Bible translation group Wycliffe Associates sending emergency aid to partners in Ukraine
An international organization dedicated to advancing work on translating the Bible has announced its efforts to provide emergency aid to its partners in Ukraine.
Wycliffe Associates announced earlier this week that its providing supplies to its ministry partners and translators based in Ukraine who have been impacted by the Russian invasion via their Emergency 911 Fund.
Stephen Martin, vice president of Field Development at Wycliffe Associates, told The Christian Post that they were motivated to act on behalf of their partners “by our love, compassion, unity and oneness in Christ.”
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“When the Ukraine invasion occurred, our staff from that region of the world were meeting in another country. As the bombs fell, cell phones began buzzing, chiming and ringing. We immediately went before the Lord in prayer,” Martin explained.
“There was no additional measure of prayer needed. We knew exactly what God would have us do in ministry to our brothers, sisters, staff and Bible translators in Ukraine.”
The invasion, which began on Feb. 24 after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that certain parts of Eastern Ukraine should be independent, has disrupted the work of Wycliffe Associates and their partners in the country.
Martin described the conflict as “an immediate disruption,” with many family members being “separated from each other,” while some staff members “had their homes destroyed.”
“The state of crisis, the mental jarring, the shortage of food, of water, the inability to move around without caution and fear, the blockades to escape,” said Martin, “all of these things worked against the forward movement of Bible translation projects, but none of these things have stopped the translation work.”
Martin also told CP that “God has greatly blessed Wycliffe Associates with generous donors who respond rapidly when a need, a crisis, is known.”
“This has been the case with Ukraine, and we were and are able to provide through in-country contacts,” he said.
“While supplies are limited, there are supplies in country and the best, most efficient, and reportable way is by providing funds to key leaders who are able to see that specific needs are met and the greatest number of people are impacted by the love of Christ through the ministry of Wycliffe Associates.
Additionally, Martin believed that there was “a spirit of revival in Ukraine” despite the wartime chaos, and that “many are coming to Christ.”
“In chaos, Christ has been lifted, the Church has been the Church, and God has, and is, being glorified. While the Bible translation work in Ukraine stumbled, it didn’t fall,” said Martin.
“May all who come behind us find us faithful.”
Wycliffe Associates’ announcement comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has taken steps to seek an accelerated membership with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Zelenskyy stated in an online video that he felt the NATO application was a “decisive step” to protect “the entire community” of Ukrainians against further Russian aggression.
