James C. Hefley

Be careful of researching your heroes. I read a YWAM biography of Cameron, and, since I'm interested in Bible translation and linguistics, desired to know more about this pioneer missionary. Found this biography, which seems well written and with a desire to give a faithful representation of its subject. Discovering he was certainly neglectful of his wife while actively ministering helped me rethink why I was reading biographies in the first place. Did I want a comforting panegyric, or was I show more interested in learning about an actual human that God used in spite of his flaws? show less

I’ve been wanting to read more missionary stories for years, and this is a book I picked up at our (then) church home quite a few years back. To my shame, I never started reading it, so it prettied up my shelf (more like, taunted me from the shelf) for many years. Recently, I finally figured out how to fit biographies into my everyday life, and I’m finally almost through my backlog!

This was such a great story! I’ve read a few books about missionaries in Central America, but this is one show more of the first ones I remember reading about someone in Mexico. I found the description of the terrain incredible, and also found the Beekman’s story inspiring. John’s determination to push on, no matter what, was incredible, especially considering his somewhat touchy health. The sacrifices they made and the trials the Lord led them through were also challenging and inspiring.

If you’re looking for a solid, well-written missionary biography, I’d highly recommend you read this one. I did have to smile a little, as it talked about Wycliffe’s goal to get the Bible translated into quite a few different languages by the 21st century, and that’s obviously a bit dated now. Still, I found this book inspiring, and many of the things these people experienced are relatable even fifty years on from the events. A good read! show less

Few tasks are more difficult than translation. When undertaking to learn an unwritten language, and then to attempt to translate a scriptural book with centuries of compounded issues with as many as 1/5 of each sentences having no common meaning, into that fresh language, the task is geometrically compounded. For those of us who can enjoy the fruits, without having endured the search, sacrifice and commitment required for its completion, this work is a wonder to behold.

The languages are show more unique quarries and the words are jewels. For example, among the Chacobo, expertise is expressed as ownership. A fast runner is "an owner of running". The Linguists, Gil and Marion Prost, introduced a pharisee or preacher as "an owner of worship". The Chacobo word for "love" is always a verb and cannot correspond with a noun. "God is love", became "God is the owner of loving". [131]

With Index of Topics, Scripture, and by Country and Tribe. show less

This book traces American origins. Where did we get or freedoms, our concepts of law and justice, of equal opportunity and public education, of religious liberty and social concern? What can we do to make America better as we enter her third century of life as a nation? These are the important questions asked--and answered.