Ralph and Harriet Hill, Wycliffe Bible Translators
Ralph and Harriet Hill joined Wycliffe and SIL in 1978. After completing their linguistic training, they learned French in Switzerland in preparation for service in French-speaking Africa. In 1980, they arrived in Ivory Coast with their three children. Their first assignment was to live in a village, learn the Anyi language and culture, and serve as translation advisors for the New Testament in that language.
In 1984, the Adioukrou invited SIL to help them translate the Bible into their language. Ralph and Harriet moved to an Adioukrou village that year. The Adioukrou had turned to Christ in mass in 1915, but after seventy years, they only had three Gospels translated in their language. Their access to Scripture was mainly through those who could translate orally from French. After fourteen years of prayer, effort, and adventure, the Adioukrou New Testament was completed and dedicated in August, 1999. Work on the Old Testament continues.
During their eighteen years in Africa, in addition to work with the Adioukrou, they served in a variety of roles related to their areas of expertise, training and consulting with expatriate missionaries and national translators. Ralph's Master's Degree in New Testament Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, plus his first-hand experience in translation, equipped him to serve as an International Translation Consultant. Every translation must be checked by a consultant before it can be published. The consultant has a native speaker of the language who hasn't worked on the translation tell what they understand from the translation in English or French. This "back translation" should say what the original says. If not, consultants begin asking questions. Harriet was named an International Anthropology Consultant, meaning that she helped translators work effectively in cross-cultural settings.
In 1999, Ralph and Harriet moved to Dallas, Texas, the location of the WBT and SIL headquarters. Over the last seven years, God has used the skills Ralph acquired in Ivory Coast to benefit Bible translation on an international scale. He has served as the International Coordinator for Translation Consultant Development and the International Translation Coordinator. For many years, Harriet served as the Africa Area Anthropology Coordinator, helping SIL's work in twenty-two countries there in issues of cultural context. In 2003, she completed her Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies through Fuller Seminary. Her book, The Bible at Cultural Crossroads, and the course text she is developing to train local translators is having an influence on the way translation is done. Harriet is now serving as the International Scripture Use Coordinator for SIL and Wycliffe. This involves fostering the use of Scripture in appropriate languages and media so that lives are impacted. For example, she has been involved in a ministry of trauma healing that equips church leaders from war torn areas to help their traumatized church members. The book she helped co-author Healing the Wounds of Conflict: How the Church Can Help has been translated into over 50 languages and has sold over 8000 copies in English and French. Another more general book on Scripture Use, Translating the Bible into Action, has been used to teach church leaders in workshops and courses over the past 15 years. It will be published this year by Piquant.
Ralph and Harriet have three adult children. Melody and husband Johnvir and Carmel are presently involved in a mission internship program with Church Resource Ministries in Glasgow, Scotland. Jesse works for IBM and lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Harriet is a sister of Grace Kreulen, member of RTC.