Newsletter: Focussed Feedback from the Field
This month is definitely a feedback month! There’s some encouraging news from our International President as we look at our up-to-date facts & figures. There’s feedback from one of our National Directors in a ‘hard pressed, but not crushed’ situation, and there’s some unexpected Sena-related feedback from Mozambique – plus the latest article on a Bible translation matter from our website, and some prayer points. Enjoy the read!
Quarterly Impact Update - June 2026 - 'Glimmers of Hope'.
TWFTW has just produced it's quarterly impact update for the months of April-June. Here's part of the introduction from our International President & CEO, Kobus Van Aswegen.
“This quarter’s update shows encouraging progress and extraordinary opportunity. We have now served in 452 Bible translation projects to date, with 444 presently active, and 10 full Bible translations completed. Bibleless places are beginning to shine with the light of God’s Word. During this last three months 13 New Testaments and 2 full Bibles (including a reprint) entered production. This includes the recently dedicated 3 New Testaments in Romani languages. We are also seeing strong growth in the people being equipped for the work: 74 new Diploma in Bible Translation students, now totalling 1,196. We have 22 new consultants in training, now totalling 119. But the most significant number before us is the community demand. 493 additional language communities have been identified where there is an immediate need for Bible translation, and where we have the capacity to begin work, if financial resources were not a limiting factor.
Grassroots demand is growing rapidly as communities witness the transformative effects of Scripture; strengthening faith, supporting learning, restoring dignity, and bringing hope into daily life. Over the past 45 years, God has grown TWFTW from a single project to hundreds of Bible translation projects. Before us now stands a significantly larger season of responsibility. The demand is real. The indigenous-led model is effective. People are being equipped. We have the capacity to meet this demand, and funding will determine how fully and how quickly we can respond. Thank you for every prayer, every gift, and every partnership as we continue to press towards the day when Scripture exists and Jesus is known among every language community".
For a full copy of the Quarterly Impact Report (14 page PDF), email admin-uk@twftw.org
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" 2 Cor 4:8&9
In last months edition, we reported on some of the hardships that our teams in a SE Asian country were facing. The National Director has recently written the following as an update, with some words of thanks to those who have prayed for them during this time:
“Dear Friends, Partners, and Prayer Supporters. Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we reflect on the past three months, our hearts are filled with gratitude for God's unfailing faithfulness. Despite many challenges, the Lord has continued to sustain our ministry, strengthen our team, and open doors for His Word to advance among the Bibleless people groups of this country in SE Asia. This quarter has been marked by seasons of sorrow. Some of our translation projects experienced the heartbreaking loss of a respected community leader whose wisdom and leadership had greatly contributed to the work. His passing has created significant challenges for those projects, and we ask you to remember the affected communities as they seek God's guidance in identifying and preparing new leaders to continue the ministry.
Our team has also suffered a tremendous loss with the passing of our beloved IT Manager. His faithful service, technical expertise, and passion for Bible translation made a lasting impact on our ministry. While we deeply mourn his absence, we are profoundly grateful for the many messages of comfort, prayers, and encouragement we have received. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to every church, ministry, and individual who has supported this ministry through prayer and/or financial partnership. Your love and support have strengthened us during this difficult season, and has enabled us to continue serving, despite the many challenges we face; thank you”.
Sena Bibles Reaching Across Borders! Thank you from Mozambique!
Following on from the 10,000 Bibles that the UK office supplied to TWFTW in Malawi, we heard recently that the Sena folks in the south decided to bless some of the Sena churches just across the border in Mozambique with 360 Sena Bibles. This was their note of thanks: “The Pentecostal Church, ‘Renascendo Para Cristo’ in Mozambique would like to express our sincere and heartfelt gratitude for the support you have given us through the donation of Bibles in the Sena language. We have received this gift as a great blessing from God, as these Bibles will play an important role in the spiritual growth, evangelism, and strengthening of faith among our members, with more lives may be transformed through the power of God’s Word – thank you”.
Website article: What is the most accurate Bible Translation?
This month we’ve produced another article that explores the issue of accuracy in Bible translation. It is now available on our website. This is how the article begins: "If you’re on the hunt for a new Bible, you’re likely to have been faced with this conundrum: you’re standing in the bookshop, or browsing the digital ‘bookshelf’ online, utterly overwhelmed by the sheer number of translations we have available. You want to know which Bible to read; which is the most accurate? Which translation is closest to Jesus’ actual words; which one hasn’t lost the real meaning over time? There are currently over sixty English Bible translations to choose from, which doesn’t make the decision any easier! Bible sales have reached a record high in both the UK and the US, climbing year on year since 2019: people are reaching for God’s Word in larger numbers than ever before......"
"The Bible isn’t just the bestselling book in English. It’s the most translated book in human history, with no other text even close".
To continue reading, please click on this link. Article: What is the most accurate Bible Translation?
“OUT & ABOUT” DIARY DATES for Steve in AUG & SEPT 26:
Sun 2nd Aug: Preaching at Ladyfield Evangelical Church in Chippenham AM
Sun 9th: Preaching at Corsham Baptist Church AM
Thur 13th: Meeting with Seed Company Development Consultant – Burford
Weds 19th: Meet with ETEN (Every Tribe Every Nation) personnel - Moreton in Marsh
24th–4th Sept: Annual Leave
Thurs 10th: Presenting TWFTW at Ladyfield Evangelical Church, Chippenham PM
Fri 11th: Presenting at Atworth Chapel, Wiltshire AM
Sun 13th: Preaching at Warminster Baptist Church, Wiltshire AM
23-30th: Nkangala New Testament Launch – Kaoma, Zambia
PRAISE & PRAYER POINTS:
South Africa/International: Praise God that the ‘Do Impossible’ Conference was successfully held in Hermanus, South Africa, last month as TWFTW leadership gathered for a time of collaboration, fellowship, and strategic planning. Before the event started leaders had prayed specifically for the shuttle drivers, hotel staff, restaurant workers etc, asking God to help them be faithful witnesses of Jesus to them. God answered those prayers - one of the shuttle drivers became a Christian, while another decided to return to church!
Liberia: The Vai & Mandingo BT projects are facing significant challenges in a Muslim-dominated area. Due to increasing pressure from their communities, several translators have become reluctant to continue the work, resulting in one of the projects now left with only one translator. The other project still has two remaining translators, but one of them is battling diabetes. Although the work has not stopped, progress has slowed, and additional translators are urgently needed. Please pray that God would intervene in this situation; that He will strengthen, encourage and protect the remaining translators, whilst providing additional team members.
Country in SE Asia: Last month we reported on the issues facing some of our teams in a SE Asian country – this was their prayer request: “We humbly ask for your continued prayers. Please pray for God's wisdom and protection over our translators, project leaders, consultants, and staff. Pray that every translation project will continue to make steady progress with accuracy and excellence. Please also pray that God will raise up new leaders where there have been losses, strengthen our team physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and continue to open doors for Bible translation throughout this country”.
Quote of the Month: "If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me”. (Robert Murray McCheyne)