Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada • Winter 2009

CentRAl AfRicA: In PeRson

Featuring one of the world’s regions with the greatest need for Bible translation.

Special Issue 2010 Calendar


Winter 2009 • Volume 27 • Number 4
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: Laird Salkeld
Senior Staff Writer: Doug Lockhart
Staff Writers: Janet Seever, Deborah Crough
Staff Photographer: Alan Hood
Vice President of Communications: Dave Crough
Word Alive is published four times annually by Wycliffe Bible
Translators of Canada, 4316 10 St NE, Calgary, AB T2E 6K3. Copyright
2009 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 $12 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
Note to readers: References to “SIL” are occasionally made in
Word Alive. SIL is a key partner organization, dedicated to training,
language development and research, translation and literacy.
Wycliffe Canada Vision Statement: A world where translated
Scriptures lead to transformed lives among people of all languages.
Translating Scripture, Transforming Lives
Together with partners worldwide, we serve indigenous people through
language-related ministries, especially Bible translation and literacy. Our
goal is to empower local communities to express God’s love in Word
and deed—for personal, social and spiritual transformation. Wycliffe
personnel currently serve globally in nearly 1,500 language projects for
more than a half billion people. However, about 2,400 minority groups
still wait for the power of God working through their own languages.
Wycliffe invites you to participate in this effort through prayer, service
and funding.
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.
In Others’ Words
“You want to send me historical works?
That would be fine. But it would be
even better if you sent me the Bible
(both Testaments). I need it.”
—Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881), the great
Russian novelist, while imprisoned at
St Petersburg, in a letter to his brother.
Foreword
Personalizing 500 Bibleless Groups
Dwayne Janke
O
ur best estimate is that Bible translation still needs to
begin in about 2,400 languages worldwide. These lan-
guages are not evenly distributed around the globe.
In fact, four-fifths of them are located in just three
main regions: 1) Mainland Asia; 2) Central Africa and Nigeria;
and 3) the Indonesia-Pacific Archipelago.
In the 2009 calendar issue of Word Alive, we featured the first of
these regions of greatest Bible translation need—Mainland Asia.
In this 2010 calendar, we present images from the Central
Africa and Nigeria area, which lies in the very heart of the African
continent (see map below). In this region, you can find more than
500 language groups without Bible translation projects even started.
To break things down further, there are two centres of concen-
tration in the region.
The first one is the nation of Nigeria. In this country, 510 languag-
es are spoken among the population of 137 million. Bible translation
has not even started there for more than 250 of those languages.
The region’s second centre of concentration is Central
Francophone Africa, which includes such nations as Cameroon,
Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. This area is home to 250-
plus languages needing translation of the Scriptures.
These impressive language statistics
represent something more substantial—
We trust that this
tens of millions of human beings without
will be the calendar God’s Word in their heart languages. They
also represent a broad range of geogra-
of choice in your phies, livelihoods, cultures, ethnic tradi-
tions, political circumstances and reli-
home or office. gious practices. To help personalize this,
we are presenting photographs of people
from the Central Africa and Nigeria region with each month.
We trust that this will be the calendar of choice in your home
or office, as you keep track of important dates and personal events
in 2010. But, more significantly, we want it to be a reminder for
key partners like you that there remains a huge unfinished task in
this part of Africa.
As you refer to the calendar, please pray that:
• Bible translation will begin soon for the remaining languages
there.
• Wycliffe and other organizations can partner with local
churches and agencies in the region.
• God will send the required personnel, prayer and finances to
see the translated Word presented with clarity—in print and
non-printed form.
We know that the Bibleless language groups of Central Africa
are on our Lord’s heart. May they also be on yours in 2010 and
beyond.
Word Alive • Winter 2009 • wycliffe.ca 2
Photo Credits: Genesis Photos
(May, July, August, December);
Esther Havens (Cover, January,
March); Dave Crough (Below,
February, June); Alan Hood
(April, September, October,
November).

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW

INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of
Zondervan. All rights reserved.
January
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

December

1 2 3 4 5
“If you . . . know how to give good gifts
to your children, how much more
February

1 2 3 4 5 6
1
New
Year’s
Day 2
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 will your Father in heaven give good 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 gifts to those who ask him!” 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

—Matthew 7:11 (NIV)
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

27 28 29 30 31
January 28

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Martin Luther
King Jr. Day
(U.S.)

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31
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February
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

January

1 2
1 2 3 4 5 6
3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20
St. Valentine’s Presidents’ Ash
Day Day (U.S.) Wednesday

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28
March
Even in darkness light dawns for
1 2 3 4 5 6
the upright, for the gracious and
compassionate and righteous man. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

—Psalm 112:4 (NIV) 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

February 28 29 30 31

Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada www.wycliffe.ca

March
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4 5 6
February

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Daylight Saving St. Patrick’s Day First Day
Time Begins of Spring
(some exceptions)

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31
Palm April
Sunday
Like cold water to a weary 1 2 3
soul is good news from a
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
distant land.
—Proverbs 25:25 (NIV) 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

March 25 26 27 28 29 30

Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada www.wycliffe.ca

April
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3
March Good
Even to your old age . . . I Friday
1 2 3 4 5 6
am he who will sustain you.
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
I have made you and I will
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 carry you. . . .
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 —Isaiah 46:4 (NIV)

April
28 29 30 31

4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Easter Easter
Sunday Monday

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30
May

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31

Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada www.wycliffe.ca

May
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1
April June

1 2 3  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. 1 2 3 4 5

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 When can I go and meet with God? 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

—Psalm 42:2 (NIV)
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

25 26 27 28 29 30
May 27 28 29 30

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 Mother’s
Day
10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Victoria Day
(Can.)

30 31
Memorial Day
Obsrved (U.S.)

Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada www.wycliffe.ca

June
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4 5
May

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 Flag
Day
(U.S.) 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26
Father’s First Day of National Day
Day Summer (Qué.)

27 28 29 30
July
Whoever is wise, let him . . . 1 2 3
consider the great love of
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
the LORD.
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
—Psalm 107:43 (NIV)
18 19 20 21 22 23 24

June 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada www.wycliffe.ca

July
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3
June August Canada
“Come to me, all you who are Day
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
weary and burdened, and I will
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
give you rest. . . . For my yoke is
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 easy and my burden is light.” 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 —Matthew 11:28, 30 (NIV) 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

July
27 28 29 30 29 30 31

4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Independence
Day (U.S.)

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada www.wycliffe.ca

August
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Civic Holiday
(Can.—except
Qué., Nfld., P.E.I.)

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29 30 31
July September
Your hands made me and formed
1 2 3 1 2 3 4
me; give me understanding to
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
learn your commands.
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 —Psalm 119:73 (NIV) 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

25 26 27 28 29 30 31
August 26 27 28 29 30

Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada www.wycliffe.ca

September
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4
August
Your beauty should . . . be that of
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
your inner self, the unfading beauty
8 9 10 11 12 13 14 of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 of great worth in God’s sight.
—1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV)
22 23 24 25 26 27 28

September
29 30 31

5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Labour
Day

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 First Day
of Autumn
24 25

26 27 28 29 30
October

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31

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October
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2
September November

1 2 3 4 Come, my children, listen 1 2 3 4 5 6
to me; I will teach you
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
the fear of the LORD.
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
—Psalm 34:11 (NIV)
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

26 27 28 29 30

October 28 29 30

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Thanksgiving
Day (Can.)

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31
Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada www.wycliffe.ca
November
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4 5 6
October

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10 11 12 13 14 15 16

17 18 19 20 21 22 23

24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31

7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Daylight Saving Remembrance Day
Time Ends (some (Can.) • Veterans
exceptions) Day (U.S.) • Wycliffe
World Day of Prayer

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Thanksgiving
Day (U.S.)

28 29 30
December

The LORD gives strength to 1 2 3 4
his people; the LORD blesses
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
his people with peace.
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
—Psalms 29:11 (NIV)
19 20 21 22 23 24 25

November 26 27 28 29 30 31

Wycliffe Bible Translators of Canada www.wycliffe.ca

December
 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4
November

1 2 3 4 5 6
You turned my wailing into
dancing . . . O LORD my God,
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
I will give you thanks forever.
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
—Psalm 30:11-12 (NIV)
21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30
December
5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25
First Day Christmas
of Winter

26 27 28 29 30 31
Boxing Day January 2011
(Can.)
1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31
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