Celebrating Eight Years with Wycliffe

2012 In February I became a member of Wycliffe and started developing a partnership team and attending training. After my Grandma passed in May, I began learning how to cope with anxiety. As a result, my love for God and the life-giving power of His word grew. My passion for seeing His word available in every language on earth grew to.

2013 On February twentieth, one year, to the day, after I became a member of Wycliffe, I departed for Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Thank you, God and partnership team he provided. My heart swelled with joy when I met my third graders at the International School. We got along incredibly well and learned together. I learned Tok Pisin, the trade language of PNG, and they learned Maths, Reading, Writing, Bible, Social Studies, Spelling, and Science. I still miss those students dearly. Can you believe they will be in eleventh graders in the next school year?

In July I was able to visit Julie MacKay and meet the Teop-speaking people of Hiovabon, Bougainville. I experienced what it’s like to live in a village and be part of the Bible Translation process. Keep praying for Auntie Joyce, Julie, and the Teop Bible translation project. 

Because the Year Four teacher needed to return to New Zealand, I got to move with my third graders up to year four. We continued right into 2014.

2014 In January during the mid-year break, I helped with a Vacation Bible School for local PNG kids. During the rest of the school year, the Year Four students enjoyed special events such as the Book Festival, a PNG Bung (gathering), and end-of-the-year celebration. I visited the US during the break between school years to connect with partners and encourage them to continue on my team. I began another semester with the next class of Year Four students. As wonderful as they were, I wasn’t taking great care of my mental and emotional health.

2015 By the time 2015 began, I was in such poor shape, a counselor with Wycliffe recommend I return to the US to receive mental health care. In mid-January I arrived at JAARS in Waxhaw, NC to do just that. I was defeated, yet hopeful that God had a plan for me. Praise God, by the end of 2015, I was doing well enough to begin partnership development again. This time, to join the Intercultural Communications Course (ICC) team at JAARS.

2016 I continued putting healthy practices into place while I worked on Partnership Development. I also attended ICC and Learning that LASTS as a participant.

2017 As I kept working at building a partnership team, I dabbled in my future role of overseeing ICC Monday Afternoon Childcare. In the meantime ICC was folded into a completely new department: Learning and Development (L&D). Finally I joined the L&D team fulltime in September, thanks to God and my partnership Team committing 100% of my monthly budget

2018 The L&D team continued to form and procedures developed. Then for Summer ICC, the Wyses and I developed and lead Teen ICC. Those six participants remain on my mind and in my heart. In between the routine of leading ICC Monday Afternoon Childcare twice a year, I helped facilitated several other courses such as Learning that LASTS and Compass, which is orientation to JAARS. I also was able to learn the COACH model and help facilitate CrossVenture.

2019 I said, ‘yes,’ to my biggest and most complicated role yet, coordinating a yet-to-be-developed venture, Fellows. Because of the excellent team and great attitude of the staff at JAARS, we created Fellows from an idea to invite the next generation to engage in mission and Bible translation at JAARS, and it launched in…

2020 Fellows from Cohort Alpha arrived at JAARS! The three fellows who started in January have gotten the Fellows opportunity off to an amazing start, despite all the limitations Covid-19 brings. In July another Cohort, Bravo, made up of five more fellows, dove into their roles at JAARS.

While I have loved being part of the Bible Translation movement in PNG and the JAARS Learning and Development department, I’m confident it’s time for me to move forward. After sending out only two applications, God literally handed me a job teaching four and five year old kids at a preschool about thirty minutes from where I live. I am amazed and praising God for how he provided. Thank you for praying with me! Please continue to pray that I finish well at JAARS and begin well at The Goddard School of Fort Mill.

All Throughout The very reason we engaged in this incredible journey is to see people’s lives transformed by the Word of God. Since 2013 Wycliffe has been involved in the translation of at least 200 Bibles and Scripture portions. Because of your partnership and through His Word, hundreds of thousands of people have access to hope, joy, and life in the languages they understand. Praise God!