Ignaciano New Testament Completed

From “In Other Words,” probably a 1982 issue.

The Ignaciano people live in grass and jungle flatlands in north central Bolivia. Since 1956 Willis and Becky Ott have shared God’s love with them. The Otts prepared reading materials for the people, preparing them for the reception of the New Testament in their own language. Fourteen Ignacianos came to the Lord directly through the Otts’ ministry of translation and training, while others have come to the Lord through the ministry of fellow Ignacianos. The New Testament is now in their hands.

Playing the pipes--Ignaciano style

Tearful Sowing, Joyful Reaping

by Willis Ott, Bolivia, with Harry Waterhouse
From “In Other Words,” January 1982

When I memorized Psalm 126:5-6 for a Bible college class, the “bearing precious seed” and “bringing the sheaves” were emphasized. I don’t remember any stress on the parts that said, “they that sow in tears” and “he that goes forth and weepeth.”

But I’ve learned about that aspect of the Psalm. I’ve even come to expect tears and believe that they’re an essential factor in planting--and reaping.

For example, what do you do when one of your Ignaciano brothers falls into sin and covers himself so well that you don’t learn about it until it’s a long-standing affair?

You weep...and your reaction is the same when he finally returns, half-heartedly, to fellowship with the believers. And again, when he grows weaker and colder as time passes.

When the resulting disappointment and bitterness causes some other believers to lose their own enthusiasm, you cry some more.

What do you do when you’ve finished the New Testament translation and want to get right into polishing it, but the Lord is indicating your family should go to the U.S.?

You cry.

But exhilarating joys came when the Lord gave us better ways to express passages in the four gospels as we polished and correlated them. For instance, just the addition of a single word solved a difficulty I’d struggled with for 17 years.

Special joys confirmed that my wife, Becky, and I had made the right decision about her going to the U.S. with Jenny and Andy while I stayed on in Bolivia.

And further joys have come as we’ve seen the Scriptures having an impact on individual lives. In one family of three sons, the eldest has remained hard and unmoved by the presentation of the Gospel. The youngest became a believer but became engrossed in “making a better life for his family” and went far in the opposite direction from the Lord. But the middle son became a believer, as did his wife, and their testimony has remained consistent despite opposition.

Two other young men didn’t show much promise when we first met them, but they were chosen by their village leaders to attend our training course. Now they’re keen, able leaders and enthusiastic teachers of God’s way. Both have influenced many in their own families and their community to also become believers and serve the Lord. In fact, their “spiritual sons” are the leaders of their village church, which was organized by this group of believers.

So it all fits together. Tears are an inherent part of the process of sowing and of reaping. The Lord gives both consolation with the tears of sorrow, and sheaves with the tears of joy.