"Our heart, our desire is to see the nations worship; our cry, our prayer is to sing your praise to the ends of the earth; that with one mighty voice every tribe & every tongue rejoices; our heart, our desire is to see the nations worship You…" was the opening song, sung during the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Asian Center for Missions (ACM) and Wycliffe-SIL Family of Organizations (WSFO) namely Wycliffe International, SIL International , and Translators Association of the Philippines (TAP).

The MOA was signed by (first row from left to right) SIL International Vice-President & Director for Asia Operations, Larry Jones, ACM's Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer, Elsie Reyes, TAP's Director, Helen Madrid, SIL Philippines' Director, Greg Dekker, and Wycliffe International's Director for Asia-Pacific, Takashi Fukuda (not in the ceremony that day).

Actually ACM and WSFO have been working closely together for the past few years already. TAP missionaries like Ryan Galarport and Ligaya Aragones have been teaching Language Acquisition Made Practical (L.A.M.P.) in the different centers of ACM and 3 ACM trained missionaries are already with them. One is in Cambodia for translation work and 2 are now preparing to go to Indonesia.

As Art Santos, in charge of Asia-Pacific Partnerships of Wycliffe International (the man at the right side of the picture), clearly puts it "This partnership already exists…this MOA signing/ceremony is merely a formality… not as the end but just the beginning… envisioned to lead to the growth of both organizations."

At the signing ceremony held last September 20, 2004, Art Santos presented three symbols signifying the urgency and importance of such a timely partnership.

The first symbol was the Bible entitled, "Nan Kalen Apo Dios" New Testament in Finallig of Baslig, Mountain Province. This most recent translation of the Bible in the Philippines symbolizes the nearly completed task, nearly zero percent (nearly 0%), of Bible translation in the Philippines. But the need for translation in the world is still overwhelming! Sadly there is scarcity in missionaries, especially translators. According to the research done by TAP "Today, more than 2,200 people groups have at least some scripture in their heart language. About 1,700 Bible translations are in progress. However, 2,737 additional language groups for whom no translation has even begun, represent more than 250 million people."

Most of these Bibleless people groups are in the 10/40 Window. The second symbol represents the opening to the Gospel happening in the unreached, despite the fact that witnessing in the many unreached people groups in the 10/40 window would mean death. This is the New Testament in Sunuwar, Katmandu. There are only 700 copies of this book.

The third symbol, Operation World-Wycliffe Int'l version, a source of global information for many Christians that contains relative statistics and prayer points is written for two main purposes to inform for prayer and mobilize for witness. Truly an apt symbol in the need of Filipino Christians for mission training and preparedness soaked in prayer just like what the book advocates, "When we pray God works!"

Filipinos are not only called and ready to go out as missionaries but are uniquely gifted by God in appearance, cultural traits, flexibility, and abilities that will be much of an advantage in effectively sharing the love of Jesus cross-culturally. TAP prepares its candidates for Bible translation through academic and field training and accepts candidates for support role according to their skills and expertise. ACM, on the other hand, provides a Career Missions Program designed to equip Christians towards effective cross cultural ministry. It offers 4 months free classroom training and 2 months partly subsidized international exposure trip to the target specific unreached people group. Both organizations partner with the Filipino Church to achieve such great lengths.

WSFO's vision by 2025 is "Together with partners worldwide, we envision Bible translation in progress for every language that needs it; thereby empowering all peoples to use Scripture, establish churches and disciple believers." Quoting from the opening sentence of Greg Dekker (Director of SIL Philippines) during the signing ceremony, "Bottom line is we need you!" In behalf of ACM, on the other hand, Elsie Reyes states "Wycliffe International (since 1942) and SIL International (founded 70 years ago and now 50 years in Asia) have been doing missions ever since…As a 10 year old mission training organization, it is a privilege to be recognized as a partner and learn from one of the pioneers of reaching the unreached."

According to studies done by Wycliffe International, "Nearly half of the World's 6,800 languages do not have even one verse of God's Word. Millions of people still wait for translation of the Scriptures. And while these people wait, they are cut off from fully understanding God's love." Evangelism, church planting, discipleship, and training will not be effective unless the people have a Bible they can really understand.

For ACM to send a missionary team targeting a specific unreached people group in every country of the 10/40 window, Bible translation will be very crucial for the success of each team's mission. As WCFO and ACM work together in close partnership their service to the Body of Christ will not only strengthen but make both organizations' vision, having one heart and one desire to reap the end time harvest, happen.