Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada

Summer 2015

Learning & Liberated

Quechua women and children encounter
Gods life-changing Word in their own
language, with help from Wycliffes
partner agency in Peru.

Translation Update + A Compassionate Answer + Becoming Women of the Bible

Summer 2015 Volume 33 Number 2
Word Alive, which takes its name from Hebrews 4:12a,
is the official publication of Wycliffe Bible Translators
of Canada. Its mission is to inform, inspire and involve
the Christian public as partners in the worldwide
Bible translation movement.
Editor: Dwayne Janke
Designer: Cindy Buckshon
Senior Staff Writer: Doug Lockhart
Staff Writers: Nathan Frank, Janet Seever
Staff Photographers: Alan Hood, Natasha Schmale
Word Alive is published four times annually by
Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada, 4316 10 St NE,
Calgary AB T2E 6K3. Copyright 2015 by Wycliffe
Bible Translators of Canada. Permission to reprint
articles and other magazine contents may be
obtained by written request to the editor. A
donation of $20 annually is suggested to cover
the cost of printing and mailing the magazine.
Donate online or use the reply form in this issue.
Printed in Canada by McCallum Printing Group,
Edmonton.
Member: The Canadian Church Press, Evangelical
Press Association.
For additional copies: media_resources@wycliffe.ca
To contact the editor: editor_wam@wycliffe.ca
For address updates: circulation@wycliffe.ca
Wycliffe serves minority language groups worldwide
by fostering an understanding of Gods Word through
Bible translation, while nurturing literacy, education
and stronger communities.
Canadian Head Office: 4316 10 St NE, Calgary AB T2E
6K3. Phone: (403) 250-5411 or toll free 1-800-463-1143,
8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. mountain time. Fax: (403) 250-
2623. Email: info@wycliffe.ca. French speakers: Call toll
free 1-877-747-2622 or email francophone@wycliffe.ca
Cover: Inside a crowded Sunday school classroom
in Pataqquea, Peru, a young girl stands to read
Scripture aloud in her Cusco Quechua language.
Unlike previous generations, she and her classmates
have access to the Bible in their mother tongue.
Theyre also learning Gods Word from teachers
who have received quality training through ATEK,
Wycliffes partner agency in southern Peru.
Photograph by Alan Hood
In Others Words
When you really do business with
the Bible at the fullest historical and
theological level, then it is passionately
and dramatically relevant, life changing
and community changing.
N.T. Wright (1948-), leading New Testament
scholar and retired Anglican bishop
(in a Christianity Today interview)
2 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca
Foreword
Craving Attention
Dwayne Janke
T
he Word Alive team was on the final stretch of their grueling four-day
trip high in the Peruvian Andes this past fall, and writer Nathan Frank
was feeling lousy. He had suffered a six-hour bout of apparent food
poisoning the night before in the community of Jalcco, south of Cusco. The
closest bao (Spanish for outhouse or bathroom) was 75 metres away from
the house the team was staying in, along a pitch-black roadway.
I have a hard time imagining a worse place to get sick," says Nathan.
There are few times in my life where I felt more helpless than I did that
night. At least I had brought two-ply toilet paper!
Making a final stop at a small-town church, colleagues Doug Lockhart and
Alan Hood told Nathan to rest in the Toyota Land Cruiser while they covered
the worship service. After an hour of lying in the warm sun in the reclined
drivers seat, wearing a hat that covered his eyes, Nathan heard a commotion
outside the truck through his partially opened window. After trying to ignore
a handful of staring boys in his groggy haze, Nathan felt convicted.
I needed to give them some attention, so I began to lift up my hat to play a
bit of peek-a-boo. After a bit, I pulled up my seat and greeted them with Hola.
The boys giggled, but didn't respond. Nathan extended his hand for a
high-five, but the giggling boys didnt reply. The group was tentative but
intrigued, so the Word Alive writer slipped into a staring contest.
It felt like I was a zoo animal in a cage, says Nathan. It was
really fun.
Minutes later the Land Cruiser was surrounded by other
It felt like I was kids. Most of the younger girls stood at a distance, while a
group of teenage girls leaned over the hood. Little boys stood
a zoo animal in on their toes at Nathan's window, trying to get a look at the
a cage. It was strange gringo. This lasted for hours as the church service
continued well into the mid-afternoon.
really fun. Kids like to play, concludes Nathan, recalling the event.
Looking at me for hours on end was a game of sorts for these
kids. I was something new and different and thats why they
were so fascinated with me.
Kids everywhere are more than just interested in being entertained, though.
Like adults, they too are looking for something more meaningful in their
lives. Which is why it is sad that up until recently, most Peruvian evangelical
churches had no ministry programming to introduce children to the meaning
found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Kids were not welcome in church
services. They stayed at home to do chores while adults went to worship.
Thanks to ATEK (a Bible translation and engagement agency with which
Wycliffe Canada is a partner), churches are being taught how to set up
childrens ministries run in their Cusco Quechua tongue. It is part of a
broadly based effort to encourage use of translated Scriptures, as you will
see in this issue.
Equipped with the Bible translated into their mother tongue, kids are
finally getting attention from the God who says, Let the little children
come to me (Matthew 19:14).
 Contents

Features
Stories by Doug Lockhart and Nathan Frank Photos by Alan Hood

6 The Man From A.T.E.K. After embracing his

Quechua language and culture, the leader of Wycliffes
partner organization in South Peru found his true calling.

13 Building Up Believers in South Peru

14 Out of the Rubble Once suppressed, Cusco
6 Quechua women are now becoming church leaders
through the efforts of ATEK in Peru.

19 Changing Norms An ATEK ministry combats sexual

abuse among the Cusco Quechua people of
Perueven within their churches.

13 20 On Beautiful Feet A young womans sacrificial

service in the Peruvian Andes is helping remote rural
churches introduce thousands of kids to Christ.

27 Translation Update: Announced with

a Jewish Shofar San Blas Kuna was one of three
Bible dedications this past year with a Canadian connection.
By Janet Seever

Departments
2 Foreword Craving Attention


By Dwayne Janke

4 Watchword Launching Gods Word into Cyberspace



14 29 Beyond Words A Compassionate Answer

30 A Thousand Words Shaken Awake

20 31 Last Word Becoming Women of the Bible



By Roy Eyre

Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 3


Watchword
Canary Islands
Launching Gods Word into Cyberspace
W ycliffes technical partner, JAARS, is conducting website
creation workshops overseas to help local people launch
the Bible online in their heart languages. WESTERN
SAHARA
JAARS has teamed up with a media organization for several
years, working with local people to create websites that allow
people to find, read, listen to and watch Gods Wordall in
their own language. By this past summer, 172 sites were running
online, serving one billion-plus people. More than 125 MAURITANIA
other sites
are in active development or testing.
For example, Peter Nash of JAARS led a two-week workshop in
Indonesias Maluku Province, attended by 28 students, working
on 21 websites in 13 languages. Of the 21 sites, 11 were Scripture
SENEGAL
or hybrid (Scripture plus community materials) sites. The rest
were community sites of various types. GAMBIA
Some of the students are coming from an area with essentially
no traditional Internet access, Nash wrote
GUINEA BISSAUat the time. What
GUINEA
we do have is increasing access to smart phones, allowing them
to interact with the rest of the world. Via those phones, they are
using the Internet and dont know it; they see it as just a feature
of their phone.
SIERRA LEONE
LIBERIA
JAARS
Wycliffe Staff Still Giving in Retirement
M any retired and semi-retired Wycliffe staff continue to
support the ministry of Bible translation by praying and
giving. Retirement hasnt stopped Wycliffe supporters from
continuing to give significant amounts of their retirement funds to
support language projects either.
An elderly couple in the United States, for example, chose to live
a very simple lifestyle so they could send a large portion of their
income to support Wycliffe workers. These ministry partners are
important blessings to the worldwide Bible translation movement
through their sacrificial giving.
4 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca
MALTA
TUNISIA
MOROCCO
Bible Translation Ministry Started in Nigeria
ALGERIA
A new ministry for Nigerias Clela people group has begun. EveryLIBYA
Tuesday night, the translation team broadcasts the preaching
and teaching of Gods Word in the Clela language.
About 35 per cent of Clela farmers in the western states of
Nigeria claim to be followers of Jesus, with many of them willing
to help with the project because they want their language
and culture preserved.
NIGER
MALI
CHAD
BURKINA FASO
BENIN
GHANA Abuja
IVORY COAST NIGERIA
CENTR
TOGO
CAMEROON
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
SAO TOME & PRINCIPE CONGO
Oral Bible Stories Stem Lying
A Bangladeshi woman has been transformed by Gods
grace that she discovered through hearing Bible stories in
her own language.
Mary used to attend church but didnt read the Bible or pray.
She was angry with God, until several months after joining a
storying fellowship group in her city in Bangladesh. The group
gathers to learn and discuss Bible stories, developed for those who
learn and communicate in oral forms rather than written ones.
When Mary heard the Old Testament story of Joseph, she
realized he truthfully told his dreams to his brothers even though
they didnt like him or the dreams. This example convicted Mary,
who had told others she had a good long-distance relationship
with her husband, working in a foreign country. The truth is
that her husband lives in Bangladesh and they dont see each
other anymore.
Even though it is hard to tell the truth, I need to change, she
said after hearing about Joseph. Lying is a bad habit.
Ive gone far from God, but hearing the stories has helped
me come closer to God and grow deeper in my understanding
of Him, added Mary, who retells the Bible stories she learns to
neighbours. I told lots of lies, but I wont tell them anymore!
Just the Right Type
A fter years of workcreating an alphabet, doing several
draft translations of Scripture, testing it with a languages
speakers, getting it checked by a translation consultantone
more precise step is needed in the Bible translation process.
Gods Word has to be carefully typeset for the printing press.
Scripture typesetters use a computer program to digitally
lay out, page-by-page, translated text that has been put into
a computer by a Bible translation team. Typesetters add
illustrations, maps, footnotes, sometimes cross references,
chapter and verse numbers, headings and any secondary
Bible Translated into
Brazilian Sign Language
I n 2013, the Brazilian translation team finished a DVD of
childrens Bible stories in Brazilian sign language. A deaf
interpreter shared how captivated a deaf boy was as he
viewed the DVD.
The boy watched all four stories, transfixed. His favourite
was the story of Samson. His parents were amazed that he
understood it and enjoyed the Bible stories in a way they had
never seen before. They gained a new appreciation for the
NICARAGUA

beauty of Brazilian sign language and a new respect for their

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

material, such as a glossary, introduction, and table of contents. sons capacity to understand
COSTA
RICA
PANAMA VENEZUELAthings in his own language.
Typesetters also go through checks for consistency in GUYANA

punctuation, capitalization, headings, quotationsall that

FRENCH
SURINAME
COLOMBIA GUIANA

kind of stuff, explains Steve Pillinger (pictured below). He has

co-ordinated Scripture typesetting for the Africa area of SIL, ECUADOR

Wycliffes key field partner organization.

It usually takes six to eight weeks to typeset a New
Testament; three to four months for an entire Bible, says PERU
BRAZIL
Pillinger, who has worked on more than a dozen Bibles and
New Testaments. Braslia
In 2008, Pillinger helped typeset the New Testament for BOLIVIA
Moba speakers in Togo, Africa. After it was published and
distributed, the translators told him about a woman who cried
PARAGUAY
when she read her copy. All these years I thought it was only CHILE

the pastor who could understand what God was saying, she
said. But now Im reading it, and I can understand what God is
saying to me. ARGENTINA

This is what its all aboutenabling people to hear directly

URUGUAY

from God, says Pillinger.

Word Count
839
Number of Canadian church congregations that
are financial partners with Wycliffe Canada.

25%
Portion of these congregations that are in
Baptist denominations.

15%
Portion of these congregations that are in
Reformed denominations.

9%
Portion of these congregations that are in
Pentecostal denominations.

8%
Portion of these congregations that are in
Mennonite denominations.

Source: 2014 Snapshot of Wycliffe Canada

Marc Ewell

Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 5

The
Man
From
A.T.E.K.
After embracing his Quechua language
and culture, the leader of Wycliffes
partner organization in South Peru
found his true calling.
By Doug Lockhart

F
or more than a decade, God has been using a homegrown
ministry in South Peru to strengthen rural churches and
families. Based in the tourism mecca of Cusco, the small
partner organization of Wycliffe Bible Translators has
distributed thousands of copies of mother tongue Scripture,
established literacy programs throughout the region, and
trained hundreds of Quechua [KETCH-wa] pastors and Sunday
school teachers.
Through the ministries of ATEKan acronym that means the
association that shines the gospel to the Quechua-speaking
worldpoor and marginalized Quechua people are improving
their lives through literacy, and growing in their understanding
and application of Gods Word.
Ironically, the former pastor who now directs the dynamic
ministry could barely speak or read his parents Cusco Quechua
language when he first began serving with ATEK in 2003. But
since then, Fredi Quintanilla has become a fluent speaker of the
language, as well as a friend and mentor to hundreds of Quechua
church leaders throughout the region.

Language rediscovered
Former Wycliffe Canada staff members Larry and Carol Sagert,
and current staff, Justin and Tammy Hettinga, helped form ATEK
by bringing together pastors and church leaders from several
denominations in the Cusco area. When ATEKs first director
stepped down in 2007, board members appointed Fredi to lead
the organization.
Although the 44-year-old now lives in Cusco with his wife
Judith and their three children, he grew up in a jungle area
northwest of the ancient city. He was in his teens when his family

(OPPOSITE PAGE) Outside a small rural church high in the Andes

Mountains, Fredi Quintanilla (far right) and co-worker Joni Carbajal
pray for a Sunday school teacher. Since 2007, Fredi has directed the
diverse ministries of ATEK, a Wycliffe partner agency in southern
Peru. Its small team of dedicated staff aim to strengthen individual
believers, families and churches through Bible distribution, literacy
programs and Scripture-based training workshops.

6 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca

Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 7
They tried
to have us
kids forget
Quechua,
and wanted
us to only
learn Spanish.
 GUYANA
FRENCH GUIA
COLOMBIA SURINAME

ECUADOR

moved to Cusco, but neither he nor his siblings had ever learned
to speak their parents Quechua language.
They tried to have us kids forget Quechua, Fredi recalls
through an interpreter, and wanted us to only learn Spanish. South America
They thought the only way for us to be successful in life would
be to learn Spanish and live in the Spanish-speaking world. Lima PERU
BRAZIL

When he was 22, Fredi became a follower of Christ through C u s co

the influence of his older sister. He began attending the youth

BOLIVIA
group at her church and before long, he was joining the
pastor on his Saturday visits to various Quechua communities
surrounding the city.
Because the pastor didnt have a car, Fredi offered to be his
personal driver.
CHILE PARAGUAY
From that point on, I began to accompany him on these trips.
We would show gospel videos and he would preach.
Eventually, the pastor moved to a different area. For Fredi, it
was a defining moment.
When he decided to go, I thought, Whats going to happen
with these Quechua folks, now that we have become friends and
built relationships? Peru: At a Glance URUGUAY
I ended up staying involved, because I was quite concerned for Name: Republic of Peru ARGENTINA
these people. . . . After I got married, my wife started coming out
Area: 1.28 million sq km (slightly larger
with me. I felt a call on my life to ministry and I began by planting
than Ontario).
a church in a community called Chincheros [cheen-CHAIR-ose].
While pastoring in that community, Fredi experienced another Location: Western South America, bordering
defining moment in his life. It happened after he struck up the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and
a conversation with a Quechua woman as she sat outdoors, Ecuador.
weaving a blanket on her loom. Geography: Western arid coastal plain; high
I began sharing the gospel with her in Spanish and we had a and rugged Andes in the nations centre; eastern
very good conversation, recalls Fredi. Then she said, What you lowland jungle of the Amazon basin, with
are explaining to me is wonderful, but now can you explain it to tropical lands bordering ColombiaFALKLAND
and Brazil.
ISLANDS
me in Quechua?
Population: 29.5 million.
So I tried so hard to explain my ideas in Quechua, but I
couldnt. That was a huge frustration for me that day . . . so when Capital: Lima (8.77 million).
I returned to Cusco, I began searching for a place to study the People: Amerindian 45%; mestizo (mixed
Quechua language. Amerindian and white) 37%; white 15%;
other 3%.
Comfortable in two cultures
Providentially, in 2001 Fredi also began searching for a Quechua Economy: Fishing, mining, agriculture (especially
Bible to give to the woman in Chincheros. His inquiries led him coffee) and tourism are economic mainstays.
to a Bible school in Cusco where Hettinga, Sagert and other staff More than half of the population lives in poverty.
from SIL, Wycliffes main partner organization, were teaching a Religion: Roman Catholic 81.3%, Evangelical
course on the Quechua language. 12.5%, other 3.3%, unspecified or none 2.9% (2007
Thats where my whole experience in speaking and reading census). It is estimated that 25% of Peruvians are
Quechua started, says Fredi. influenced by animism and witchcraft as much as
As Fredi and other church leaders continued visiting remote Christianity.
towns and villages high in the Andes surrounding Cusco, he
Languages: 65; Spanish & Quechua (official),
became convinced that the Cusco Quechua language held the
plus many other indigenous languages.
key to his peoples spiritual growth.
Observing the problems and difficulties they had, says Bible Translation Status: 4 languages
(including Spanish) have Bibles; 42 others have
New Testaments; 16 others have Scripture
(OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP) A Sunday school teacher in Pataqquea,
portions; 8 have work in progress.
Peru, distributes Spanish-language biblical materials to Quechua
children. The bold, full-colour illustrations capture the kids' Literacy: 67%79%
attention but their understanding of Spanish is limited. Thats Sources: World Factbook; Operation World, 7th Edition;
why ATEK staff are working to produce mother tongue materials, Ethnologue, SIL
like many of those on display at a recent literature event held in
Cusco (OPPOSITE PAGE, BOTTOM).
Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 9
(LEFT) For Fredi and other ATEK workers, theres a high price to
pay for their ministry to distant Quechua communities: frequent
separations from their families. (BELOW) Few Quechua church
leaders have received any formal training. ATEK helps equip such
leaders through workshops like this one, held this past November in
the town of Quechapampa. (OPPOSITE) ATEK is able to serve remote
communities because of committed staff like Moises Cutipa, a literacy
trainer who often uses an aging motorbike to carry out his work.

Fredi, made me think a big part of it was because they didnt

understand the gospel.
They were doing the same thing I used to doignoring
their own language. Everything in the Church was being
done in Spanish.
From that point on, adds Fredi, my passion to promote the
use of the Quechua Bible began to grow.
Personnel serving with SIL in Cusco soon noticed Fredis
growing enthusiasm for the Quechua language and people. So in
2002 when SIL staff brought Quechua pastors together to discuss
how they could help their churches begin to use the Cusco
Quechua Bible, Fredi was included.
The meeting resulted in the pastors forming a committee
which led to the formation of ATEK more than a year later. By
2007, when ATEKs board began looking for someone to replace
the outgoing director, Fredi was a natural choice.
Fredi had been part of the ATEK board from the beginning,
says Hettinga. He had demonstrated a deep passion for the
Quechua peoplehis people.
Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 11
We want to see
the Quechua
One of the things Fredi had going for him was Despite the lack of adequate funding, Fredi still believes that
people of God that he was not only a respected leader, but he God will find ways to see His work accomplishedas He did
stand up and was quite bi-cultural. He was very comfortable when He led Beach Corner Evangelical
in national Peruvian culture as well as Quechua More on the Web: Free Church in Stony Plain, Alta., to
take their place culture. This made him well positioned to be a Explore how your church partner with ATEK in serving one
bridge between the two cultures as well as to can partner with ATEK at Quechua church high in the Andes
in furthering lead this growing non-government organization <friendship.wycliffe.ca>
Mountains. Beach Corner has trained
His kingdom. that needed to not only minister to Quechuas, Quechua pastors and church members,
but also raise money, communicate with and provided funds for a new church building.
government institutions, and relate to donors. God will continue to move peoples hearts because I know He
has a purpose for the Quechua people, says Fredi. We dream, we
Persevering faith hope that one day the Quechua people will stand up and be a
These days, Fredi is praying for more donors to partner with great people in Gods timing. It will be the greatest time in their
ATEK as well as its 10 staff and handful of volunteers. Although history, a time that God will use them to advance the gospel in
it receives some funding from donations through Wycliffe this region.
Canada, ATEK recently lost significant funding after a major We want to see the Quechua people of God stand up and
funding partner made cutbacks. Fredi was forced to lay off two take their place in furthering His kingdom.
staff membersincluding one long-time staff member who now
volunteers his time to assist a Quechua community devastated
by an earthquake this past
More on the Web: September. (BELOW) Fredi (at left) shares a laugh with Bonifacio Ccahua, a
To donate to ATEKs work in These are the times I dont like,
South Peru, visit our website church leader in the town of Llawllipata. Through its ties to ATEK,
at <atek.wycliffe.ca>
says Fredi, but I know they are the the small evangelical church there has also received spiritual
best times to experience God in a encouragement from Beach Corner Evangelical Free Church in
deeper way. Stony Plain, Alta.

12 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca

 BUILD-
ING UP
BELIEVERS
IN SOUTH

or more than a decade, ATEKan acronym for the Forming leaders

PERU
association that shines the gospel to the Quechua- ATEKs training programsespecially the literacy component
speaking world has worked among the estimated and its impact on Quechua womenhave received positive
1 million Cusco Quechua speakers living in remote reviews from the United Nations Educational, Scientific
villages scattered across the rugged Andes Mountains and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The agencys website
of southern Peru. says ATEKs Reading Comprehension Literacy Program has
Based in the city of Cusco, ATEKs 10 staff and a few volunteers transformed the lives of the Quechua
are currently focusing their Bible-based training efforts on More on the Web: communities and among the several
churches in three of the Cusco regions 13 provinces. If they can Visit <www.unesco.org> results listed is the empowerment
raise additional funds, they hope to expand their ministry to and search for ATEK.
of women.
reach churches in several remaining provinces. Olga Sacatoomani is a prime
Led by pastor Fredi Quintanilla, ATEKs ministries are centred example. Since learning how to read her language just a few
around the Cusco Quechua Bible, published in 1988 by the years ago, the shy, hard-working mother of five has emerged as
Peruvian Bible Society. ATEK has distributed more than 15,000 a dedicated Bible teacher and trainer of Quechua women (see
copies so far, at subsidized prices so they are more affordable for Out of the Rubble, pg. 14).
the average Quechua family. ATEKs director says in recent years he has noticed a growing
However, when ATEK workers first began distributing the Bible, self-esteem among Quechua women.
it soon became evident that few Quechua adults could read They really want to learn the Word of God and read it for
the translated Scriptures. Women especially are often illiterate, themselves, says Fredi.
because during childhood most girls quit school early to work in In my opinion, adds Fredi, the gospel itself has caused the
their family fields or care for animals. women to value themselves in their society, because they want
In response, ATEK began working closely with SIL, Wycliffes to learn the Word of God and teach their children. They are
main partner organization, to launch church-based literacy more concerned about communicating with the family and this
programs that so far have equipped more than 6,000 Quechua has led them to take a lot more initiative.
children and adultsmost of them womento read and write While Fredi is pleased by such developments, he knows there
their language. Additionally, Sunday school programs taught by is much work yet to accomplish.
ATEK-trained teachers have introduced some 5,800 Quechua At this point we are the only organization that focuses
children to Gods Word in their mother tongue. on developing Quechua leaders. We still have a huge work
Other training initiatives include workshops for Quechua church ahead with the denominations because many of them dont
leaders as well as courses that help understand the significance of using the peoples mother tongue
More on the Web: believers apply Gods Word to issues they in their ministries.
see Building Stronger face in their marriages, families I think that will continue to be the role of ATEK: to influence
Marriages at
<exclusives.wycliffe.ca>.
and communities. church authorities and others to use the Quechua language.

Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 13

Quechua women bow their heads as they pray during a womens
literacy workshop in Urinccoscco, Peru. Many of these women
eagerly walked long distances, along winding roads and up steep
inclines to attend this workshop, led by ATEKs literacy co-ordinator,
Luisa Cahuana (featured in this article).
Once suppressed, Cusco Quechua women are now becoming
church leaders through the efforts of ATEK in Peru.
By Nathan Frank

Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 15

T
ears well up in Luisa Cahuanas eyes (see below) as she
struggles for words.
God has told me I need to do this. I do it to help my
sisters know the Word of God, says Luisa, about why she
has committed her life to working among Quechua villages in the
mountains surrounding Cusco, Peru. When I hear about their
problems and struggles, I feel that I have to be with them.
Luisa, literacy co-ordinator for the Scripture-use and literacy
organization, ATEK, is sitting beside one of her Quechua sisters.
She explains how painful it is for her to spend time away from
Cusco, where she lives with her husband, Ever Sanca Sapana, and
their two children, Miguel and Carol.
They say, Mom, dont leave. We want you to stay with us. So, I
have this struggle. When I come here I am with the women and I
want to be with them, and then when Im at home, I want to be
with my kids.
This time Luisa is a two-hour drive southeast of Cusco, in
the village of Urinccoscco, where she is leading a workshop for
female literacy teachers. She stands out in the crowd of women,
wearing a black fleece coat and blue jeans. Her attire is a sharp
contrast to most of the 25 women attending the workshop, who
are wearing colourful blouses and beaded hats.
Across the road from the evangelical church where the
workshop is being held, sits a Catholic church that has been
vacant and crumbling for decades, and dilapidated pre-Inca
ruins that overlook a valley. The incredible difference between
each side of the road couldnt be more pronounced. Outside the
church are radiant women, excited about their ability to read
the Word of God and their new opportunities to minister in OUR DREAM AS KIDS WAS ALWAYS SIMPLE
the church. On the other side of the road, however, it is quiet THINGS LIKE THE DAY WE WOULD HAVE A
almost eerie. The ancient architecture, most of it rubble, is a
reminder of a dark time for women in this community when the PAIR OF SOCKS OR A NEW PAIR OF SHOES.
gospel had yet to take root.

Muted Struggle
When Luisa looks down at her shoes, memories of her childhood
likely flood her mind. Visiting Quechua communities, like
Urinccoscco, may also remind her of her childhood in the high-
altitude town of Ayaviri, where her family struggled with poverty.
It was extremely cold. I remember growing up with shoes
with holes in them and toes sticking through the holes, she
says back in ATEKs Cusco office. Our dream as kids was always
simple things like the day we would have a pair of socks or a
new pair of shoes.
Growing up as the second-born of pastors (Luisas father,
Ricardo Cahuana Quispe, was a key contributor to the
translation of the Cusco Quechua Bible), Luisa was taught that
she could talk to God about her own and her familys struggles,
and that God could handle her questions.
When will you give us a home where we can live comfortably
like everyone else around us who seem to live so happily in their
houses? she would ask the Lord.
However, while Luisa was raised to freely ask God tough
questions, this openness wasnt the norm for most women when
Luisa was growing up.
In fact, during Luisas childhood, women had few rights in

16 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca

(ABOVE) Literacy co-ordinator Luisa Cahuana leads a friend as they
prepare for a skit in the womens literacy workshop. Thanks to Luisa
and others at ATEK, thousands of Quechua women are learning to
read the translated Scriptures and gaining a deeper relationship
with God. (OPPOSITE, TOP) A Quechua woman reads from a
Women of the Bible booklet, created by ATEK specifically for women.
(OPPOSITE, BOTTOM) Luisa believes deep in her heart that God
has called her to minister to her Quechua sisters. She also carries a
heavy burden, spending a great deal of time away from her family
as she trains and mentors women.

society and werent allowed to vote. Sadly, the environment
was similar in the church, where women didnt hold leadership
positions and few learned to read.
It wasnt even an option to ask questions, says Luisa. We
were taught to not question why they did this, where they did
this, where they came from, why a person did it that way, or why
they had taught it this way. We always believed we should never,
ever ask those sorts of questions.
Tides Change
However, in the past 20 years, womens rights have evolved
into a global issue and rural Peru has experienced the shift as
well. Since Luisa joined ATEK in 2007, the local church has seen
the place of women in the church expand, alongside Quechua
literacy. In the past five years, ATEK has trained 530 Quechua
literacy teachers who have led literacy classes in 467 churches in
the department of Cuscomost of those trained being women.
The reason the vast majority of those trained by ATEK are
women is because so many Quechua girls are sexually assaulted
as they walk to school on secluded mountain paths, causing
most to drop out and never learn how to read Quechua as
youngsters (see Changing Norms, pg. 19).
Its very dangerous for the young ladies to have to walk to these
far off communities for school, says Fredi Quintanilla, ATEKs
director, as he sits outside of the Urinccoscco womens literacy
workshop. Many of the women have experienced this type of
sexual abuse. There is so much hurt and wounds in their spirit.
Despite the many hurdles women have had to face, Fredi
believes the gospel has caused women to value themselves in
their society. They want desperately to learn the Word of God and
teach their children. He says the shift in Quechua homes is clear.
Its even common to see men take up some of the
responsibility in the home, so a woman can learn to read and
participate in other things.
Meet Olga
One of the women Luisa has trained is Olga Sacatoomani.
The mother of five is the womens ministry leader in the 12
evangelical churches in the district of Livitaca. She is a strong
woman. Living in an adobe house (made of mud and straw), she
overlooks a remote valley, with sun-lit mountains in the distance.
This is where she tends her cows while traversing the steep
inclines of the mountainside.
Olga knows hard work. Like they are for other Quechua
women, long days on her feet are normal. When she visits the 12
churches in her area she is often gone two days on horseback

Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 17


(ABOVE) Olga Sacatoomani is a new hero of the faith. The mother
of five is the womens ministry leader of the 12 evangelical churches
in the district of Livitaca. However, despite her busy schedule, she
still finds time to tend to her fowl.
or she will walk, sometimes for up to six hours.
She is a trailblazer, just like Luisa and Joni Carbajal, who is
ATEKs childrens co-ordinator (see story on pg. 20). However,
blazing a newonce socially unacceptable pathcan be lonely.
Although Olga usually finds support for her ministry from her
husband, he sometimes will be upset with her and will want her
to stay home with the cows and the kids. And from her sisters in
the church, Olga doesnt receive support, but jealousy instead.
Many of them want to be involved in this but either their
spouses dont let them or they dont have the time for it, and
they end up spreading rumours about me. They say that I
dominate over my husband, explains Olga, as she watches her
pasture in the distance.
Fredi isnt surprised by the criticism Olga faces.
It is completely unknown in this culture to be leading like
that, he says. People dont know how to deal with it. It causes a
certain level of jealousy and suspicion in peopleincluding some
of the men in the church.
Despite the barriers that still exist, Luisa insists the culture
has improved for leaders like Olga.
Often the churches end up calling these ladies up to the front
and saying, Please share the Word of God with us and preach.
18 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca
MANY OF THEM
WANT TO BE
INVOLVED IN THIS
BUT EITHER THEIR
SPOUSES DONT
LET THEM OR THEY
DONT HAVE THE
TIME FOR IT.
Patience Needed
If there is one virtue that Luisa
needs in her role, its patience.
Thankfully, ATEKs soft-spoken
literacy co-ordinator has learned
perseverance since her childhood,
when she and her siblings dreamt of
new shoes, full bellies and a home
of their own. God heard her cry. In
recent years her parents bought a
home that is only a short walk from
the ATEK office in Cusco, a popular
city for tourists wanting to visit Machu Picchu.
My parents are sharing with us. So I am very thankful for the
blessing God has given us. I never, ever dreamed that I would
have my own home here in Cusco. To live in Cusco has to be one
of the most expensive places to live in the whole country of Peru.
For Luisa, teaching Quechua leaders has required similar
patience, because acquiring the ability to read and write is a long
process.
The biggest problem is with reading comprehension, says
Luisa, before explaining that Quechua women generally arent
accustomed to reading. This is a huge, lifelong process. We need
consistent follow-up. Little-by-little we see change. In three years
we can really see serious results of change.
As each woman grows in her ability to read and write, they are
able to understand Scripture better, and then are equipped to
teach and lead the women in their church community.
Our goal is that each church will use the Word of God and
comprehend it, says Luisa. In that way their lives will be
changed.
With more than 500 literacy teachers trained, soon much of
the work will be left in the hands of the leaders Luisa has trained.
And as each Quechua teacher shares the gift of literacy with her
sisters, the hope of the gospel will spread and the rubble of the
past will soon become a distant memory.
Changing NORMS
An ATEK ministry combats sexual abuse sent to a group in Mexico. ATEKs second tool is a sexual abuse-
awareness workshop designed for both children and Sunday
among the Cusco Quechua people of school teachers.
Perueven within their churches. Children have never been told that what is happening to them
is actually bad, says Joni. We try to help them understand that
its not acceptable. With Sunday school teachers, we explain how
By Nathan Frank to teach children about sexual abuse, the dangers of it and how

A
to avoid it.
s a pair of teenage girls ready themselves for a long This issue is so serious that among the Quechua people, if you
walk to an ATEK Sunday school workshop in a far-off asked someone if there is sexual abuse within these communities,
Quechua community, they bow their heads and pray people will say there is never any type of abuse like that, says
that God will protect them on their journey. This isnt Fredi Quintanilla, director of ATEK.
simply a routine prayer; its an act of trust in the face of danger. Within their worldview it doesnt exist, because its such an
These girls used to attend high school, but on the five-hour integral part of their culture that its considered normal, he says.
walk to the nearest school they were frequently attacked and Parents are usually offended by ATEKs workshops, because
sexually assaulted by men hiding in the bushes. they are finally being confronted with something that has been
I told my father I didnt want this to keep happening to me. So so common throughout their lives. They have almost all been
my father replied, I dont want you going to school anymore, taken advantage of sexually.
one of the girls told Joni Carbajall, ATEKs childrens ministry To come and say this isnt good and is a sin and abuse, they say,
director. The two never left their community again for a long How can that be? How is that abuse? explains Joni.
time and only decided to risk the danger of the road again in This culture of abuse even exists within the Cusco Quechua
order to attend ATEKs Sunday school workshop. evangelical church. At a meeting of denominational leaders,
We keep hearing in church that we need to have faith in God ATEK showed a sexual assault awareness video that they
that God will protect us always, says one of the girls. Its like Im produced. Initially the group denied that there was a problem,
beginning to learn that part of my faith. until one man stood up and firmly said, Lets be sincere and
The danger of sexual abuse is a major reason why most girls honest about this: who hasnt sexually assaulted someone?
dont attend school past Grade 6 and are almost all illiterate. The room was quiet. Not one leader could say they were
To combat sexual assault in a Quechua culture where it is innocent. Then one brave man, sitting in the far corner stood up.
considered normal, ATEK has developed a number of tools. The I need help, he admitted. Then he went to the front, where
organization has created a series of Quechua books, videos and the group prayed for him and then for one another.
audio files, telling the story of a woman who experienced sexual As a first step, the men in the group asked for forgiveness from
abuse. The story has even been translated into Spanish and Jesus, the one who was waiting to heal their brokenness and pain,
no matter how great their sin.
Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 19
 On
A young womans
sacrificial service
in the Peruvian
Andes is helping
remote rural
Beautiful Feet
churches introduce
thousands of kids
to Christ.
By Doug Lockhart

20 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca

A Sunday school teacher reads from the Cusco
Quechua Bible during morning services in the
town of Pataqquea, Peru. This teacher and
about 14 others in the region benefit from
training workshops led by ATEKs Joni Carbajal.

C
louds of dust swirl behind a sturdy white truck as it
chugs up a narrow, winding road high in the Andes
Mountains of Peru. Inside, at the rear of the 30-year-old
Toyota Land Cruiser, a quiet, young Quechua woman
takes a cramped, bone-rattling six-hour journey from Cusco
to a small village in the mountains. Joni [YON-ee] Carbajal is
likely thinking often about her husband Luis, and the numerous
separations they must endure as she travels to remote towns
and villages. Its part of the price the 28-year-old pays to serve
with ATEK, Wycliffes partner organization in South Peru that
helps individual Quechua believers and churches engage with
Scripture in their mother tongue.
This time around, the entire road trip will take four daysbut
Joni appreciates the luxury of travelling the entire distance
in ATEKs ancient truck. Often, to reach many of the small
communities she visits regularly, she and other ATEK staff must
travel part way by bus and then walk for hours through the
dusty hills.
As she arrives in the village of Jalcca [HAL-ca], Jonis thoughts
naturally turn to an upcoming late-afternoon Bible class for kids
organized by Wilfredo, one of the many Sunday school teachers
she has trained and continues to mentor.
Waiting and serving
Before Joni began working with ATEK in 2006, she studied
nursing for a short time but then decided to transfer to a local
university and focus on education. In between, she was looking
22 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca
I see a great
need right now
for us to be
working with
adolescents and
teens.
for work when an ATEK employee invited her to apply for a
secretarial job with the small organization.
Still single, Joni brought her resum with her when she visited
ATEKs office in Cusco, but director Fredi Quintanilla was away.
In the months that followed, the two found it difficult to sync
their schedules for Jonis official job interview.
While waiting for an opportunity to meet with Fredi, Joni
heard that an ATEK worker was preparing to visit some rural
communities to treat children with intestinal parasites.
He was responsible to go and train pastors how to properly
dispense some pills, Joni recalls. Because of my nursing
background, I asked if I could help.
Joni ended up developing a simple training program for
Quechua parents and others, on how to treat intestinal
parasites. Then a few months later, she volunteered to help
Amy Hauschildt, an American volunteer dentist, to run ATEK-
sponsored dental clinics in a few Quechua villages.
Meanwhile, I was still waiting for ATEK to respond to me
about being their secretary, says Joni. I think four or five
months had gone by, and I helped here and there with health-
related projects and preparing educational booklets.
Through all this time, I was looking for work elsewhere.
Joni kept busy at her church, too.
I had always wanted to teach children but I didnt know how
to teach them well. So I contacted a pastor, and he put me in
touch with a young man who was working with the kids.
The young mans name was Luis Alberto. The two soon hit it
off and were married in August of 2010.
(ABOVE) Outside a church in the town of Jalcco, Joni and a group of
children attending Sunday school discuss a passage from the Cusco
Quechua Bible. (LEFT) Joni and teacher Wilfredo Eda, whom she has
mentored, examine a copy of illustrated Bible story booklets she
brought with her to distribute to the class. (OPPOSITE) Volunteer
dentist Amy Hauschildt cares for a patient at ATEKs headquarters
in Cusco, assisted by long-time ATEK worker Thoms Puma. Before
Joni was hired by ATEK in 2007, she voluntarily assisted the
dentist from Tucson, Arizona, as she treated patients in outlying
communities.

Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 23

Emerging leader Im teaching church leaders and pastors all the time, Joni says,
Joni finally met with Fredi, and began her work with ATEK and I realized I can learn more by doing these studies.
by evaluating the effectiveness of the organizations literacy Although Joni has a clear sense of direction now, that hasnt
program. Over time, her job evolved into her current role as always been the case.
a trainer of Sunday school teachers and other church leaders. In the beginning, when I was working with leaders, I really
Besides overseeing 15 teachers working in 13 rural churches, didnt feel good about it. I felt like I wasnt in the right place. At
she has mentored three Quechua teachers to oversee all of the that point I remember asking God, Help me to find exactly
Sunday school programs and childrens camps. what I need to do in ATEKmy place. It was at that point I
To date, Joni and her teams have worked with upwards of 100 began working with children, even though I didnt really have
Quechua churches that provide Sunday school programs for experience. I learned, and people taught me along the way. It
more than 5,500 kids. was hard and pretty tiring, but I knew there were so many
Because she has confidence in the teachers she has mentored, children that needed to know the Lord.
Joni now has some time to develop a training manual for What encouraged me and gave me strength was just the
reaching and discipling Quechua youth. dream of seeing Quechua men and women involved in
I see a great need right now for us to be working with teaching children.
adolescents and teens, she says. Those that are 13 or 14 years Joni says she still feels uncomfortable at times, especially the
old are embarrassed, especially the boys, to still associate with first time she visits a church.
the children. Once they get to that age, they drift away from the In some churches, its unacceptable for a woman to teach
church, but the girls tend to stick around more. men, she explains.
In 2014, Joni began training youth leaders in various Although Joni cant do much to change long-held attitudes
communities, but sadly, she recently had to drop that activity held by some men in positions of authority, ATEK challenges
from her job description because of budget cutbacks. (See how Quechua pastors, elders and Sunday school teachers to mentor
you can help support this work on the back cover.) and encourage young leaders of both sexes.
Funds just didnt stretch far enough, Joni says, so we stopped While dealing with some male leaders is difficult, one of Jonis
doing that and now focus solely on the children. hardest trials is being separated from Luis Alberto.
I just got married four years ago, and its hard leaving my
Pressed on all sides husband, she says. Sometimes I can be away two or three
Jonis energy seems to know no bounds. Despite her many weeks out of the month.
responsibilities at ATEK and elsewhere, she also manages to Another challenge, she says softly, is the times that I have to
attend Bible college classes two days a week in Cusco. walk alone in the mountains for so long and so far.

24 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca

 (OPPOSITE) Jonis versatility makes her a valuable asset to ATEK.
Here, she leads part of a training session for church leaders in
Quechapampa. (ABOVE) Sunday school teacher Wilfredo Eda
watches as boys from his class in Jalcco play tug-of-war. When the
class is over, many of these children must return home to help care
for animals, tend crops or perform other family chores.

"We want to see

many more
like myself . . .
enabled to train
other Sunday
school teachers."

Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 25


These girls and their church classmates in Jalcco enjoy a unique
privilege: they are among the first Quechua youngsters in history
to have access to Gods Word in their mother tongue. They are also
benefiting from ATEKs holistic ministries that strengthen families,
churches and entire communities.
Bearing fruit
Despite such hardships, Joni perseveres. Her vision for ministry
even extends beyond her people, to encompass other language
groups in Peru. Somehow, she finds time to volunteer with a
ministry that helps equip childrens workers and youth leaders
throughout the country.
People are participating from the jungle areas and from other
parts of the mountains, Joni says. We want to see many more
like myself, from many different organizations, enabled to train
other Sunday school teachers . . . so that the Word of God will be
taught to children throughout the country.
As for her work with ATEK, Joni is encouraged to see more and
more Quechua churches catching the vision for ministering to kids.
In the places where weve gone, she says, the childrens
ministry is a lot more organized. In many of these places, it no
longer depends on me or on ATEK to function, because my
vision has always been to train trainers. Ive been able to leave
people behind who are going to follow up and continue to teach
the children in their communities.
26 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca
Ive been able
to leave people
behind who are
going to follow up
and . . . teach the
children in their
communities.
Furthermore, when training Sunday school teachers and camp
leaders, Joni and her ATEK co-workers always include lessons
on how to lead kids to Christ. In a recent childrens camp, 77
Quechua children indicated their desire to follow Jesus.
Centuries before Joni Carbajal was born, the prophet Isaiah
wrote, How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those
who bring good news . . . . Perhaps, before penning the well-
known words recorded in Isaiah 52, he saw people like Joni in his
minds eye.
Though she often grows weary of leaving her husband to
traverse the steep, dusty trails of the Andes Mountains, Jonis
sacrifices have not gone unnoticed by her Saviourand their
impact will last for eternity.
Translation Update
Announced with
a Jewish Shofar
San Blas Kuna
was one of three
Bible dedications
this past year
with a Canadian
connection.
By Janet Seever

T he sound of the Jewish shofar announced the arrival of the As one of the dedications on the Kuna island of Tigre, a man from
complete Bible translated into the San Blas Kuna language the Kuna translation team leads a dedication prayer for the Kuna
of Panamawhich is spoken by 57,100 people on the
outlying islands, with nearly 100,000 more speakers throughout
the rest of Panama. The event, celebrated at Hosanna Church
Bible, asking God to use it in a mighty way among the Kuna people.

As one of the guests who went to Panama to celebrate this

in Panama City on September 20, was one of three observances special event so aptly said, "We can describe the events. We
in Panama in honour of this milestone. A 100-voice Kuna can show pictures of the activities. There is, however, no way to
choir sang praise to God. Several Kuna pastors shared their capture the emotion of those days."
gratefulness to God for His Word. The Bible translation team was Another visitor said, It was a life-changing experience for me.
gracious hosts to 80 guests from five countries, while 3,200 Kuna There is a picture forever imprinted in my mind and on my heart.
speakers attended the event at the Hosanna Church. I watched as a young ladmaybe eight or 10 years oldopened
Keith and Wilma Forster, from South Africa and Canada a Bible and began to read it out loud. For the first time in his life,
respectively, began working on the translation in 1982, after he held God's Word in his hands and he could read it. He could
they had already completed the translation of a New Testament understand it. It was in his own language. Ill never forget the
for the Border Kuna dialect in the 1970s. They are thankful for impact that had on me."
valuable Kuna co-translators over the years who worked so Now that the Kuna people have Gods Word in its entirety,
diligently with them to complete this huge task. the Forsters are asking people to pray earnestly that the initial
Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude to the Lord for the enthusiasm for the coming of the Word will not diminish and
privilege of seeing Panamas Kuna people holding Gods Word that Kuna hearts will grow deep in their knowledge of the Word
. . . in the language of their hearts, wrote Wilma. How grateful and of Gods claim on their lives.
we are to the Lord for the wonderful way in which He blessed
each dedication. Gods Word Comes to the Aringa
Keith and Wilma struggled to put into words what those Elsewhere, in Africa, another language group with a Canadian
special days meant to them: Gratitude! Amazement! Joy! connection received their New Testament this past year.
Doxology! Praise! A humble feeling of gratitude to have been What a day of celebration June 24, 2014, was for the Aringa
given the privilege of having a part in preparing Gods Word for people of Uganda! After many years of waiting, they finally
the Kuna people. Even the hymn To God be the Glory, Great received their New Testament.
Things He Has Done . . . which has been ringing in our hearts Nearly 1,000 people gathered in Yumbe, the main town in
over and over again, cant begin to capture the gratitude and their homeland in northwestern Uganda, to celebrate.
praise we want to express to God.

Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 27

 It goes to the heart . . . It is
Six large tents provided shade around a grassy centre field powerful to me. It tells us
for the celebration that officially launched the New Testament
in Aringa, the mother tongue of 500,000 speakers who live in clearly what we are to do.
Uganda and some of the neighbouring countries.
About 500 New Testaments were pre-sold, with more sold on
the day of the celebration. Some of the gathered guests were
from among the 80 per cent of the language groups population The project was filled with heartbreak, challenges and
who are Muslim. Churches also bought copies to use for ministry difficulties, but by Gods grace it was completed and the
within their communities. Aringa Scripture is already being used New Testament is now in the hands of the Atikamekw people.
within more than two dozen Bible study groups and in many Beginning in 1976, various SIL members laboured on the project
churches. More than half of the 130 schools in the area now use for varying amounts of time: Tim Stime; Bonnie Stime Geleynse
Aringa as the language of instruction in the first three grades. (now deceased; who had continued work on translation after
Response to the New Testament was enthusiastic. One Aringa leaving SIL); and Julie and Andy Barlow. Finally Ruth (Spielmann)
speaker said, It goes to the heart; now I do not need to read Heeg, with the Canadian Bible Society, worked with Atikamekw
and translate. It is powerful to me. It tells us clearly . . . what we speakers to complete the project. (Ruth previously worked on
are to do." translation with SIL in the closely-related Algonquin language.)
The New Testament translation began in 2000, and was taken People involved were honoured with a plaque at the
on as a OneBook project in 2007. OneBook, a close partner celebration. Andy Barlow, who was at the ceremony, was
of Wycliffe Canada, raises funds from Canadians for overseas thankful to be able to finally hold the Atikamekw New
translation and literacy projects. Testament in his hands and see Atikamekw speakers excited
about God's Word in their language.
Atikamekw Nation Territory, Quebec Tim Stime, in his speech to the group, recognized the great
The Atikamekw people received their New Testament on work of more than 55 Atikamekw speakers who helped in the
September 14 in a ceremony held near Manawan, Quebec. translation and checking process.
Atikamekw is a language in the Algonquian family of Canadian The Atikamekw peoples use of their first language remains
indigenous languages, with about 7,000 Atikamekw speakers vigorous, with about 98 per cent of the population speaking the
living in south-central Quebec. language fluently, while using French as their second language.

World New Testaments

Translation Location Number of Groups Combined Total Populations

Summary Africa 7 765,150

Scriptures translated with Pacific 4 29,340
Wycliffe involvement were
published in 22 languages Americas 5 55,470
spoken by 2.6 million people
Total 16 849,960
in 2014. (This is a change from
past years when Word Alive
presented Scriptures that had
been dedicated.) This table Whole Bibles
gives a regional breakdown of
the affected language groups
Location Number of Groups Combined Total Populations
with their populations. Americas 1 157,100
Africa 5 1,543,900
Total 6 1,701,000
Combined Totals 22 2,550,960

28 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca

Beyond Words

A Compassionate Answer
By David Hynum

D avid, how long did it take you to learn Numanggang? I have often been
asked this question by our friends, family and partners back in the U.S.
Questions like that require a story-based response.
We had been in the village of Tumun for about three years. I was gaining
confidence and communicating quite a bit, although the grammar still baffled
me. One afternoon , I took a break from studying Numanggang and pondering
the meaning of the languages strange words. A hike up the mountain, with
breathtaking views from the ridge above the villages, always cleared my head. The
people called it nagat kaika (refreshing the blood)what a perfect phrase.
As I trekked along the lonely dirt road that serves as the only route in and out
of Numanggang territory, I met a boisterous group of little boys.
My eyes rested on Ekite, who was proudly holding a dead bird in one hand and
a slingshot in the other. The cadre of small wannabe hunters was trooping along
after their hero in hopes of sharing the meal. Proudly, they exhibited their catch.
It didnt look like dinner to me. I stared at the birds forlorn chicks being handled
roughly by the boys.
On the other hand, Gatiwin, a young man who had been helping me learn the
language and translate the Gospel of Mark, was studying me. Apparently, my face
was much more interesting than the distressed birds and he suddenly blurted out,
Yakei Bulanigo nadilak! (Goodness! Hes feeling sorry!)
Two very significant things happened at that instant.
First, I was publicly demoted to an outsider again. It didnt matter that I had
remembered the words for the bird and the slingshot because I wasnt thinking
like a Numanggang man. Humility follows disgrace, so perhaps that was a good
thing for me.
Secondly, this was an epiphany. I had discovered that bulanigo means more
than to be sorry. It also means to feel compassion. Now I had a word to represent
Gods compassion for us. He deeply cares when He sees us being mauled by
difficulties, tragedy, poor choices, sorrow, illness and
the enemy of our souls. When Jesus saw the very large
gathering of the people, his heart was broken for them and
Learning a language he knew bulanigo for them and he healed the people
who had sicknesses/diseases (Matthew 14:14).
is really a misnomer. Learning a language is really a misnomer. One doesnt
One doesnt learn learn a language. One learns a culture. A good deal of it is
below the level of conscious thoughtgestures, attitudes,
a language. One moresall the little nuances of what is considered
learns a culture. normal and acceptable. In fact, it is a new way of thinking,
maybe even of being. In other words, I am still becoming
Numanggang.
Maybe, by the time we finish translating the Scriptures, I
will have reached the status of a Numanggang warrior. But
probably notIll most likely still be learning.

Wycliffes David and Yohana Hynum have served as translators, literacy workers and friends among the
Numanggang people of Papua New Guinea since since 1978.

Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca 29

 A Thousand Words

Shaken Awake

Until recently, many residents of Misca, Peru were

suspicious when ATEK staff members offered to
distribute Bibles in their Cusco Quechua language
Alan Hood
and share the gospel. Some even threw stones at the
ATEK workers, forcing them to leave the village. Then
a strong earthquake rocked Misca this past September,
killing eight of the towns 130 residents and leaving
most homes and other buildings severely damaged.
The grieving townspeople have since invited ATEK to
return and teach them from Gods Word. Like the poles
now propping up the towns ancient, fractured church
building, ATEK provides support to Quechua churches
and communities through ministries that help them
access Gods life-giving Word in their heart language.

30 Word Alive Summer 2015 wycliffe.ca

 Last Word

Becoming Women of the Bible

By Roy Eyre

T he ladies meetings in the local church were

boring. One young lady wondered why she should
bother attending since there was nothing to learn.
One by one, the women stopped coming, until finally
only two or three diehards were left. We could be talking
In his book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell observed that
if you select a certain subset of people early enough
and give them consistent development opportunities,
you'll change the composition of the group at the
highest level. I believe his lessons apply to leadership, the
about Canada, but this particular story is set in the traditional domain of men. In Canada and Peru alike,
mountains of Peru. while women outnumber men in a variety of fields, they
Enter ATEK, a national organization partnering with are conspicuously absent from leadership roles. But when
Wycliffe to promote the use of translated Scriptures in leadership ability is identified and cultivated in women
the Cusco Quechua language (featured in the stories of early enough, women prove to be excellent leaders.
this issue). For instance, Luisa Cahuana and Olga Sacatoomani
As part of its Bible reading comprehension program in (see story on page 14) are two of a handful of bold
the local language, ATEK presented a training workshop women who model hardy and courageous leadership
called Women of the Bible. In an effort to revive the in a country where 30 per cent cannot read, and 70 per
womens group, the local church sent cent of the illiterate are women. Such leadership brings
God has equipped two women to the workshop. When they transformation to lives and communities.
returned, the women in the community God has equipped His global Church with a wide
His global Church
started meeting once a month, thinking array of gifts, strengths and personalities. He is raising
with a wide array of that any more frequently was still a waste up atypical leaders to meet needs that cant be met by
gifts, strengths and of time. However, the teaching soon the majority.
challenged attendees in their personal Roy Eyre is the president of Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada.
personalities. He is faith. They found that their lives as
raising up atypical women didnt line up with those they
leaders to meet needs had learned about in the Word of God.
As the women applied the teachings
that cant be met by to daily life, their relationships with
the majority. their children, husbands and neighbours
began to improve. Rather than look for
excuses not to attend, now women were
walking long distances, bringing their babies and small
children with them. Meetings were increased to twice
a month to accommodate women eager to learn more
from Scripture. The women had discovered that Gods
Word, when understood and applied, is never boring.
A couple of years ago I had the privilege of visiting
the offices of ATEK and AIDIA, a similar ministry
among a neighbouring Quechua group (see Word Alive,
Summer 2014). In both cases, I was impressed at the
comprehensive and customized way they approached
Scripture engagement. In their quest to see communities
and lives transformed by God's Word, they addressed
real community needs, including:
finding ways to do children's ministry in a culture
that expects children to care for the animals while
adults go to church.
addressing issues that impact the family, like physical
abuse and alcoholism.
giving strong attention to literacy and leadership
development among women.
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Wycliffe Canada Featured Partnership

Invest in the Cusco

Quechua people
through ATEK
Y ou can help advance Bible distribution, literacy,
Scripture-based training and more in south Peru,
through your gift to ATEK (featured in this issue
of Word Alive). Here are the details of this important
partnership with the Quechua people, which you can
support through your gifts to Wycliffe Canada.
Name: ATEK
Location: South Peru, South America
Language Group: Cusco Quechua
Overview: The Cusco Quechua Bible was published in
1988but until about 10 years ago, few Quechuas were
able to read it. Today, thousands of Cusco Quechua-
speakers can read Gods Word and apply it to their lives,
thanks to a local Peruvian organization, the Association
that Shines the Gospel to the Quechua-speaking World
(whose Quechua name is shortened using the acronym
ATEK). ATEK promotes the use of the Cusco Quechua
Bible in Quechua-speaking churches and communities
through literacy programs, workshops for church
leaders and married couples, childrens programs and
educational publications. ATEK has a long track record of
strengthening Quechua churches and individual believers
through its diverse and compassionate ministries.
Timeline: 2006 present
Funding Need for 2015: $84,120
Donate today to help promote the use of Gods Word
in Peru!
U
 se this magazines reply form (fill in the box that
mentions ATEK).
Give online at projects.wycliffe.ca
Call 1-800-463-1143 toll free and indicate your gift
is for ATEK.