Wycliffe Associates banquet features MAST method of Bible translation

Everyone is invited to join Tabitha Price at a Wycliffe Associates banquet on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. at the Der Dutchman Restaurant at The Carlisle Inn, 4967 state Route 515 in Walnut Creek, where she will share how a new translation method that relies upon nationals is greatly accelerating Bible translation worldwide. Dinner reservations are required. Call Wycliffe Associates at 888-745-4572 or email deanna_wantz@wycliffeassociates.org for complimentary tickets.

Price serves as a writer, editor and Bible translation consultant for Wycliffe Associates in Southeast Asia, where she is ministering to the marginalized and overlooked language groups who are still waiting for the Bible to be translated into their own language. Recently she met with a pastor from the remote Ta-aw people group.

“We've asked, and we keep asking, but no one will help us,” the downcast pastor said.

He went on to share that he had been turned down by other mission organizations. “I have worked since 1984 to teach my people to read,” he said. “Our language has an alphabet. Our people are literate.”

Then he pulled a piece of paper from his pack. “These are 20 pastors' signatures. This is our petition for help.”

As Price listened, she discovered the pastor is educated, has access to a computer and has the support of his people. She knew in her heart that with the right tools and training he could be the one to translate God's word for his people.

Price was thrilled to invite the pastor and others from his language community to a Mobilized Assistance Supporting Translation workshop, where they received training and worked alongside a team of nationals to begin translating the Bible into their own language. The relatively new MAST method is greatly reducing the time it takes to translate scripture, and in a very short time the Ta-aw group had translated the book of Mark. After that workshop the team developed a strategy to complete the New Testament within a year. The Ta-aw people now have the written word in their own language.