Joe and Jerry Snyder
Wycliffe Bible Translators
April-June 2006

Joe's Update
I was in Colorado in late March for the Christian Management Association meeting. For those of you who are prayers and supporters from Colorado, it was great to see many of you and spend a few minutes catching up. I was able to visit at several churches on the two weekends that I was there, thanks to the variety of service times at the various churches. As usual, the conference was a great experience with terrific speakers and time to meet up with colleagues from other ministries.

This certainly has been a busy time of year. We apologize for not getting out newsletters in April and May. But, you can be assured that it was only because of the demands of work and ministry. Several projects in the Information Technology department have kicked into high gear (as they say) such as the redesign of the entire wycliffe.org web site, the second phase of our constituent relationship management software, database upgrades, and the like. When I look back at my calendar, all I see are meetings during the day and email/report writing in the evenings. Toss in a little travel and you know what our life has been like.

People around the world are showing a growing interest and recognizing the importance of Bible translation as the foundation on which missions needs to be built. Take a look at this article if you have interest in the subject: http://www.momentum-mag.org/200601/200601-29-article1.pdf We are experiencing an amazing demand from language groups everywhere to come and help them do a translation into their language. Even those who are pre-literate or even anti-literate societies are interested in the Bible. Check out this article on "oral societies" which make up a majority of the developing world: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/003/30.56.html We are working with other partner organizations to meet the need of those who cannot yet read the Scriptures.

Jerry's Update
After months and months of work, many stressful moments, hours of meetings, and constant prayer, the new financial accounting system of Wycliffe Bible Translators US is up and working.  The first member payroll was completed and transmitted on Monday and on time.  It wasn't without any errors but no new system is on the first try.  God has guided us in many ways providing insight and wisdom to all who were involved.  To Him be the glory and honor for what He has accomplished through all of us.  I thank you so much for all your prayer support.  I know that without it I would have fallen apart under the stress.  Because of your prayers, instead of panic and fear of failure, God gave me peace, calmness, and clarity of mind that could only have come from Him. 

I would like to share with you a picture that I think God gave me through a sermon by Arron Chambers.  This happened a few months ago when I was feeling terribly overwhelmed.  I actually don't remember what the sermon was about (sorry Arron) but Arron used an illustration of Joshua and the Israelites marching around the wall of Jericho.  God used that illustration to help me understand that my task in this project was to “walk around the wall” day by day, step by step.  His job was to bring the wall down at the proper time.  This picture helped me to focus on the “steps” I needed to take each day rather than the enormity of the wall.  In the last couple of weeks when the work days were very long and there were no holidays, vacation or weekend days off for me, I thought about that last day of marching around the wall seven times in one day.  That must have been very tiring for the Israelites and each lap got harder.  I envisioned myself in those final laps, knowing that the end was only a few more steps away.  I know God carried me around the last few laps.  There were unexpected delays and confusion that could have led to panic.  God gave me grace and clarity and focus in a way I've never known.  Now, as we are taking care of some problems, I see myself clearing and sifting through the rubble of a fallen wall.  The clean up will take awhile but the wall has come down.  Praise God for His faithfulness.  To Him be the glory for what He has done.

Praise and Prayer requests: