By Xhaxany Cuellar, Assistant Editor
This week, UMHB hosted its annual mission emphasis week. Missionaries from around the globe came to speak on behalf of their organizations. We spoke with 9 different organizations and asked what their missions were.
The goal of Pioneer Bible translators is to make the Bible accessible to others in their own language. They have 189 million language speakers, 458,430 versus translate, and 123 language projects. They are now looking for candidates to fill roles in a variety of industries, including IT, ASL, media arts, finance, and administration. The group recently gave the Maya people the alphabet and the first-ever capacity to read books in their own language. The Maya people are now able to comprehend God's word as a result.
To learn more about Pioneer Bible Translation, visit their website Stories - Pioneer Bible Translators
Additionally, Wycliffe Bible Translators, a 40-year-old linguistics organization that translates the Bible into various languages, got its start when its founder started selling spanish-language Bibles and realized that some ethnic groups in Mexico didn't understand Spanish. Wycliffe is in need of financing for a number of its programs. Here are a handful of the projects mentioned: A complete Bible for the Nigerian Okpela people, Bible translations for the Border Kuna, the New Testament finished for the Mexican Steep Mountain people, and a complete Bible for the Dagara people.
To learn more about Wycliffe missions, visit their website About Bible Translation | Christian Missionaries - Wycliffe Bible Translators
In addition to Bible translations, Signs Of Love focuses on language but from a completely different perspective. Signs of Love provides a complete translation of the Bible to the deaf community. The organization has a presence around the globe with emphasis in Honduras, Peru and Argentina. The main focus is the deaf in rural areas who have no access to language.
The deaf community is the largest unreached people group in the world, with a population of 70 million, only 2% have reached the gospel. 90% of the deaf have hearing parents and only 15% of parents learn to sign. A challenge faced by the organization is the 350 different sign languages across the world. There are different sign languages for each language making it difficult to conquer the dialects. The deaf community has its own gatherings where worship is practiced in their own language.
To learn more about Signs Of Love and their missions, visit Signs of Love - Deaf, Missions
Moreover, Chan Kei Thong and Cragin founded Life Plus in 1980 after meeting there. A nation that was once mired in socio political unrest is now thriving because of its open door policy. LDI (Leadership Development International) was established as a result. From kindergarten through the 12th grade, Life Plus instructs students on how to develop a solid sense of identity based on their values and convictions. They provide strategic planning, curriculum development, and implementation advice for educational systems, pre-K–12 academic programs, and curricula around the world. Additionally, the foundation provides field-specific education coaching and training to aid in developing effective servant leaders. LifePlus's fundamental conviction is that the power and gift of learning can transform lives.
To learn more about LifePlus and its missions visit About LifePlus | LifePlus® (lifeplusworldwide.com)
The International Missions Board (IMB), whose objective is to assist Southern Baptists and make disciples of all nations, was also in attendance. The IMB has 92 international missionary partners, established 21,231 new churches, and administered 102,417 baptisms. Along with core beliefs in fervent prayer, sharing the gospel, and growing the church, the IMB embraces core principles of humility, integrity, and transparency. The group also gives students the option to take a year off to serve abroad where no one knows about Jesus.
To learn more about International Missions board visit About the International Mission Board - IMB
To learn more about Mission Emphasis week and how to get involved for next year, visit Missions Emphasis Week - Spiritual Life (umhb.edu) or contact the Global Outreach Office at globaloutreach@umhb.edu or (254) 295-5402.
