Wycliffe Associates has announced plans to build a Bible translation center in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo.
The permanent translation center will be built in the northeastern part of the DRC, and will provide translators access to certain language groups in areas that are inaccessible to expatriates because of security concerns. Although a long-running civil war continues, violence in that area has eased.
Bruce Smith, CEO and president of Wycliffe Associates, says the lull in violence offers a small window of opportunity — a “window of peace, of security,” he calls it — to help fulfill the need for scripture translation.
“There’s hundreds of unique languages in this part of Africa, and this particular project is focusing on the northeastern part,” he explains. “This is a country that’s been torn by war and civil unrest for 30 to 40 or 50 years even, so we need to equip the local people. This is an environment they have adapted to and thrive in themselves, despite the challenges that they face.”
What does Bible translation have to do with civil unrest? “Missionaries tell us again and again that conflict subsides when people begin to absorb the Bible in their own heart language,” Smith explains on the group’s website.
The center will help facilitate the translation of scripture into five new languages. It will cost around $100,000 to build the facility. Wycliffe has provided half that amount and is seeking contributions to cover the difference.
According to Wycliffe Associates, upwards of three-million people have died in the DRC conflict over the past five years. As many as 1,200 people are dying each day from “conflict-related causes,” which includes disease and malnutrition.
(Source: OneNewsNow)