(Orlando, Florida, USA)—Wycliffe Associates, an international organization that involves people in the acceleration of Bible translation efforts, reports that national Bible translators are risking their lives as they carry out their work in some of the most volatile, hostile regions of the world.

To protect the identities of Christians who are living and working in these sensitive countries, Wycliffe Associates calls this region New Frontiers and has established a Scriptures for New Frontiers Fund to support national Bible translation teams that are living and working in high-risk areas. The fund helps provide the necessary resources for Bible translation to continue in these volatile regions.

“These areas are perhaps the most hostile environments for Bible translation in history,” says Bruce Smith, president and CEO of Wycliffe Associates. “Our mission is not an easy one. But it is absolutely critical.”

In one country, only two percent of the population are Christians, who suffer brutal persecution driven by hostile majority religions. Homes and churches are raided, Christians are arrested and beaten, and new converts are ostracized by their own families and neighbors.

Two young men, barely out of their teens, were brutally attacked in the village where they lived. They had been working in a nearby city when they heard the Gospel from a local pastor and converted to Christianity. When they returned home, a gang surrounded them and demanded they deny their new faith. When they refused, the mob beat them severely.

After the authorities learned of the incident, they arrested the victims, who remain in prison.

A pastor who lives in one of the most anti-Christian regions of the world was beaten by drunken fanatics in his own home for refusing to sacrifice a chicken in the temple of their deity. Undeterred, the pastor has established a small, growing group of Christians who are eager to learn more about God.

“Most people in regions like this around the world are living in abject poverty with no religious freedom and no economic opportunity,” says Smith. “With my own eyes, I have seen people who are hungry for truth, but who have no way of knowing it.”

Local Christians are asking to be trained for the work of Bible translation. In one area, a special institute has been established to train evangelists for mission work and has graduated and released 16 students into the mission field.

Three different language groups in one New Frontiers nation will have the Gospel of Luke in their own language by the end of 2011. These people have been without any Scripture in their languages.

And one group reports that eight families from one village walk a little over 30 miles each week to attend church services.

“Millions have not even a single Scripture, a simple promise, or a life-changing command from God in their own language,” says Smith.

Wycliffe Associates involves people in accelerating the work of Bible translation through their time, talents, and treasure. Because millions of people around the world are still waiting to read the Scriptures in the language of their heart, Wycliffe Associates is working as quickly as they can to translate every verse of the Bible into every tongue to change every heart. The organization partners with nationals, mother tongue translators, staff, volunteers, and supporters to direct and fund these efforts, as well as provide logistics, networking, and technical support. Through a growing global network, Wycliffe Associates is striving to overcome local limitations of time and resources to achieve the goal of beginning the translation of God’s Word in every remaining language that needs it by 2025.

In 2010, the organization mobilized 4,381 volunteer and staff members to accelerate Bible translation in some 59 countries. Additional information is available at http://wycliffassociates.org or by calling 1-800-THE WORD (1-800-843-9673).

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