WYCLIFFE BIBLE TRANSLATORS AUSTRALIA Impact Report Looking at Wycliffe Australia’s activities from January 2019 to September 2020 JESUS said, ‘I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me’. JOHN 15:5 (GNT) FACTS about our people As I contemplate the impact of Wycliffe Australia in this • Wycliffe Australia serves in 18 Countries last biennium, I can’t help but be challenged by these throughout Africa, Asia, Europe as well words of God from Isaiah 55:8 (NIV): as Australia and Pacific. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” declares the Lord. “As 280 WBTA members including Board • the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my members, 103 active retired members. ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts…” • Regional Volunteers: 30 volunteers helping Wycliffe staff around Australia. It helps me to understand that the ‘impact’ is not necessarily our responsibility. We want to see people from every language group living as disciples of Jesus Christ through the power of God’s Word in a language that speaks to their Remote Assignments: 25 language • heart. Yet that power of God’s Word is not something that we somehow own or workers who are working remotely from control or cleverly manipulate. It is God’s Word and he decides its impact. His ways their assigned country. are higher than our ways. On the other hand, we are called by Jesus himself to take his gospel message to LANGUAGE PUBLICATIONS the ends of the earth and make disciples among all the nations. By bringing the good news of Jesus to those people that don’t yet have it in a language they fully COMPLETED 2019-20 understand, we simply become a gardener who waters the earth and waits to see it ‘bud and flourish and yield seed for the sower and bread for the eater’ Isaiah 55:10 (NIV). So even if the impact does not belong to us, the mandate remains for Wycliffe Print Apps Video Audio Web Australia to take those precious words from the mouth of God, the Bible, to every language in the world. Scripture 11 4 2 9 His Word will not return empty. His Word will accomplish everything he desires. His Bible Stories 11 1 word will achieve the purposes for which he sent it. His Word will have an impact! Hymns & Songs 1 7 Scripture Use 6 1 Max Sahl Literacy 1 1 CEO - Wycliffe Australia Reference 2 2 1 VISION AND MISSION Health & Vision: To see people from every language group living as disciples of Jesus Christ 10 1 Community through the power of God’s Word in a language that speaks to their heart. Mission: To assist the church in making disciples of all nations through Bible translation into vernacular languages. Impact Report 2019-20 We participate as a partner in the Bible translation movement through: Published by Promotion – presenting the work of Wycliffe and our partners, particularly in Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia Australia 70 Graham Road, Kangaroo Ground 3097 ABN 22 004 705 953 Advocacy – speaking out on behalf of the language groups without adequate Scriptures www.wycliffe.org.au www.facebook.com/wycliffeaustralia Recruitment – inviting and encouraging Australian Christians to join the movement Training – providing appropriate and timely training to prepare people for roles in Enquiries: Ph: (03) 9712 2777 the Bible translation task E: [email protected] Networking – building relationships and partnerships that serve the task of Bible translation Design: Rodney Jones Data Research: John Tan Empowering – sending people and supporting them in ways that allow them to work Editor: Deb Fox effectively Photos: Gary McMaster Resourcing – cultivating resources, such as prayer and funding, to assist the Bible This Impact Statement has been submitted to the translation movement. ACNC (Australian Charaties and Not-for-Profits Commission) PAGE 2 2019/20 WYCLIFFE IMPACT REPORT 2019/20 WYCLIFFE IMPACT REPORT PAGE 3 Promotion MISSION MATTERS 2020 Coordinating COVID-compliant Conferences! PEOPLE ENGAGING WITH WYCLIFFE’S FACEBOOK The planning for ‘Mission Matters’, which is Mission Interlink’s cross-cultural WYCLIFFE’S RISE ON INSTAGRAM IN 2019-20 mission conference for South-East Queenland, was turned on its head in March when COVID sparked the shut-down of gatherings of any size all over Australia. However, the committee felt that we should wait until June to decide whether to cancel, postpone, go online, or run as planned. With Queensland relaxing restrictions, it went ahead as an in-person event under approved COVID plans at Mt Tamborine 25-27 September, with 253 people and 19 mission agencies attending — similar to previous years! COVID compliance added a whole host of additional considerations: • Distancing limited the numbers in the auditorium — yes we hit that limit! • COVID-compliant food service — all food, tea and coffee being Connecting with People and Churches served. Two meal sittings to limit dining room numbers. • 456 churches throughout Australia who support • Eliminating ‘multi-touch’ mission stand displays — fewer brochures, QR our missionaries codes for ‘sign ups’. • 12,425 people are receiving our Wycliffe Today • Hand sanitiser EVERYWHERE! magazine 139,873 views of Wycliffe Australia website Wycliffe personnel significantly helped pull off this event — the first big • in-person mission event from when the pandemic hit Australia. Four of • Social Media: FaceBook 2,439 followers, the thirteen organising committee members were Wycliffe, and then ten Instagram 392 followers. There has been a 16% growth for the year other Wycliffe members from South-East Queensland, some of whom were ‘stranded’ back in Australia, came to help out with logistics and service — data • Videos: YouTube 12,536 views representing projection, cook helper, ‘house parents’, food and drink servers. 422.8 hours, Vimeo 3226 views representing 128.4 hours The weekend proved to be a great encouragement and blessing, as reflected in participant feedback: Being reminded that I just need to be faithful with what God has given me in order to fulfil the Great Commission, no matter how much it is. (27-year- old male) I thought that the Q&A session was really good and answered a lot of questions for me, personally. (Simon, teenager) Hearing all the mission speakers, and meeting all the amazing people, and hearing their testimonies of God’s goodness, in their lives. (Michelle, 27-year-old) Spending time with God, getting to hear testimonies from missionaries about how they do missions with kids. (Alana, 32-year-old) …“We went to the land to which you sent us and, oh! It does flow with milk and honey! Just look at this fruit!” NUM 13:26 (THE MESSAGE) PAGE 2 2019/20 WYCLIFFE IMPACT REPORT 2019/20 WYCLIFFE IMPACT REPORT PAGE 3 Advocacy MOBA LITERACY STATISTICS ON WYCLIFFE PROJECTS • 47 projects were supported to the tune of $519,000 for this period • 14 new projects have started • 17 completed or finalised • 53 projects continuing • 9436 views of our project pages, representing 7% of total views on our website for this period This literacy project has a profound impact on communities, enabling men and women who have never had a chance to go to school to read the Bible and other books fluently, to help their children in their studies and get paid professions with their new reading and writing skills. Djadame is an apprentice seamstress. She comes from a poor family in Ghana and was only able to attend school in French for two years. Djadame explains how an opportunity to attend a Moba literacy class in her village has transformed her life: I am very happy to share my joy with you over the benefits obtained from literacy. Given my very low level of French, I could neither read nor write, though my profession demands it for note measurements and writing the names of my clients. I was worried about how I would be able to accomplish my job as a seamstress if I was unable to read or write. God heard me and a Moba literacy class was opened in my church last year. After only four months of classes, I can now take my clients’ measurements and also write down their names. I also read with ease and understand the Word of God in Moba, to name just a few blessings. I sincerely want to thank those who have allowed me to benefit from these blessings. May the Lord continue to support you so that others may also benefit through literacy like me. DISTRIBUTION OF PROJECT FUNDING ...The Tree of Life was planted on each side of the River, producting twelve kinds of fruit, a ripe fruit each month. The leaves of the Tree are for healing the nations... REV 22:2 (THE MESSAGE) PAGE 4 2019/20 WYCLIFFE IMPACT REPORT 2019/20 WYCLIFFE IMPACT REPORT PAGE 5 Rsss Recruitment NATIONAL TRAINING EVENT - CANBERRA Wycliffe team members at the Wycliffe stand Wycliffe Bible Translators Australia created a Mexican marketplace experience for students attending the National Training Event (NTE) in Canberra in December 2019. More than 2000 university students from all across the country who are part of the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES) and Pacific region (International Fellow- ship of Evangelical Students) experienced a taste of what is involved in Bible translation through interactive games, puzzles, the opportunity to taste local ‘delicacies’ (bugs!) hearing from a family heading to Mexico Students engaging with the projects to help a translation project, and having conversations with Wycliffe representatives. Jemima was one of the twelve Wycliffe representatives. She shares what it was like to connect with university students about the role they can RECRUITING 2019-20 play in the Bible translation movement: • 13 new members • 17 people in application process I really loved the opportunity to go to the National Training Event, and found I had the best conversations with people about Wycliffe just by having it on my name tag instead of the university I was linked with.