What We Do - A Guide For Missionaries

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Typing Services

Do you have any materials that are vital to your work but which need putting on computer? We do a lot of this routine keyboarding work and there is no cost to you. If you have text material that needs keyboarding, please let us know. We can also deal with audio recordings that you wish to have typed into text files.

If we accept your project, we can return it to you in Unicode and Paratext formats (for Scripture work) or, if you prefer or it is more appropriate, formatted Word files or ASCII text format (which can be read by any word processing program). For all Scripture texts we use the current version of the Unified Standard Format Markers (USFM) in our files.

In the past we have keyboarded many Bibles and New Testaments in European and non-European languages. We can tackle older published translations of Scriptures that need putting on computer for the first time or translations "in progress" (manuscript or typescript) to give you an electronic draft from which you can revise and finalise. Other examples of our work include dictionaries; primers; texts of stories, theological teaching materials, Sunday School lessons; literacy aids; language learning books; reports; translation textbooks - in fact, just about any type of document. Let us know what you need.

We have a large team of volunteers who are now experienced in doing this kind of keyboarding. Much of the material is "double keyboarded" using different volunteers. The two versions are then merged and a team of editors do further checking against the original text to get a highly accurate output file.

Please give brief details of the language group and the reasons for keyboarding. Our volunteers will pray for you as they type.

Please note that currently we are ONLY able to handle scripts that are based on the Roman script (like you are reading now).

We can handle accented letters and any additional special letters and characters that you may have in your alphabet. We cannot normally keyboard Cyrillic, Arabic or Asian texts.

Computer Advice

Are you looking for advice on computer hardware or software? If you are like most computer users, you will have experienced the occasional crash or, possibly, frequent crashes! Perhaps you have other computer problems or questions that hold up your work. Overseas missionaries often do not have much local support available when they have computer problems. So Wycliffe Associates has set up a system where missionaries can contact us by email asking for help. Just let us know the problem and we will ask our Support Team to try and give you the answer you need.

Internet Research

The internet has become one of the largest repositories of human knowledge on the planet. There is information available on almost every subject. However, the quality of that information varies enormously. There are some gems available but often hidden away under mountains of rubbish! We know that many overseas workers do not have the time or expertise to use this facility properly, nor yet the full internet access that is required.

We have a team of information searchers who are skilled and experienced in searching on the internet and may be able to help you. So, if you need information on a particular topic, please let us know and our team of researchers will get on the case for you. We have responded to requests for information on everything from digital cameras to the phases of the moon. Preferably, this service should to be related in some way to your missionary work.

Library Research

Do you need access to a good university library? Are there technical or professional articles that you would like to read, which would help you in your missionary work? We can draw on the huge resources of the British Library, the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) library, and others to get photocopies. There is a cost of about £3 per article (sometimes less) that covers the cost of up to fifty pages of copying. Under copyright law, fair copying from books is considered to be a maximum of one chapter.

If this is your need, Wycliffe Associates (UK) may be able to help you. We have access to some of the best national libraries in the UK and the USA, which have massive collections. We can obtain photocopies of articles you may need. There is a small charge for this service for the photocopying and postage to the field. Many overseas mission workers have already been using the service and find it really helps them in their work.

Book Tracing and Purchase

Often missionaries need their own personal copies of hard-to-find or out-of-print books. Does that describe you? Maybe we can help you. Our Specialist Book Purchasing team searches for books in second-hand and antiquarian bookstores, as well as internet bookstores. We have contacts with about 100 second-hand bookshops, including ones that specialise in such subjects as theology and African studies. There may be a delay, especially if the books are out of print, but we will keep on looking.

If you would like to use the service, please let us know. You will be expected to pay for the books and for shipping out to the field, but our team of specialist book purchasers will let you know the cost first so you can decide if you want the book that much! If you require more than one book, please send in the form and, on a separate email, list the details of the other books.

EasyEnglish Materials

EasyEnglish is a new Wycliffe Associates development. Many local people round the world have some knowledge of English, but their vocabulary and grammar is limited, so they can't read books written for native English speakers. Many pastors and church leaders could benefit if Christian books were written in easier English. We have developed specialised techniques for translating 'ordinary' English into EasyEnglish, using limited vocabulary and simple grammatical forms. We use these to produce easy-to-understand reading materials for people whose first language is not English. We are producing free EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries and studies suitable for church pastors who have had little training.

We also have an English Learner's Bible available for you to download that provides a very simply translation for those just learning English. Or, if you would like our team of translators to help by doing translations from ordinary English into EasyEnglish, please contact us.

Translation Services

Do you sometimes need help with translation? Is there a document or article you can't understand because it is in a foreign language? Our team of translators may be able to help you. We can also help with translating documents from English into other languages. We have a good team of French translators plus people who can do translation into other languages. We always ask the translation to be done by a native speaker of the target language. So for example, if you need translation from English into German, we would look for a native German speaker.

So if you have material written in a European language that needs translating, please let us know. We are working in co-operation with other countries to be able to offer to-and-from English translations. This work does take some time, so please be patient. There is no charge for this service if it will help you in your missionary task or would help you to fulfil your missionary goals.

Educational Books

If your school on the field needs books, especially those that will prepare children for the British GCSE courses, then please contact us. We will be able to recommend and purchase the books you need and ship them to the school. We can also supply home schooling books. If we can help you in this way, please contact us.

Free Literacy Materials

Wycliffe Associates has produced a CD with an increasing number of adult literacy booklets. These are "how to do it" booklets that deal with health, animal husbandry, small-scale farming and practical issues like simple construction techniques.

They are called Shell Books because you are provided with the shell of the book and simply pour in the text of the local language. Each booklet comes with a full document layout, suitable pictures (which can be modified to suit local cultural differences) and the full simplified text in English. You simply translate the text into the local language.

We produce these books in four main languages: English, French, Spanish and Portuguese. Each title is available in both Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher formats. You can find out more at our Shell Books site by clicking on [ I Would Like Some Help ] below.

Airport Transportation

If you need to travel between one of the major London Airports and another location in the South-East of England, or if you need someone to meet you, contact our Airport Transport Service. We have a team of drivers in the London area ready to pick up and drop off people at the airports. We do ask you to pay reasonable running costs for this service, as well as the cost of parking at the airport. Please note as well that it is sometimes possible to arrange overnight accommodation if you are leaving the UK on an early morning flight or will be returning late at night.

Although this journey is being organised as a courtesy only, we are always grateful for any comments about any particularly notable aspects of your journey, good or bad. We are concerned for your comfort and safety so please do feed back to us any useful comments.

WA acts as an intermediary in arranging this transport as a courtesy only and the drivers are all volunteers. Whilst we take reasonable care to ensure that drivers and their vehicles are suitable for the task, we cannot accept responsibility for any injury, financial or otherwise, that passengers, their travelling companions, or the driver, may suffer during the course of, or in consequence of, the proposed journey.

Temporary Accommodation

Wycliffe Associates has a network of people in Britain who are willing to let missionaries stay for a short period with them. Sometimes this is overnight; sometimes it is for a few days.

We also have volunteers who have holiday accommodation and are willing to let missionaries use this either free or for a small charge. If you are a missionary and would to use our hospitality service in Britain, please contact us. Please note that all our accommodation is subject to availability.

Purchasing Services

Are you a missionary living in a remote place? Perhaps there are items you need to buy that would be easy to find at home but that you can't find locally? Maybe you are looking for a special book, computer software or parts, things for your children, or even a large sized pair of shoes, or a bouquet of flowers for your Mum's birthday. Or perhaps you need a spare part for some equipment or a diesel generator?

Let us know if you would like us to go shopping for you. We will be glad to help. We do need to charge you for the items we buy for you and the shipping costs, but there is no charge for the work we do.

Letter Distribution

If you need help with the production and distribution of your news and prayer letters, we have people ready to help you. We can maintain address lists and produce labels, photocopy and fold letters, stuff and stamp envelopes. Sorry, we can't write the letter for you! Our work is free but we do ask you to pay for the paper, envelopes and stamps, please.

Magazine Service

Do you like to relax and read a magazine in an evening? If there is no local TV, and little local information, you need to keep your brain cells ticking over. Wycliffe Associates volunteers are able to send out magazines for you and comics for your children. So if there is a magazine or comic that you would like to receive, please let us know. We may not be able to supply all titles but we will do our best. These is no charge for this service but please write and thank the person who sends you the magazine. If you need a professional journal which is unavailable where you are, we will order it and send it regularly at your expense.

Please note that this service is available only to missionaries from the UK.

Email Forwarding

How can you send a quick email to your non-computerised friends, family or prayer group back home? Even if they don't have a computer, you can email us and we will print out and post the letters by first class mail to your friends.

Please note that this service is for individual letters, not for bulk mailing.

Please note too that this service is available only to missionaries from the UK.

For an occasional email there is no charge. Please contact us and, on the Subject line of your email write "E-MAIL FORWARDING" and the destination country. Put the name and full postal address of your friend at the top left of your letter, using one line of the address per line.

However, if you plan to use this service frequently and to a number of people, please complete the form by clicking on [ I Would Like Some Help ] below. We ask for a deposit payment to cover the postage costs. There is no charge for the work involved, just for the envelope and stamps.

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© Wycliffe Associates (UK) · Registered Charity 1007772 · Last updated: 28 Feb 2008