Townsend’s pluck - 1917
Young Cameron Townsend.
Introduction
As a young man, Cameron Townsend became a Bible distributor in Guatemala. At times he thought of giving up—especially when the food was particularly bad, or the inability to communicate was frustrating. It didn’t help when he got homesick, heat-sick, and suffered from insect bites. Nonetheless he persisted and translated the Bible into the difficult Cakchiquel language. Having experienced first-hand the difficulties of Bible translation, he determined to provide other missionaries with tools to facilitate the task. With friends, he founded the Summer Institute of Linguistics. Later he helped establish Wycliffe Bible Translators to get God’s word into more languages. Here is a letter he wrote from Guatemala City early in his missionary career on this day, Christmas Eve, 24 December 1917.
Quote
“Dear Home Folks,
“Just got back from Escuintla Sunday night, late. Yesterday I had to help out on a Christmas tree, then renew my passport. This morning two of the you men who will be working under me came in from a city forty-eight miles out. I have given the morning to them, helping one man's wife get a job. I am now on my way to Christmas dinner at the Bishops, and since the mail goes out at five o’clock, I am sending only this card.
“Had a wonderful trip last week. Traveled fifty miles on foot through as beautiful scenery as I have ever seen. Worked twenty different fincas; one had a population of three thousand. One day Frisco had five people come to know the Lord. He is great. I was able to lead two Ladinos to the Lord. Slept in the fields two nights. Lived on honey and tortillas for eight meals. Honey was only eighteen cents a gallon. I carried it in my canteen, so we always had a meal if we couldn’t find anything else. I am in the pink of condition except for a myriad of wood tick bites and other insects. Haven’t had a chance to write in my diary. Many thanks for writing to me.
Lovingly, Cameron.”
Stevens, Hugh. A Thousand Trails. Personal Journal of William Cameron Townsend 1917-1919 Founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators.