Wycliffe Bible Translator launches 40 days of prayer campaign

Today marks day two of the Wycliffe Bible Translator 40 Days of Prayer campaign. The organization's goal is to ensure that every person has access to the Bible in his or her own language.

According to Wycliffe Bible Translator USA, there are more than 6,800 languages spoken in the world, but only 469 communities have access to the entire Bible in their native language.

This year, Wycliffe USA wants to gather as many people to focus prayer on the Bible translation process as possible. Supporters of the 40-day journey can receive prayer updates via email or by accessing the organization's Pray Today blog.

Members of Wycliffe USA work to translate Scripture, train field personnel and promote the interest in translation.

The organization has grown from two linguistic students in 1942 to more than 6,500 short-term students mobilized in more than 90 countries, according to the Wycliffe website.

The day of prayer for Bible translation has been ongoing since 1933 when the founder of Wycliffe USA, William Cameron Townsend, was granted access into the Mexico border to work with more than 50 indigenous tribes who did not have access to the Bible.

Townsend founded Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1942, deciding that "every man, woman and child should be able to read God's Word in their own language," according to the Wycliffe website. He chose to name the project after the Reformation hero, John Wycliffe, who was the first to translate the Bible into English.