‘Bringing hope to our people’: A commendation from the leaders of PNG

Wycliffe Today Winter 2026

On Saturday, 28 March, a special service was held in Papua New Guinea for the 70 years of service of SIL and Wycliffe organisations in the country. The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, the Honourable James Marape, addressed local translation teams and expatriate workers from Australia and throughout the world with words of deep gratitude, sharing:

I’m here … celebrating SIL’s 70 years of unfailing service to the country and our people translating languages. We are the most diverse nation on earth as far as different languages are concerned – over 800 different language groups. For 70 years, SIL has stood as a pillar of service in our country. Your work has reached into the most remote parts of Papua New Guinea, bringing not only the Word of God, but also literacy, education, and hope to our people. It’s so nice to see Wycliffe Australia in partnership also commemorating 70 years of partnership with our country. You have been here for 70 years – longer than our nation has been independent. You are among the forerunners who helped shape the Papua New Guinea we know today. I want to say thank you very much for the support from Wycliffe. Thank you, God bless. Keep on supporting the mission field here in Papua New Guinea. 

Helen Sahl was one of the guests who attended the special celebration and she was equally impressed by the words from another influential politician. The Honourable John Boito, Minister of Agriculture, made a special mention of the ‘third culture’ children of families involved in Bible translation work in Ukarumpa:

We thank you for the way you represent our home to the world. Even if you live thousands of miles away, the ‘Ukarumpa DNA’ makes you part of our family forever.  We hope you always feel that the gate to Ukarumpa is an open door to your childhood home. With that, I challenge the current generation of SIL members and our local PNG partners: Do not let the fire of the 1956 pioneers fade. Continue to innovate. Continue to honour the landowners. And most importantly, continue to ensure that every Papua New Guinean can read and hear the truth in the language they value most. Thank you, God bless you, and happy 70th anniversary!