The Land and Its People
Bordering four U.S. states, Mexico is one of the prime tourist destinations for Americans. The thousands of miles of coastline on both the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico are home to legendary beach resort locations like Cancun, Veracruz, Puerto Vallarta, and Acapulco, to name but a few. The extensive deserts, rugged mountains, forests, and tropical jungles are less frequently visited but equally impressive.
The majority of the more than 100 million Mexicans are descendents of the Mayas and Aztecs, and they speak Spanish. However, a significant number of indigenous peoples remain, especially in the rural and mountainous areas. Many of these groups have their own languages and unique cultures.
The main religion in Mexico is Catholicism. Catholic churches occupy prominent places in the towns and cities and reflect the Mexican love of art, color, music, and celebration. The Mexican people are outgoing, friendly, and hospitable. They are also famous for their handcrafts, including woodworking, leatherworking, and weaving. Mexican food and music can generally be described by a single adjective: spicy.
Bible Translation Needs
Mexico’s mountainous state of Oaxaca is one of 31 Mexican states. Located in southern Mexico, it stretches from the Pacific coast northward across the mountains, halfway to the Gulf coast. Oaxaca is home to some of the most complex languages in the world. Several mission groups have found the languages too difficult and have given up. Others have reverted to Spanish, for which the people have a very limited grasp.
A dedicated team of translators is committed not only to starting Bible translation projects for Mexico’s remaining 30 languages, but to do it in the next four years. This will take an influx of national translators and intensive training and equipping. Wycliffe Associates volunteers recently completed an expansion of their training facilities to make this possible.
In the capital city of Oaxaca de Juarez, located in a central mountain valley, and in the nearby town of Mitla, missionaries and national believers are laboring to produce Scripture portions and other materials in 88 languages. They are preparing training courses, holding workshops, arranging visas, meeting with partnering organizations, and more. Wycliffe Associates is looking for committed volunteers to assist them as teachers, administrators, and in numerous other ways. Can you go? Can you contribute to help send someone else?
See more details about volunteering in Mexico
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