Wycliffe Bible Translation

We had the privilege of hearing one of our fellow church members, Jay McGee, speak about his family's experiences working with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Jay and his wife Kristen spoke at a local coffee shop and provided a Powerpoint presentation on the subject, "Islam, Literacy, and the Gospel." Jay and Kristen have served in Indonesia working in Aceh and Jakarta. They are now working in Richmond, and Jay gave a fascinating presentation on his work in translating the Bible into the native language of the people of Aceh. He also shared his experiences learning about the Islamic faith of the people of Aceh as well as their incredible need for education and literacy.

During one striking moment of his presentation, Jay showed a picture he had taken of a group of boys in Aceh, with one wearing a shirt displaying a picture of Osama Bin Laden surrounded by children with the words, "Hope Care Attention," written above. As Christians, we carry the message of "Hope Care Attention" that is found, not in a political celebrity or world figure, but in Christ. Not only that, as Christians, we are charged to share that hope, care, and attention we have received from our Savior to those around us, and Jay hopes to bring that good news to the people of Aceh. Jay reminded us of the parable of the good Samaritan, and he made convincing parallels between how the Samaritans would have been perceived by Jews during Christ's teachings and how Christian Americans currently perceive Muslims throughout the world today. He made the important point that, just as Christ called us to love our "Samaritan" neighbors, we are called to love our Muslim neighbors as well. Our pastor concluded the evening by challenging us to think of creative ways to support those in our church who serve in ministries and missions, and it is a challenge that I've been continually pondering since Jay's presentation.

For more information about Wycliffe Bible Translators, visit www.wycliffe.org.