Wycliffe Associates, an international organization that empowers mother-tongue Bible translators and partners with local churches in the advancement of Bible translation, is now using Starlink, a satellite internet service owned by SpaceX, to help national Bible translators in remote regions access to the World Wide Web.
Starlink gives users in isolated areas internet speeds comparable to in-ground services. This benefits national Bible translation teams, whose members typically live and work in some of the world’s most hard-to-reach places. In addition to having no internet access, they’re often without electricity and must rely on solar energy to power their equipment.
But due to advancements in technology in recent years, Wycliffe Associates has gained more economical access to satellite internet systems.
The connections also will make video calls possible, which haven’t been available to national Bible translators in the past. That’s especially helpful when translators have theological questions. Now instead of trying to communicate via email, they can talk in real time.
And in places where persecution of Christians is intense, a secure and fast internet connection ensures that national Bible translators can securely upload their work to protect it from being lost or destroyed.