Answered Prayers, Small Victories

In areas of the world dominated by majority religions, translation work takes on a different shape. Standing on prayer, workers quietly build relationships, fully relying on God to call mother-tongue speakers to the task. Each conversation below was an answer to prayer for a multiple-translation project in Eurasia that aims to translate, produce and distribute Scripture for seven languages, representing more than 8.5 million people.

Who is That?

A translation team coordinator was visiting a major city with another man from his country. While the coordinator and his friend were visiting a cathedral, this man noticed a large cross with Jesus on it. The coordinator sensed his inquisitive spirit and asked if he knew who was on the cross. The man had no idea! This opened a door to explain some basic facts about Christianity to his friend.

Why Bother?

A local pastor was questioned about his open methods of evangelism in a region where Christianity is not the majority religion. Giving non-believers videos, CDs and printed Scripture portions was seen as a waste because these things are often discarded. The interrogator responded by saying that one day a middle-aged man knocked on the church door. He told the pastor that he was returning papers that had been mistreated. He held a ripped-up portion of Scripture that he had found on the street. The man said he believed it was a Holy Book and should be treated with respect. The pastor invited the man into the church for a coffee. They spent most of the day talking about Christianity, and now the man attends church services there regularly.

Roman Road?

A mother-tongue speaker got a great deal of exposure to Scripture—taking part in several translation and checking sessions—but he was always passive about what he had heard or read, neither resisting or responding favorably. The translation team coordinator chose Romans as their next project, to challenge him directly with the Gospel. Slowly, certain passages began to move his heart. One day after reading Romans 5:12-21, the coordinator asked him, "Do you want to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?" He said "yes" and prayed the prayer of acceptance.

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