Prayer Watch: Keep Them Safe—They're Translating

I (Mae Greenleaf) grew up in the church. Did you? I began attending our home church at two years old. My husband, Art, was born into that same church. Yes, we have quite a story of growing up together and of having a small part in the ministry of Bible translation around the world.

The Lord has guided me through the years to have a ministry of prayer. Years later, my Sunday School primary teacher told me that even as a small child I loved Jesus. Early on, my prayers were for myself—what could I do for Jesus. And I prayed for my family, friends, and church.

Art and I dated through high school and just a few days after his graduation he became our church’s first Short Term Missionary Loaned for Evangelism. He boarded a large airplane and flew to Ecuador, South America, supporting Bible translation with whatever the missionaries needed that he could provide. His ministry for the summer extended to a year so that he could design and build a much-needed new clinic along with other projects.

I supported and prayed for Art’s ministry in Ecuador during 1967-68 more and more as I learned about his work there. That year I asked Jesus what I could do for Bible translation. We married and soon thereafter joined Wycliffe Associates. In the early days of the Wycliffe Associates banquet program Art became Northeast Area Director, introducing Christians to Bible translation at banquets in their towns. He spent countless weeks traveling the Northeast every spring and fall, as well as many hours promoting and encouraging partnership in Bible translation. And yes, as a young mother at home, I prayed!

The great joy in my life these recent years with Wycliffe Associates is leading you and all our prayer partners in praying for Bible translation around the world. Our prayers today are so much different than all those years ago. Today Bible translators are national believers, our brothers and sisters in Jesus, living dangerously in or having escaped from places hostile to the Gospel—in places like the Middle East.

Today you and I are urgently needed to pray for Bible translation, and national Bible translators in the Middle East.

• These Bible translators are willing to hazard everything: their freedom, their livelihoods, their very lives if necessary. . . for one thing:

“We must give our people Bibles in their own heart language, so they can fully and deeply grasp it—live it—share it—and let it transform our nation.”

• Our team has identified places where Safe Havens can be established and equipped—safe from discovery by hostile forces. Ask the Lord to provide the means to build these Safe Havens.
  
  
• Some Christians living in hostile locations have discreetly contacted us asking that we provide technology and training so they can translate God’s Word for their people in their mother tongue. Pray that we might provide them with the tools safely.
  
  
• The tragic reality that is so heartbreaking is that believers are safer leaving their own country than to translate Scriptures at home. Pray for the means to help these translators safely.
  
  
• An unprecedented number of believers are refugees from countries totally closed to the Gospel. We cannot simply provide technology and training. They must have security and secrecy. Pray that we can find safe and secure ways to help them.
  
  
• These believers who so desperately desire to translate God’s Word for their own people must have Safe Havens to conduct Bible translation safely. Pray for our Father to provide these places.
  
  
• For the utterly unreached language groups . . . for the safety of precious brothers and sisters willing to risk everything to share God’s Word with their people—please pray that Wycliffe Associates can say YES, we will establish and equip Safe Havens for you.
  
  
• Please pray for the funds to do just that—they need, desperately need for you and I to pray and give so these dear ones will not any longer be attacked, imprisoned, tortured, or killed because of their faith in Jesus Christ.
  
  
• Safe Havens are absolutely essential because Bible translation must be conducted on an undercover basis. Please, please pray.