Doug and Beth Wright are our Missionaries in Africa. Doug is the son of Lois and Harry Wright, lifetime members of our Apple Creek United Methodist Church.

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"It starts in the strangest places".

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Bible Translation in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
Wycliffe Bible Translators, Orlando FL 32862-8200
beth-doug_wright@sil.org

NOTE: Our ACUMC webpage is composed of several emails I've received from Doug and Beth. The following email was received in December 2010.
Later emails as you page down . . .

Dear family and friends,

Just ready to start my third week here in D.R. Congo, after spending two weeks helping to train six translation teams near Bunia, then arriving at Isiro to work with the Logo team for two weeks checking the book of Romans. Thanks to Beth for the e-mail updates summarizing our very sporadic cellphone calls from the country-side outside of Bunia. Amazing that we even connected since

Photo at right, left to right.
Doug, Adara, and Stew

I had to go outside at night and point the phone in just the right direction while listening for her voice on the other end. (She did get a little confused in her last update between "wolf spiders" and what our family used to call "bird moths", but I'll let her clear that one up. Note from Beth: Yes, I must have had brain freeze or something and I mixed up "wolf spiders" and "bird moths". The moths WERE as large as a small bird, and the wolf spiders were scary, but much smaller. SORRY. Both were creepily dis-gusting in the Todro house.)

 
The training seminar for the six teams was a real success! All of them worked with consultants to discover their languages' dis-course rules for telling natural stories in order to help them produce more natural translations. I taught in French for three days, then consulted mainly with the Logo team. We definitely got a better grip on the rules that the Logos use (subconsciously) to introduce par-ticipants, track them throughout the story, highlight major developments, build up to the climax, then unravel the tension with the dé-nouement. These rules will greatly help us when we get to the final polishing of the gospels (since they're mostly narrative genre).

I had the privilege of working one day with three pastors from the Lese language, which is spoken by a few hundred thou-sand speakers, including the Efe pygmies, scattered across the north-eastern part of the Congo rain forest. They had started a Bible translation project more than 20 years ago, but unfortunately it stalled due to a missionary having to leave, then 12 years of civil war. Amazingly, six Leses made it to the seminar, three of whom have now entered a translation training program in Bunia. All of the six trav-eled up to 100 miles by bicycle on muddy rain forest trails with very little food or money in order to catch a MAF plane to the seminar. I'm often amazed at the sacrifices many Congolese are willing to make to have God's Word in their own languages, all while eeking out a living on the edge of survival!

After the seminar, had an interesting flight from Bunia to a gold-mining airstrip near Watsa to drop off the Lese guys. We took off two hours late, due to heavy thunderstorms, in a Cessna Caravan with 11 passengers and MAF pilot, Joey Lincoln. I got to sit in the co-pilot seat which resulted in some amazing panoramic views flying through the mountains north of Bunia. Joey was doing a great job picking his way around thunderstorms, when we were suddenly faced with an entire wall of black clouds. Now I've been told by other pilots that flying through a big thunderstorm can shake a small plane to pieces, so it didn't take me very long to start praying. Joey did a complete about face and descended 3000 feet in a tight spiral trying to find some way out. I was hoping there weren't any tall mountain peaks around that Joey didn't know about. We dropped under the huge black cloud bank flying about 500 feet above the ground. We were still in heavy rain, but Joey kept heading toward any sign of lighter sky. After ten minutes or so, we suddenly broke out of the darkness into sunshine! I thanked the Lord, and Joey for his perseverance, since we were just about to turn back not knowing that the storm, which seemed so dark, wasn't all that deep. (Might be a spiritual analogy there.)

In closing, I'd like to share the final statement from the recent Lausanne Congress of global church and mission leaders that just met in Cape Town, South Africa: 

"We commit ourselves afresh to making the Bible known by all means possible, through the ongoing task of translating, dissemi-nating and teaching the scriptures in every culture and language, including those that are predominantly oral or non-literary. For the sake of the gospel of Christ, we recommit ourselves to prove our love for God’s word by believing and obeying it. There is no biblical mission without biblical living. O God of mercy and grace, strengthen us by your Spirit to do your will."

That's pretty much what we're about - including those sending, going and praying!

I received this email from Doug on Monday, April 4th, 2011.

Dear Praying Team,

The Logo Committee and church really seem to be getting the message that this is a crucial time for them to engage in prayer to see the Logo New Testament translation brought to completion! Unfortunately, Adara was struck by a severe case of Malaria upon returning to Isiro. I arrived to find him looking emaciated, having lost more than 10 pounds from his already thin frame. He had been late treating the agressive case, and then had to be given quinine injections and an IV to restore fluids. When Aguma and I prayed for him and Hélène, a spirit of fear was so strong it was almost palpable. I sent off an e-mail prayer request that night and the Spirit mobilized prayer within hours across the globe (eventually reaching our churches in the US, Stewart's churches in the UK, ECG, AFA, JAARS, and beyond). By the next morning, Adara told me that the spirit of fear was broken and that he and Hélène knew they had complete healing in Christ! He recovered progressively from that day, gained back all the lost weight, and rejoined us in the checking session within a week. More importantly, the whole team has even more confidence in our victory in the spiritual battle through Christ.

Sent: Sunday, June 26, 2011 11:04 AM
Subject: Arrived in Entebbe

Dear Beth and kids,  Arrived safely in Entebbe after 33 hours of travel. Thankfully, no surprises and no problems.

Today, had my own little worship service under the trees with Bible reading and prayer in French - the guard probably thinks I've got a screw or two loose, but that's OK with me. Then had a nice relaxing afternoon poolside. Met quite a few Americans - some of whom work for our government - but couldn't tell me exactly what they do...hmmm!

Getting ready to fly on to Congo tomorrow. MAF-Congo changed their schedule, so I fly all the way from Entebbe to Bunia to Isiro tomorrow. That will make it a long day in small planes, but great to get one more working day in Isiro. I've let Aguma and the others in Isiro know.

By the way, Aguma says Madrakele has Malaria and Adara is suffering from a back problem, so they will need prayer and God's grace to dive into the translation checking work. I should get a better feel for how everyone's doing tomorrow.

Talk to ya soon! Love and blessings,  Doug
 

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This page last modified on October 31, 2011