Ralph and I became members of Wycliffe in 1978: we were 28 and 26 years old with kids 5, 4 and 2 years old. We set off to learn French in Switzerland and then on to Africa to do Bible translation for 18 years. In 1999, we came back to the US to serve at the international level. We were chugging along as if we knew where our lives were headed.
Then totally out of the blue, the American Bible Society (ABS) contacted me about their newly created position of Director of Scripture Engagement Content. The more I learned about the position, the more I realized that it fit like a piece in the puzzle of God's call on my life--to pursue Scripture Engagement. I accepted the job offer and will start mid-October. This involves huge changes for us on lots of levels.
Ralph and I will resign our membership in Wycliffe and SIL and move to Pennsylvania. He will work full time in his home-based business of market trading which he has been developing for some time. He hopes to be able to do consulting in missions on a volunteer basis.
We'll still need your prayers as we pursue Scripture Engagement, so this blog will continue. But my new job is a salaried position, so we will no longer need your financial support. Wycliffe will process any gifts for us through mid-January, but we’d like to suggest some other missionaries in need for your consideration for financial support:
Our daughter Melody and husband Johnvir DelaCruz and son Max are at the beginning of a ministry, like Ralph and I were 32 years ago. They serve in Brussels with Christian Associates, sharing Christ through relationships in a society ‘inoculated’ against the church. A small French-speaking house church is forming among their new-found friends. What will the fruit of their ministry look like 32 years from now? The future of Christianity in Europe is hanging in the balance. It’s more of a mission field than Africa at this point. Melody and JV could give more of their time to ministry if their support income increased. If interested, write them at johnvirandmelody@gmail.com. Or contact http://www.christianassociates.org/Campaigns/donations-made-in-the-usa.html.
Rick and Melanie Floyd have served in Peru in Bible translation much like Ralph and I did in Africa. Rick is teaching the translation course I've been writing about and is one of the most gifted trainers I know and an experienced translation consultant. He's now living in Southern California serving on the international level. They are about $600 short on support per month. Contact them at rick_floyd@sil.org for more info.
Dave and Karen De Graaf worked with us for years in Ivory Coast. Dave is now serving as a translation consultant with The Seed Company and manages around 25 translation projects in West Africa. Karen is serving as a counselor with Wycliffe and is involved in Trauma Healing. They're living in Waxhaw, N Carolina. Recently they have found themselves drastically under-supported due to changes in their home church. Contact them at Karen_DeGraaf@wycliffe.org.
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