Sam Todd of Wycliffe Associates says the Roma people, sometimes called Gypsies, are among the dozens of people groups in Europe and the Baltics who do not have the Bible translated into their languages.
"The general understanding is that each European country has between five and ten Roma people groups," Todd relays. "They are very close-knit, kind of insular communities."
Each of these communities has its own culture and language, but very few have Bibles they can read and understand. Todd says Wycliffe is busy with the translation work, but it has been put on hold in Ukraine because of the war with Russia.
"People are disconnected from their family. They're worried that they're safe and that they're taken care of," he laments. "Those situations are just heartbreaking."
One of the primary verses Wycliffe translators are putting into Roma languages is Psalm 12:5, which reads, "'Because of the devastation of the needy and the groaning of the poor, I will now rise up,' says the Lord. 'I will provide safety for the one who longs for it.'"
Meanwhile, Todd says the ministry is utilizing its Emergency 911 Fund, "providing funding so that they can provide food and water for people in their communities."
The fund goes towards operating expenses for churches that have refugees or people who have been displaced from their homes. Todd says anyone and everyone is invited to contribute to that, and he asks that Christians pray for the national Bible translators worldwide carrying on with their work, in spite of risks.
