Finding Rest in God’s Word
August 3–7, 2026 | CFM Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya
From August 3–7, 2026, Wycliffe Mother Tongue Translators (MTTs), Translation Advisors, and consultants from the Kabalikat North Abra Cluster gathered at CFM Bambang for five days of learning, fellowship, and renewal as they strengthened the New Testament translation work for five Abra languages: Banao, Belwang, Mabaka, Maeng, and Moyadan.
The Kabalikat North – Abra Languages Workshop and Consultant Checking provided an opportunity for the teams to come together for consultant checking of the Gospel of John, along with overviews of the Johannine books, Acts, Jude, James, Hebrews, and 1–3 Peter. The sessions explored each book’s background, authorship, purpose, date of writing, key terms, and potential translation issues.
Understanding the Text More Deeply
One of the key lessons from the workshop was that there is always more to discover in the biblical text. Before a passage can be translated well, translators need to understand what the text is actually saying.
The consultants played an important role in this process. Their expertise helped the teams examine difficult passages, clarify meanings, and consider possible ways to express biblical concepts naturally in their own languages. Having consultants with knowledge of biblical Greek was an added benefit as the teams worked through the Gospel of John and other New Testament books.
Some chapters of John were successfully consultant-checked during the workshop. This gave the teams greater confidence as they continued their translation work.
Kabalikat North – Abra Languages Workshop: bringing teams together to make Scripture accessible in their languages.
Translation, however, is rarely as simple as finding a word-for-word equivalent. Some concepts require an entire sentence to communicate their meaning. Other concepts may be unfamiliar in the local culture, requiring careful explanation or, in some cases, borrowing terms from lingua francas such as Ilocano or Tagalog.
The teams worked through these challenges together. They shared ideas, discussed difficult concepts, and learned from how other language teams had addressed similar translation issues.
A Different Kind of “Rest”
Perhaps one of the most memorable reflections from the workshop was that, for some of the MTTs, the five days felt almost like a “rest.”
Not because translation is easy, but because the workshop allowed them to step away from some of their usual daily responsibilities. Instead of the familiar rhythm of cooking, washing, and other household tasks alongside their translation work, they could focus more fully on the Scriptures and the task before them.
It was a different kind of rest, the kind that comes from being immersed in the everyday work of translation, tight deadlines, long conversations, solving unexpected challenges, and discovering God in the process.
And yet, in that space, the translators were able to concentrate, learn, and encourage one another.
Translation as Ministry
For the Abra language teams, Bible translation is much more than a project with a deadline. It is a ministry that is shaping the translators themselves and, through them, their families and communities.
One participant expressed gratitude to the individuals and organizations who continue to support the work through prayer and partnership:
“The translation is not just a work but a ministry.”
For some MTTs, the translation journey is helping them grow closer to God. Their families are also becoming more involved in church. At the same time, each translator carries personal struggles and challenges, making the prayers of churches and partners especially meaningful.
As the five Abra language teams continue translating and recording toward completion of their New Testament projects, their prayer is simple but significant: to finish faithfully within the time remaining and to see the translated Word transform lives.
May God continue to strengthen the MTTs, Translation Advisors, consultants, families, churches, and partners who are laboring together so that God's Word may speak clearly in the languages of Banao, Belwang, Mabaka, Maeng, and Moyadan.
The Kabalikat North Abra Cluster teams are grateful for everyone who stands with them in this work.
One of the consultants said, “May the New Testament be completed B-A-N-C-A-ly—Beautifully, Accurately, Naturally, Clearly, and Acceptably—as they continue to faithfully steward God's story for their language communities.”
In the midst of the demands of Bible translation, there are moments when God invites His servants to pause, be renewed, and find rest in His Word.
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