory.NOGAI; Russia; 90,130. Ask the Lord to guide every step of the process asmother-tongue translators strive to meet publication deadlines in 2011 andbring the world’s greatest message to their people. Pray for the translationconsultants who are working alongside these translators to help make theNew Testament text clear and natural sounding. www.ibtrussia.orgTATar; Russia; 6,496,600. Praise God that the remaining Old Testamentbooks are nearly completed. Once they are finished, the previously translatedNew Testament will be checked for consistency of terms and names, andconsistency in parallel passages. Pray that the checking will result in areadable text. But most of all, pray for effective communication among teammembers, who are from several different countries. Pray that they will havethe motivation to press on and that they will enjoy good health and safety.Pray there will be no hindrance to publishing the Scriptures in 2012, andthat this work may honor the Lord. www.ibtrussia.orgTUVIN; Russia; 235,000. Bible scheduled for publication in 2011.www.ibtrussia.orgSpainAR AGOnese; Spain; 30,000. Pray without ceasing for personnel who areinvolved in preparing the New Testament for publication and delivery. Praythat Aragonese speakers will hunger for God’s truth and receive His Wordinto their hearts when it arrives.NOSSA FALA; Spain; 10,500. Pray diligently for the mother-tonguetranslator who has severe health problems; he desires to participate fullyuntil the work is finished. Praise God that the final draft of the NewTestament was completed and checked in 2010. Pray for keen eyes tospot any final corrections that may be needed before publishing in 2011.32 Arrows denote translations that were recently completed.

What’s Next?Choosing to spend time in prayer for the language projects presented inThe Finish Line is hard work as well as heart work. Once people make thisinvestment in the building of God’s kingdom, they are likely to ask thequestion, “What’s next?” Many want to expand their involvement into theareas of donating and serving.For those individuals able to provide funding for a language project,online giving is available by writing online_giving_orlando@wycliffe.org.You can also contact us at 1-800-WYCLIFFE (1-800-992-5433 ext. 3705).Some of our prayer partners have rallied their Sunday schoolclasses to organize a fundraising event. We never cease to be amazedby the creativity of God’s people.Interested in taking a short-term trip to witness translation work up close?We encourage you to visit www.wycliffe.org and click on the Go section.You’ll find a variety of programs, all designed to help you dig deeper intothe world of Bible translation and literacy work.You might be ready to take the first step toward membership. Go towww.wycliffe.org and click on Go. Then click the button titled Ready to Serve.Your continued prayers are always welcome. Wycliffe’s Prayer Ministriesdepartment can equip you to pray for a language community where thereis no work in progress. You can sign up for the Bibleless Peoples PrayerProject online by visiting www.wycliffe.org and clicking on the Praysection, or by calling 1-800-WYCLIFFE (1-800-992-5433 ext. 3870).33

“The Bible itself is now clearly out ofcontrol in many parts of the world....Once people get the Bible in their ownlanguage, you can readily expect whatin most cases will be an explosivegrowth of faith movements to Christ.”–Ralph Winter, founder of theU.S. Center for World Mission,Mission Frontiers, Sept./Oct. 2006PMPUB1275Wycliffe Bible TranslatorsP.O. Box 628200Orlando, FL 32862-82001-800-WYCLIFFE(1-800-992-5433)www.wycliffe.org