Maricel’s mother was a witch doctor in their village of Palanan in the Philippines. Despite that, she learned about Jesus at an early age and invited Him into her heart.
At 18, a church friend who was a Bible translator asked Maricel to check some translation work. When she read in her own language the story of God calling Samuel, she hoped He would call her for some specific task too. He did.
The next year Maricel joined the Palanan translation team in Bagabag, and she’s been helping translate the Old Testament into her heart language.
Following are some of Maricel’s thoughts about the blessings and challenges of being a Bible translator:
Wycliffe Associates: How has God blessed you through your work as a Bible translator?
Maricel: God has blessed me because I’m able to meditate on His Word every day, and I know my translation will help the Palanan Christians to grow in their walk with the Lord. I am also blessed because I know my work will have eternal dividends.
Wycliffe Associates: What is your greatest challenge as you translate God’s Word?
Maricel: My greatest challenge is how to apply the Bible translation in my life. As a translator, I read the Word of God every day—it is before me daily. Yet I still sin against Him.
Wycliffe Associates: How have MAST (Mobilized Assistance Supporting Translation) workshops helped in your translation work?
Maricel: MAST has helped me learn to “consume the text,” to truly meditate more on God’s Word. It is also getting pastors highly involved in the translation as accuracy checkers, so the church has taken on more ownership.
Wycliffe Associates: What is your favorite portion of Scripture you have translated, and why?
Maricel: Lamentations. The people of God were suffering because of their sins, and in spite of that, God showed them love. It’s a reminder that when I sin, God loves me in spite of what I have done against Him.
Thank you for supporting Maricel with MAST training and technology resources so she can carry out the important work God has put before her.
