The Pillingers and Wycliffe Bible Translators

Steve and Johanna Pillinger work with Wycliffe Bible Translators. Wycliffe is a Christian charity that aims to make the Bible available in every language in the world, so that people can read it in their own heart-language.

Steve and Johanna have been members of Barley Hill since 1997; but this year (2011) they are taking up new assignments with Wycliffe, and from August will be based in South Africa. Stephen and Judith Harper are representing them at Barley Hill, and will be passing on news and prayer and they will hopefully be taking part in the Barley Hill Church web site Forums as well! They have their own web site at www.pillingers.netwhich has more information and updates about their progress so do please visit it.

Steve is Publishing Production Co-ordinator for Wycliffe's work in sub-Saharan Africa, liaising with typesetters and publishing specialists across the continent to prepare completed translations for printing as Bibles and New Testaments—thus enabling people who have never had God’s Word in printed form before to read it for themselves for the first time.

This involves matching publishing needs as they arise with available expertise, either locally in the country concerned or at one of our regional publishing centres in Africa. Training is an important part of his role, both of prospective national typesetters and of translation teams preparing for publication. Making resources like scripture maps and pictures available is another. And in between times he also does some actual typesetting when the need arises.

Johanna works with Wycliffe South Africa in Member Care, being available to assist fellow members in all areas of life other than their actual work. Being a missionary has its own specific challenges: among other things they need to find their own supporters and income; they have to adjust to different cultures; and find solutions for children’s education. They deal with life issues that are common to everyone but often have to be faced in unusual circumstances. In all these areas Johanna seeks to assist her colleagues so that they can do the work to which God has called them.