Bible translating ministry Wycliffe Associates is launching a series of new translation kits that will better protect translators in the field from losing their work should it be destroyed or confiscated.
The Bible Translation Acceleration Kits (BTAKs) include translation software and built-in satellite internet connectivity that is vital for protecting months and years of work in remote areas where there is no religious liberty.
"Even if terrorists find you, even if your equipment is confiscated or destroyed, even if the unimaginable happens, your translation work — weeks or months of translation progress — is protected," said Wycliffe interim CEO Tim Neu.
Neu said the kits would also help protect work that could be lost due to the harsh terrain and weather of undeveloped regions.
To date, the ministry has distributed 549 BTAKs in 48 countries for 793 language communities.
Neu said that Wycliffe's online translation infrastructure has also allowed their teams to continue Bible translation during COVID-19 lockdowns.