LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
Last week I attended the annual conference of WEC International in South Africa. I have been a Board member for the past 5 years and it is always a joy to meet up with missionaries from around the world who serve the Lord Jesus so faithfully. The conference theme was “Do not lose heart” from 2 Corinthians 4 where twice Paul exhorts the believers not to lose heart despite the many challenges.
Years ago, I wrote a song based on Psalm 121 which included the refrain “I’m going to keep on keeping on”. It is only because of God’s wonderful character and promises that we can be sustained in life through the difficulties that come.
He will not let our foot slip; He will never slumber nor sleep.
He is our keeper, the shade at our right hand.
He will protect us from all evil, He will guard our lives, and He will watch over our coming and going.
I also had the chance to attend a Deaf camp where 100 mostly deaf people met to discuss the translation of the Bible into Sign Language. What a privilege to have been invited into this precious community who sing and worship, greet and share, love and pray with a joy and enthusiasm I have seldom seen before.
I shared one night that, like the miracle of the water into wine, Jesus has saved the best for last. So many of these deaf communities in the world remain unreached, but receiving the Word in Sign language is transforming lives to be a demonstration of the glory of God in the nations.
What a privilege to be part of the unfolding plan of God to bring salvation to all peoples. Having God’s Word in their heart language is a crucial part of this plan. We must not lose heart in doing all we can to give, to pray, to translate, to send and to encourage until the job is done. Despite the resistance and trials, we must keep on keeping on.
Thanks to all those who joined our Run for the Bibleless on 9 March in Benoni. Nearly 600 people participated on the day. You are all champions! During the run, people shouted encouragement that gave the runners enough motivation to finish and not quit.
May you not quit in your faith. Do not lose heart. Keep on keeping on. Jesus is worth it!
RUN FOR THE BIBLELESS - BENONI
It was pitch black as the first few cars pulled up in an empty parking lot in Benoni. 5:00 am, even in summer, is cold. As vehicles trickled in, a dedicated team quickly set to work, transforming the once empty space into a bustling hub of activity, erecting gazebos, adorning stalls, and meticulously arranging every detail for the day's event. By 7:00 the venue was alive with energy and anticipation for the run.
After a warmup and introduction to the visiting Baphuthi language team, the run kicked off with a 400-metre dash for the kids. They were awarded with gold-wrapped chocolate medals, much to the envy of hungry onlookers. Fortunately, there were stalls full of delicious food for the runners and coffee for those who were weary or still half-asleep.
After the kids race, those competing for the fastest time lined up at the start, and with a countdown from the MC, burst into action. Following closely behind were the fun runners, who embraced a more leisurely pace and enjoyed the camaraderie. After the race, runners could have their photo taken at the photobooth, grab some food, or browse the many stalls from both Wycliffe and partner organisations.
Susan Nyaga, who was at the first South African R4TB in Stellenbosch on 10 March 2012, and also represents our counterparts who started R4TB in Kenya, spoke to the crowd about the importance of Bible Translation and the significance of their support. We also enjoyed a dance show Impact Missions youth and a performance by the visiting Baphuthi team.
No event is a success without a huge number of people who put their heart and soul into it. So we had a prize-giving ceremony as part of the event, in which we awarded our fastest runners, but also named and thanked some of the many people who made a significant contribution to the event, whether through their time, expertise or donations.
In total, 481 people took part in the Bunny Park run, including 402 runners and over 79 volunteers. We also had more than 100 people running at 4 other locations in South Africa, and 82 churches represented as part of the run.
| Fun Run - 7km | Fun Run - 3.5km |
| 1st place -Leighton Naidoo, Thrive Church 1st child - Craig Edwards, St Andrews |
1st place -Sihle Mooi, Kingdom Ways Ministries 1st child - Gareth Jonas, St Andrews |
| Kid's Race - 400m | Ages |
| 1st boy - Sibusiso Ngwenya, Kingdom Ways Ministries 1st girl - Samara Webster, G1 Benoni |
Oldest fun runner - Bill Webster, 82, Trinity Methodist Youngest fun runner - Asher Els, 0, Connexions |
| Bessed Dressed | Most Helpful Volunteer |
| Adult - Stephanie van Heerden, Connexions Child - Iza, unknown |
Jacques van der Walt, G1 Fourways Matthew Heydenrych, Brackendowns Community Church Abigail Moodley, G1 Fourways |
| Church with most Participants | Church with most Volunteers |
| G1 Benoni - 42 House of the Lord - 42 |
Kingdom Ways Ministries - 26 |
| Most Sponsorship | |
| Individual - Lindsey Trussler Church: City Hope Fourways |
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“It was so exciting to be there on the day, just the buzz and excitement of it all. The energy, it was all put together so well, professionally done. It just felt like we are actually representing an element of Christianity here to the general public and championing such a worthy cause; running for those without the scriptures in their mother tongue. It’s such an important thing to get the Word of God to people so they can read it for themselves. It’s a privilege for our church to partner with you in doing that.”
- Andrew Butterworth, Godfirst Benoni
“It was a really great experience being part of the Run for the Bibleless. I think what touched me the most was to see so many people being aware that the Bible still needs to be translated into so many different languages. Not only being aware of it, but participating and sowing into that by running. There was such an awesome atmosphere and many different churches and believers that; it was great to connect with one another. The event was well organised, well run, and we pray that it gets bigger and bigger from here. So thank you so much for allowing us to be involved in this with you guys.”
- Oliver Oosthuizen, House of the Lord
“Well done to the team. Awesome time.”
- Sean
“Was really wonderful! Enjoyed spending time with family there, and the purpose of the fun run, to give those who don't have Bibles a chance to read the Lord's Word, is honestly an amazing cause!!”
- Anonymous
“So awesome to run this run, such a great vibe and for such a needed cause, well done!”
- Gareth
R4TB Feedback Form
We would love to hear from you about your experience - both what you enjoyed and where you see room for improvement! Please let us know here: https://forms.gle/1oo7Za4iwBADkvFt6
We are grateful to April Lee Photography for capturing the event so perfectly. If you would like to browse her selection of photos of the day and download any of yourself and your family, you can do so here using the pin 1940: https://aprilleephotography46.pixieset.com/runforthebiblelesswycliff/
You can view and download photos from the photobooth here: https://adobe.ly/3PEXvD7
NEWLIFE CHURCH HOSTS THE BAPHUTHI
By Gary Baxter and Melanie Pienaar
A delegation of eight people travelled from Lesotho to attend the annual Run for the Bibleless event in Benoni. We were approached by Wycliffe to assist with the accommodation of the special people and asked whether we could also assist with contributing towards their travelling expenses.
Melanie Pienaar, who heads up the Missions Department in our church, stepped into action and arranged a Vetkoek Sale Fund Raiser at our Assembly. This enabled us to contribute towards the travelling expenses.
The Delegation which was scheduled to arrive between 18h00 and 20h00 on the Friday only arrived at 00h00, due to challenges they faced in Lesotho and at the border with government officials. We had meals prepared for them which they were very thankful for. After they had all eaten, they were taken to their various destinations where a few stayed with some families of our assembly, while others were booked in at a Guest House.
Later on Saturday afternoon, after the Run for the Bibleless event, we had a braai for the delegation and an opportunity to interact with them. A lovely evening was enjoyed by all, despite difficulty in communicating at times. They expressed their gratitude for the lovely braai and fellowship.
On Sunday morning during our morning service at NewLife Church, an opportunity was given to the delegation to share their experiences of our visit to them last year, and with the help of an interpreter, they expressed their gratitude for the audio Bibles they received. The two chiefs who were part of the delegation also had an opportunity to share. One of the prayer requests that New Life could pray for made by Mathidiso, a team member from Lesotho, was that the Baphuthi people would really take the Word of God seriously.
After Alan Webster, the Executive Director of Wycliffe, had brought a word, the Leadership of our Assembly prayed over the delegation and some of them also received a Word of Encouragement and Prophecy.
It was a privilege to have a delegation from the Baphuthi people visit our world and for us to fellowship with them and serve them. All Glory to God.
TAKING GROUND - R4TB IS SPREADING
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Dialogue Community in Brummeria, Pretoria: 24 runners
“A lot of fun, met new people, lovely conversations. Thank You Anna!” - Yolande |
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Let My People Go, West Rand: 39 runners |
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Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga |
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City Hope Fourways: 39 runners |
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R4TB Kenya |
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R4TB Zimbabwe |
TAKING THE NEXT STEPS
We invite you to take the next steps in bringing access to God’s Word for those who don’t have it, by considering the options below.
Give
Once-off donation: You can make a one-time payment here, which will be allocated where the greatest need is: https://wycliffe.org.za/give/bible-translation-2024
Foundation 5000: Regular givers who support Bible Translation through monthly gifts are vital for our ability to grow the work and see God’s Word in every language. Our goal is 5000 people giving R100 or more per month. To become one of them, find out more here: https://wycliffe.org.za/foundation-5000
If you’d like to contribute financially in a more substantial way, such as through corporate sponsorship, we invite you to get in touch with Mesuli Tshele who will be happy to talk to you further: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Adopt or Visit a Language
If you are interested in a mission trip to learn about and serve a language community, or would like to partner with a language group on a more long-term basis, you can visit our church resources page or contact Helen (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for more information.
Pray
Be part of the Bible Translation team through prayerful partnership, thanking and petitioning God for all areas of Bible Translation. You can sign up to pray for specific language groups here: https://wycliffe.org.za/signup-intercessors-for-africa
ANNOUNCEMENTS & NEWS
It is with heavy hearts that we announce our Field Coordinator, Mpho Tsekwa, will be moving on from his time at Wycliffe SA. Mpho has blessed us all richly with his humility, diligence and godliness. We appreciate him as a colleague who works with excellence at everything he does, as well as a friend whose humour, wisdom, and gentleness have brightened our days. Mpho will be taking on a job in a local municipality where he will play a role in ensuring service delivery. We know how important this job is and that God will use Mpho as a force for good in what awaits him in this new chapter.
Shanan School visits the Mapulana!
In mid-March, Shanan Christian school alongside House of the Lord Church were able to visit the Sepulana translation in Bushbuckridge. Rose, a member of the school staff, reported:
"We were welcomed by the senior pastors who work there in the translation department. They explained to us how they go about translating the biblical chapters and introduced us to the different pastors and the roles they play. We were shown into the recording studio which was very interesting, as the walls are covered with egg boxes. Once in the room and the door is shut you can scream and shout and no one will hear you."
Darren Staines, the mission pastor at House of the Lord, was also part of a trip to Bushbuckridge in 2023 and will be taking another team later this year. He said about this trip:
"I was pleasantly surprised as to how well the translation is going. It was great to see the translation team again and to find them in good health doing God's work. On trips like these we always face a challenge or two, but what is more exciting is to see God's hand at work and the miracles He performs. We were invited to lunch with the translation team, but even though there was miscommunication about the number of people coming (34 instead of 7), God multiplied the lunch so we could all enjoy a meal together in his presence."
KIDS WHO CARE
This is the very first KIDS WHO CARE column in Translation Matters! If you are a kid reading this, then a great big welcome to you! We’re so glad that you are “here”! If you are not a kid, then you are welcome too, but please find a kid to share this with.
My name is Aunty Gill. I live in a place called Benoni, in South Africa. I have a husband called Karl and two big sons, called Joshua and Matthew. I used to work as a teacher at a few schools, but, for a long time, I have worked in churches, teaching children all about God and helping them to follow Jesus. Being a Christian is not just for grownups; kids are a big, important part of the church too!
This is a photo of me with Bible Man. He talks, he walks, he even runs and dances! He is the biggest Bible I have ever seen! And I have seen quite a lot of Bibles in my life. In fact, even in my own house, we have quite a lot of Bibles. I love to read my Bible. I have a special chair in my bedroom where I like to sit and read my Bible. Sometimes I also listen to the Bible when I am driving in my car. When my boys were little, I used to read them lots of stories from the Bible. They especially liked the ones where there were animals, like the story of Daniel and the lion’s den and the one of Jonah and the whale. They listened to what I was reading and then they always asked lots of questions! We really enjoyed reading the Bible together!
Do you have a Bible at your house? Maybe you have got one with lots of Bible stories and with pictures, or maybe you have a special one that someone gave you as a present. Maybe you can read your own Bible, or maybe someone reads it to you, and you look at the pictures.
Did you know that there are millions of children in the world that don’t have a Bible that they can read or one that someone can read to them? They have never heard the Bible stories we know and love. They do not know that Jesus loves them and that He died for them and that He is coming back for them, because they do not have a Bible that they can read and understand. They are Bibleless. They have no Bibles! This makes me very sad, and I’m sure it makes you sad too. This part of this newsletter is called KIDS WHO CARE. It is all for kids (and grownups!) who want all children to have a Bible that they can read and understand. The next time I write to you, I am going to explain some more about this, so don’t miss out on the next edition.
A few weeks ago, lots of KIDS WHO CARE took part in a special event called Run for the Bibleless. It was to help more people know about all those people who are Bibleless, and also to raise some money to help more people around the world get Bibles they can read and understand. There were lots of children who took part in a special Kids Race. They ran on a special route just for children and they all got a yummy chocolate medal at the end.
We also had our own Kids Zone with toys, games and a jumping castle. We made cool, shiny swords to help us remember that the Bible is strong and powerful, like a sword with two edges. There was music, dancing, prizes and delicious food and drinks! Some kids even dressed up as someone from the Bible. There were people from so many different churches, and we all had a lot of fun together and learnt some more about all the Bibleless people in the world.
Some of the older children ran and walked the long race too! They ran (and ran, and ran!) all the way around the route. I’m sure they were tired, but very happy when they finished.
I would love to meet you! It would be great if you could send me a photo of you reading your Bible so I can see what you look like. Ask someone to take a photo and then send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Maybe I will even share some of those photos the next time I write to you.
Next time you read your Bible, remember all those children who do not have a Bible they can read and understand, and please pray for them.
Lots of love to you, KIDS WHO CARE
Aunty Gill
