Translation Matters | Pitching In | February-March 2026
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
“Pitching In to Rise Together”
Every year I choose a theme for our team. Towards the end of the preceding year, I prayerfully begin to listen for words or phrases that might serve as a beacon for the season ahead—something that captures both God’s invitation to us and the posture we need to adopt together.
In late 2025, my ears pricked up when I heard the phrase “pitching in.” Something stirred in my spirit, and I began to explore it more deeply.
I watched a video showing how farmers move pitch or hay with a pitchfork. When one farmer works alone, the task is heavy and slow. But when others pitch in, the load becomes lighter and the work far more effective. That image immediately resonated with me—ministry is never meant to be a solo endeavour.
What intrigued me further was the play on the word pitch. Pitch is the substance used to seal a vessel, making it watertight. The earliest account of this appears in the story of Noah:
“Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood. You shall make the ark with compartments and smear pitch on it, both inside and out.” (Genesis 6:14)
There is something deeply instructive here. If we think about our own lives—and the life of our organisation—it is vital that the Word of God is applied to every aspect of who we are: both the inside (our spiritual formation) and the outside (how we live and work in the world). Only then are we able to weather the storms that inevitably come.
This theme was further reinforced when I read an article about Noah’s ark that was sent to me on WhatsApp:
“If you look closely at the blueprints God gave Noah in Genesis 6, you see how extremely specific He was. He gave the exact length, width, and height. He specified the type of wood and even the pitch with which it had to be sealed. But it seems that God left out one crucial component. There was no steering wheel, no sail, and worse still—no engine. Noah built an enormous vessel to survive a worldwide storm, yet he had no control over it, or over where it would go. He could not steer it away from rocks. He could not turn it into the waves. He could not choose a course toward dry land. He was completely at the mercy of the water. The Ark was not designed for navigation, only for floating. Noah’s role was to be a passenger; God was the Captain.”
When we pitch in together, and when our lives are properly sealed, something remarkable happens: we rise. I am reminded of a phrase quoted by Hans Combrink, Executive Director of LuminAfrica and a Wycliffe SA member: “A rising tide lifts all boats,” a saying popularised by US President John F Kennedy.
This is our desire for the language communities we serve, for our partners in the Church, and for Bible translation—that we would rise together. We see glimpses of this in the Koti believers in Mozambique who took the Gospel by boat to a nearby majority-Muslim island; in the Himba translation team who carried audio Scriptures to a remote village where people heard God’s Word for the first time; and in the Marenje community who passed on Farming God’s Way training to uplift their neighbours.
In 2026, whether the tide brings transformation or trouble, revival or repression, may we be sealed by the Holy Spirit, grounded in the Word of God inside and out. And as we all pitch in, may we be lifted together in praise to Jesus.
Alan Webster
HOW WE WILL PITCH IN
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
Lenthia Erasmus
“Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” (Luke 10:9)
In Luke 10, Jesus sends out seventy ordinary people to the places He was about to visit. He gives them practical instructions for ministry:
First, speak peace.
Second, build relationships and share life with the people.
Third, heal the sick — in other words, meet the need in front of you.
Jesus was teaching them to get involved. To help where they could and to respond to real situations. If they could not help physically, they were to pray and bring God into that situation.
This is what I would call “pitching in". It means noticing where the need is and responding — either by doing something practical or by praying with and for the person. Through this, we invite God into everyday circumstances.
Let us strive to see through the eyes of Jesus and be His hands extended here on earth. Let us support and help one another — especially in our work environment at Wycliffe South Africa.
Together we can make a difference.
Together we are stronger.
Together we rise when we pitch in and meet the needs of others.
“Ex unitate vires” — strength arises when we act together.
Ansie van der Merwe
I want to contribute my part so that as a group we can achieve greater success and impact.
Hennie Blomerus
I want to “pitch in” by spending more time in prayer for Wycliffe SA and by intentionally approaching friends and family to support us via Nik’ithemba and to continue to do my work with diligence and to the best of my ability.
Joey Fourie
Pitching in this year means being used by God at Wycliffe SA in whichever capacity He sees fit, and not only in my work role of Project Accountant. I want to avail the whole person God has made me, my family and my community, and to be available knowing this might mean being stretched in order for Wycliffe SA to grow and for us to grow along with it.
Sharon Kemp
“Pitching in… to rise together”
For me, it means sharing thoughts, ideas and skill sets, and always being mindful of the fact that I am not alone in this ministry, but it requires continued support to work as one with the team. This is one way we will share in an aggressive advancement to intentionally achieve that higher position (rise) we desire.
Hellen du Bruijn
"Pitching In" means working together so that the transforming truth of God’s Word reaches those who are in darkness and that they may know Christ, the head of the Church.
It also means each of us giving our contribution so that the goals are achieved. For the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that each one should contribute according to the purpose of his heart. We also see in Acts that the church of Christ lived in unity because each one contributed what he had, and no one was in need.
Jen Pillinger
What stands out to me is the protective element of the substance, pitch. It’s used to waterproof vessels, so for me pitching in carries with it the responsibility to be mindful of where leaks may spring up, and cover them over to protect the ship. In practical terms, this means managing our relationships, resources, time, and energy, so they do not seep out through the cracks. It also means being vigilant against anything that may come in to cause division, discouragement, and complacency.
Wycliffe SA Strategic Vision for 2026
7 Pillars of Transformation
Photo by Anastasia Petrova on Unsplash
A Team of Entrepreneur Ministers
- That each team member finds fulfilment and fruitfulness in the role they have at Wycliffe SA.
- There is good integration between their calling and their role/s at work.
- That each operates according to their strengths and gifting.
Women & Next Gen
- Wycliffe SA is networked with other Women’s Ministries and Intercessor groups.
- Wycliffe SA engages with Next Gen in appropriate and meaningful ways.
- Trauma Healing, leadership, and empowerment happens in all our language communities.
- Wycliffe SA is proactive in our approach.
Training Hub Growth
- Hebrew Hub training continues.
- eMseni and local churches become the hub for training – with a calendar of useful courses for Bible Translation & Mobilisation.
- Events for inspiration and equipping.
Transformation Summit
- Four Language Communities represented.
- Interlocking space.
- Facilitation of transformation activities.
- Telling the stories of hope to the world.
Scripture Engagement / Wycliffe Links
- A team of SE practitioners - volunteers.
- Churches equipped to equip communities.
- Community tours.
- Deeper biblical engagement that teaches the world.
- Internship to language communities.
Programme Efficiency
- Streamlined financial coordination & field operations to maximise impact while ensuring accountability & sustainability.
- Excellence in internal communication.
- Joy from funders – Wycliffe SA a preferred partner due to on time reporting.
- Great stories that stir donors & supporters.
Creative Expression
Cultivating diverse communication channels including:
- Poetry
- Song writing
- Sign Language
- Multimedia Storytelling
- Performance arts
- Export of indigenous biblical arts & crafts
JOIN THE MOVEMENT: RUN FOR THE BIBLELESS
Run. Fund. Transform.
By Mesuli Tshele
Two fun runners posing at the 2025 Run for the Bibleless
Get ready to make a difference! 🙌 We're excited about our upcoming Run for the Bibleless, a significant event that shines a light on Bible poverty and brings hope to thousands.
Did you know that over 2,000 languages in Africa alone are still waiting to hear the Word of God in their heart language? At Wycliffe South Africa, we're working to change this. Currently, we're impacting over 11.5 million people in 22 languages, with a goal to reach 40 languages by 2030.
This year, we've got plenty of ways to get involved: run solo, join a team, or gather 4 friends from your church, work, or social circle for our special Relay Race! 💪 You'll pass the baton – a Bible – symbolising the hope of God's Word being shared. Win a great prize and be part of this meaningful event!
How can you help? By joining our Run for the Bibleless on 14 March 2026! This year we're focusing on raising funds for Bible translation. Sign up, share your fundraising link, and start spreading the word!
I'm running 50km with my 10-year-old son between now and March 14, 2026. Will you join us? Register your fundraiser through our GiveGain campaign and let's give hope to those without the Bible.
Every step, every rand, every share counts!
Mesuli and his son in their Run for the Bibleless T-shirts
ANNOUNCEMENTS & NEWS
NEW BOARD MEMEBR: WELCOME WINFRED OPPONG-AMOAKO
Dr Winfred Oppong-Amoako, DBA, is an accomplished business, development, health, and risk capacity expert, executive coach, and bestselling author, and Old and New Testament study notes contributor of the Africa Study Bible. With nearly 30 years of experience in over 40 countries, he has advised organisations, CEOs, and boards across sectors. He holds advanced degrees in healthcare management, human services, and health informatics, and serves on international boards including the WHO African Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety. His passion is integrating the gospel of Christ into leadership and development initiatives.
NEW BOARD MEMBER: WELCOME MUTSUBI "REV" NGWENYA
Mutsubi "Rev" Ngwenya is an entrepreneur, non-executive director, and media professional with extensive experience spanning entertainment and corporate sectors. He holds a Media and Sound Engineering diploma and has successfully founded multiple enterprises, including Utopia Kingdom. As Chairman of PHOLA NGO since 2016, he oversees programs reaching 100,000 people annually through mental health services. Rev previously served as Managing Director of Dawg House Records and works with DAVAR Partners International, a global scripture recording network reaching over 120 million people. He brings strategic vision and a proven track record of identifying opportunities and building sustainable organisations. Rev is married to Victoria with two children.
KIDS WHO CARE
Hello friends! Hope that you had a lovely Christmas and that 2026 is a wonderful year for you.
Did you know that God wants everyone who loves Him to be part of helping other people learn about Jesus? It’s not just some people that He wants to do that! It is every single one of us- even if we are very young, or very old. God has made us just like we are so we can be part of that huge job. Maybe you are good at speaking? Or maybe you are good at running? Or maybe you paint beautifully or sing really well? Maybe you are good at Maths or a wonderful dancer? God has given you those skills so that He can use them to play a part in building His kingdom. All the different skills fit together to make the job of sharing the good news of Jesus with the whole world.
I have a special friend. His name is Hayden. Since he was a little boy he has liked making, fixing and building things. He is really good at it. God gave him those skills. Now, he is using those skills to help spread God’s love. I interviewed him this week so you can learn some more about him and how his skills are being used.
1. Where did you grow up and go to school, Hayden?
I grew up in a town called Westonaria. I was born there and stayed there till I finished school at Westonaria High school.
2. What were you like when you were a boy and teenager?
When I was little, I loved taking apart all my cool toys. I always wanted to know how they worked. When I entered my teen years I started to enjoy making big things at home. One time I found lots of scrap roof sheets and built a shack for me to sleep in. That was the first time I started using power tools! I was only about 13 years old.
3. How did you end up working in Zambia?
Shortly after giving my life to Jesus, I started to feel a burden to share the gospel using the gifts that God gave me. I went on a mission trip to Zambia with two other people. I “fell in love” with the people there and wanted to serve God there with the gifts He gave me. Lots of very good friends and family helped sponsor me to be there and together we continue the good work we get to do in Zambia.
4. Can you tell us a bit about what it is like in the part of Zambia where you live?
We live in the western part of Zambia where the Lozi tribe come from. The people are very friendly and love meeting new friends. It’s also always hot; we don’t always have good electricity, and we have to pump our own water from the ground. It’s very nice and green there and we love our mango season. In some areas where we go, they grow all their own food and farm their own cattle. They don’t need to go shopping.
5. What sort of things do you do in Zambia?
I get to do many different things with the skills I have. I help fix electrical problems on our base and I install solar systems to help us have more electricity. I keep our water system running smoothly and make sure everyone always has water. I also run a fish farm. I help look after our main church youth group in Zambia. And during team season we go into the villages to help teams spread the gospel to people who might have never even heard about Jesus before.
6. Why do you do those sorts of things?
By helping people have running water, they have more time to focus on doing work for God. Without better electricity, our Bible translating team and many other departments can’t do the work they are there to do. By running a fish farm, we get to teach the people in the community a new skill, create employment and sell to other farmers. We use the money we get to pay for other things in our base.
7. Do you like what you are doing? Why/why not?
I love what I get to do because this is where God has called me to be, and I can use my skills and the things I love doing to help grow God’s kingdom.
8. How does you using your skills and interests help more people learn about Jesus?
There are so many different examples I can think of, but two of my favourite ones are:
One, when we built a big church roof for one of our village churches. The number of people coming to church grew so much that they needed our help to build a bigger building for them. We were able to help build them a place where they could meet without being affected by the hot sun or the heavy rain.
My other favourite thing was helping to build our kids' church building in Mongu. It’s the size of a big school hall. We still need to do a bit more work on it, but soon kids will have a safe place to pray, worship and learn about Jesus.
9. We have been learning about the people at Wycliffe who help more people have the Bible in their own language so that they can understand it properly. Do the people where you are in Zambia have their own Bibles in their language?
Yes, they do. Lots of the people there cannot speak much English, so they are so grateful to have a Lozi language Bible. They can learn who God is through reading His word in the language they can understand. They wouldn’t know God like they know Him now if they never had those Bibles
10. Is there anything else you would like to say to the children who are reading this?
We are all part of one body, and each part is vitally important so that the body can work properly. Every person has a gift, and every person has a calling. If we’re missing an arm or a leg, our body will struggle to function properly. Whatever gift God has given you is important and he can’t wait for you to use it.
Lots of love to you all-important parts in God’s plan.
Aunty Gill xxx
