Serving in the Philippines with Wycliffe Bible Translators

Dates To Remember
Birthday: November 10

Contact
Marjorie_cook@sil.org

Sending Agency
Wycliffe Bible Translators
P.O. Box 628200
Orlando, FL 32862-8200
Designate with a separate note: "for Marjorie Cook"

I first went to the Philippines at the end of December 1970. But in August 2003, returned to the United States for an extended period of time in order to be closer to my parents, who are in their 80's. I am thankful that during this time I am able to work in the SIL International office in Washington, DC (four blocks from the White House). Currently my main job is going through the files deciding what to archive. Once the decision is made, I then scan the documents and upload them to a collaborative software program. This enables those working with SIL in government relations around the world to have access to the same documents that are in the DC office. Other jobs deal more with personnel and office administration. It has been good to be involved in what goes on here in the US that affects Bible Translation around the world.

I grew up at PBC (started attending around 1950). I knew of missions, and was especially challenged by the large, weeklong mission conferences the church used to have. Even though I felt a pull towards missions, I felt that I could not be a missionary because I wasn't good enough.

In 1962, Dad, who was working at Fairchild was transferred to Maine. I didn't want to go and thought of staying with friends (I was in high school). But as I rode my bicycle one afternoon, debating the issue inwardly, I felt God saying to me, "I'm taking your parents to Maine because of you.", end of argument. I knew I was moving to Maine.

I finished my last two years of high school in Maine and, in the fall of 1964, entered Glen Cove Bible School (which later became a college). For me, the transition of leaving home was very hard, but the first evening at school confirmed to me that I was where God wanted me. I had such a longing to know God better, often asking inwardly, "Isn't there more to the Christian life than this?" Glen Cove was a good place to begin to learn to relate in a totally different but safe context.

Sometime during my senior year in high school I told God that I was willing to be a missionary if He thought He could use me. During my fourth year of Bible School, I wrote to a couple of mission boards - Wycliffe Bible Translators being one of them. But, upon graduation, I stayed at the school and worked, which helped pay a school bill.

During that year, while praying with another student about the upcoming summer, I felt God leading me to pray about my future. I had received a follow-up card from Wycliffe and, though it was sitting in the bottom of my desk drawer, it was as if it was alive, beckoning me to respond. I did, and found myself that summer (1969) at the University of Oklahoma in training with Wycliffe. At the end of the summer, I was accepted as a member.

In all these 36 years, I can truly say that God has led. I joined Wycliffe as a Bible Translator. My first term found me in Balangao, Mountain Province, Philippines. A very remote place and yet, through a mutual friend, Ray Stedman was able to fly out and visit me during a trip he made to the Philippines.

After a year and a half of language learning in Balangao, I ended up back in Manila, spending a year in our radio and teletype office, having contact with all our translators out in the field. Next came Tagalog language study for a year. Upon returning for my second term, God led me into office work in Manila, of which the library also became my responsibility. In my third term and for the next 18 years, my main responsibility was managing all three libraries that are with SIL in the Philippines; libraries that meet the needs of the translators and technical personnel of SIL Philippines. In 1987, I completed studies that lead to a Masters Degree in Library Science.

When I returned from furlough in February 1998, I began working on archiving: gathering materials that had been produced over the past 50 years in the Philippines by folks with the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL). This includes both published and unpublished works. Decisions needed to be made as to what would be archived and for which audiences. Some would be for in-house use only, and some will be placed on the web for the world to see and use. Decisions as to quality, copyright laws, formats, etc., all require research. I was also responsible for getting the SIL Philippines website started.

In 2003 I returned to the US. I thought it would be for just a couple years. It has now been three. I am eager to return to Manila, but thankful I can continue with Wycliffe but in Washington DC while being close to my folks.

How thankful I am for the biblical foundation I received from PBC. I remember the fun of placing hymn books on the theater seats in the community center, and learning to sing "I Love To Tell The Story" by looking at the pictures in a giant book in the opening of Sunday School; watching the church building go up as we made weekly trips to see the progress. Saying the allegiance to the Christian flag at Vacation Bible School and, in later years, making a scrapbook and putting in it prayer cards of all the missionaries (which I still have). The all church Saturday night dinners, dividing into teams and having a "treasure hunt" of items that people might have with them that evening. Pioneer Girls, and New Years Eve services with communion at midnight. But probably the lasting significance of my growing-up years at Peninsula Bible Fellowship/Church was the memorization of Scripture. What was hidden in my heart in those early years is still there today. Often the reference forgotten, but words still alive. Thank you, Lord, for PBC. Thank you for the heritage that became the foundation of who and where I am today.