Literacy

Wycliffe field personnel work with local community members, teaching people to read and write, and endeavoring to establish literacy as a community value. In many language programs, literacy work goes on side-by-side with Bible translation.

Literacy changes the way people think about themselves. It gives new value to their language and culture, and by implication, to their own person as well. Literacy also opens the door for education and growth. Readers can learn how to improve their family’s health, run a business, defend themselves from fraud, seek justice and, above all, grow closer to God by reading the Scriptures.

Literacy is a key to fulfilling the Great Commission. Jesus instructed His disciples to “go and make disciples of all the nations…teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:19–20, NLT). When people can read, or know someone who can read to them, the written Word of God becomes invaluable to their spiritual growth as individuals and churches.

Two women working on literacy When the Manjak literacy program in Senegal started in 2005, local educational authorities in Sédhiou, the regional capital, were skeptical. There had never been a literacy program in the Manjak language before, and they didn’t think this marginalized group would be able to organize and run such a program. They were just waiting for them to fail! But the literacy program has made believers of the educational authorities—in just two years, 380 Manjak people have learned to read in their own language!

Interested in working in literacy?

Search for open literacy positions.
You can also serve as a literacy assistant for a year or two through ServeInPNG.

God used an undelivered letter to illustrate clearly the importance of mother-tongue literacy for all people. George Cowan tells the story in his own words: The Undelivered Letter.

The literacy statistics collected by UNESCO in 2001 provided some sense of the challenge ahead as well as the extraordinary benefit of literacy.

SIL reports on the importance of Mother Tongue Literacy Programs on their website.

MORE THAN THE THREE R'S:

More Than The Three Rs When a Bible translation project is taking place in a language community, the people’s desire to read Scripture in their own language leads to a very high interest in literacy. Unfortunately the cost to establish a literacy program sometimes prevents language teams and village leaders in Papua New Guinea (PNG) from taking advantage of this opportunity. The Dynamic Literacy Fund delivers funding for literacy efforts that require substantial up-front costs that exceed a community’s available resources.

Made in PNG

The Dynamic Literacy Fund provides financial support to start locally-developed projects, including literacy courses, alphabet design workshops, vernacular schools, teacher training programs, and the publication of Scripture portions or literature. The aim is to have communities take ownership of the literacy programs they establish. Applicants must submit plans for the literacy project's continuation to be considered for the one-time grant.

Encouraging Love and Wonder

The literacy skills taught in Dynamic Literacy Fund projects benefit both the communities they take place in and the nation as a whole. But reading and writing is taught not just for the sake of education and human development, but also with the hope of sharing salvation. Scripture-based literacy encourages a love and wonder of the Scriptures among groups that may never have heard God "speak" their language and prepares them for the arrival of their translated Scripture.

Testimonies

SALT, one of the programs funded by the Dynamic Literacy Fund, is a two-week Scripture application course that encourages church leaders to use their vernacular Scriptures effectively. Several participants evaluated their experience when asked, "How did the SALT course benefit you?"

"The SALT course really changed my life from being a part-time Christian to a full-time Christian. I never knew God and who He was and how He worked to bring me back from my life, which was not right with God, and now He showed me the right path for me to come to Him and to be His son. This course has done a great importance to my Christian journey, and so I think a similar course should be conducted again in some areas to make aware that those who are really lost should be brought back to the light to know God as their Lord and Savior."
- Oscar, SALT participant

"It helped me to understand the love of God, see the truth in Christ, understand the will of God, know the way to heaven, lead a Christian life in this world, and help others to come to God."
- Blanche, SALT participant

"The SALT course has been so helpful to me. Because (you can read Hebrews 4:12) it corrected, rebuked and encouraged me to grow more and more in Christ each day. [Through] the teachings during the two weeks… I mended my relationship with God, which was broken two years ago. God willing, there should be a workshop like this in years to come in my village so that everyone should take part freely. Thanks for restoring, rebuilding and strengthening us!"
- Daphney, SALT participant

Literacy

Interested in working in literacy?

More:

Made in PNG

Encouraging Love and Wonder

Testimonies