Militants in the Middle East killed four Bible translators and injured several others in a rampage on a Wycliffe translation office.
The militants ransacked the office, burned all the books and destroyed equipment, including the Print On Demand (POD) system used to print copies of Scripture.
Two workers died of gunshot wounds. Two other workers laid on top of the lead translator—saved his life—and died deflecting bludgeoning blows from the militants.
The computer hard drives containing the translation work for eight language projects were not destroyed in the rampage.
“The remaining translation team has decided to re-double their efforts to translate, publish, and print God’s Word for these eight language communities,” Wycliffe Associates said in a statement.
The ministry requested prayer for the families of the murdered translators.
“Please ask the Lord to mend the hearts and wounds of the translation team who have gone through this horrible ordeal,” Mae Greenleaf, a prayer coordinator said in a statement.
Although lives lost cannot be replaced, she stated that the ministry would replace the lost equipment and continue its work in the Middle East.
“Pray with me for the killers too,” she said. “Pray for these whose hearts are so hard. Pray the Lord will open their eyes to what they have done. Please ask the Lord to meet them, each one, right where they are. Pray that He will show Himself merciful, that they will know His forgiveness, His love, and His peace.”
Wycliffe Associates has not disclosed the exact location or when the attack took place.
— CNJ staff
Wycliffe Emergency 911 Fund for the Middle East