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Step of Faith

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Cameron Townsend was a missionary who was working on translating the Bible for a tribe in Guatemala but was frustrated that he couldn’t reach more tribes with Bibles in their languages. So he came up with an idea.

Dr. Townsend’s goal was to go into the jungles of South America with groups of linguists, learn the languages, form alphabets, teach the people how to read, and translate the Bible into those languages.

Now, Cameron Townsend had no funding, no linguists, no help of any kind. But he had faith that God would bring it all together.

Townsend went back to the United States to begin recruiting the finances and volunteers. Only a few months later, he returned to Guatemala with a group of linguists to start his project.

Essentially, that’s how Wycliffe Bible Translators began. Because of Cameron Townsend’s vision and faith, there are now people groups all over the world who have the Bible in their own language.

What is God calling you to do? Where is He calling you to go? Who is He calling you to serve? Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

So take a step of faith right where you are. Watch the Lord work in miraculous ways as you reach your world for Jesus Christ.

The Sixth Martyr

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You’ve heard the story of the five missionary martyrs in Ecuador. They were killed by a hostile jungle tribe in 1956. Well, there was another martyr you’ve probably never heard of: Tonio.

Tonio heard the Good News through two of the martyrs’ relatives: Nate Saint’s sister, Rachel, and Jim Elliot’s widow, Elisabeth. Both women went into the jungle after the killing and brought the Good News to Tonio and his people. But there were other tribes downriver who were still killing people. Tonio had family in them. So he decided to go and take the Good News Gospel to his family.

Well, they did not like the message. So one day, one of them killed Tonio. Still, Tonio had brought the truth to that people. Years later, a missionary couple I know saw one of the young men from the tribe that killed Tonio. He was preaching the Good News, and baptizing people!

God tells us in Isaiah 55, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” We can’t always see how God will work good out of tragedy. Even when it seems you’re at a dead end in your witness, be assured: God is still at work!