Imagine if an iPad could tap into universal wisdom? But what if we couldn’t understand the link? What if the Internet’s down? Would we get angry? Panic?

Tens of millions of Christians feel this angst daily, because they don’t have God’s Word in a language they understand. They cannot sob in empathy with David’s agonies in the Psalms. They cannot receive instruction from Solomon’s Proverbs. And they can’t fully comprehend the depth of God’s love so explicitly described by the beloved Apostle Paul.

For example, 80 percent of Nigeria’s Hyam speakers are believers — a half-million people who exhibit a strong faith. But they have no mother-tongue Bible. No Scriptures written in the heart language they understand. No link. There is an English Bible and another in regional Hausa, but they don’t understand or use either language well. Would a Westerner living in Bolivia really grasp the nuances of a Spanish, Quechua or Aymara Bible, even if they could read the words?

How can we truly comprehend their frustration? We have new Bibles, old Bibles, single books, Greek, modern language, thematic, systematic and chronological copies. We have Bibles covered in paper and leather, with alligator-embossing, color-coordinated, synthetic and graphically enhanced wrapped photos.

We have Bibles unused for a decade. Perhaps we might ship some overseas? Yes, we could do that . . . but the words could not fill people’s hearts with gratitude for our Savior’s eternal work . . . if they are unreadable gobble-de-gook! Pray for translators to quickly and accurately prepare Scriptures for people who desperately want to know their God and love Him deeply. Pray they will be provided the “Link” to tap into the universal wisdom of the ages . . . God’s Word in the heart language they understand.

Penny Lent is a project update writer for The Seed Company and lives in Southeast Asia.