Great Lengths For The Word

Despite his battle with filariasis, threats of Muslim terrorists, and his growing allergy to malaria medicines, Lloyd Peckham managed to endure Indonesia’s brutal conditions for nearly twelve years.
Lloyd Peckham, Biola’s Introductory to Lingustics and Language teacher, has devoted the last 25 years to translating the New Testament into Mairasi.
It hasn’t been easy. In order to get to the Mairasi people, the Peckhams and their colleagues had to travel through a war zone filled with Muslim terrorists. “One half of my translation team was killed by Muslims,” Peckham said.
Peckham wants to reach the Mairasi people with the gospel in whatever way possible, but due to the severity of his tropical illness, filariasis, and his allergy to malaria medicine, he fears he will have to work with the Mairasis from a distance.
The Peckhams have faced the challenge of being isolated.
“Even when we found a relatively healthy place in the southern Philippines, it could take up to six months for a letter to get there,” Mr. Peckham said.
Despite the complications, the Peckhams are determined to continue to make a difference, bringing the word of God in the “heart language” of the people. Last December, when Lloyd and his wife Nancy celebrated the completion of their translation of the New Testament in Kaimana, Indonesia, “the 900 copies printed were presented and distributed,” said Peckham.
Mr. Peckham and his wife were led to their work in Indonesia after being forced to leave their missionary work in Mexico due to an earthquake.
Being called to Indonesia, they began missionary work with tropical rain forest hunter-gatherers in Indonesia, next to a town called Kaimana. The Peckhams shared the gospel with the hunter-gatherers, known as the Mairasis, through translating the Bible into their “heart language.”
“They get so excited [about the gospel.]” said Peckham. “The word of God is the key to understanding [Christianity]. I have seen many churches planted on poor foundations, resulting in a lot of cults.” What Peckham strives to follow is Matthew 28: 19-20, teaching all Jesus commanded.
The Lord first called Peckham to cross cultural ministry work at the age of seven, while listening to missionaries speak about their experiences. At 14, Peckham’s parents became short term missionaries, and Peckham learned Spanish and some Portuguese. Recognizing his talents in languages, Peckham knew he could make a difference for the glory of God.
To say the least, Peckham is well qualified as a linguist. He received a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from California State University Fullerton, took courses in Greek and Bible at Multnomah College, and received a master’s degree in linguistics from the University of Texas.
“The key is knowing and living God’s Word” Peckham says. He and his wife feel that the translation of the Bible is so important in missionary work because the Word will remain with the people forever.
Nancy and his three sons have supported and aided Peckham in translating the Bible in whatever ways possible. Mrs. Peckham spoke about the amount of moves their family has undergone. They lived in Indonesia for nearly twelve years, and then left due to the severity of Mr. Peckham’s tropical illness. The Peckhams moved to the southern Philippines, where they lived until last Feburary, prior to their move to California.
“This is [Mr. Peckham’s] first year teaching at Biola,” Mrs. Peckham said. Mrs. Peckham informed that though Mr. Peckham enjoys his new job, he will be leaving Biola after this year, enabling them to do more missionary work.
Each family member plays their own significant role in helping to translate the Bible. Mr. Peckham does the majority of the translating, and his wife Nancy does the editing. The Peckhams son Joe, helped his parents on the small projects. Joe helped his father translate short stories into Mairasi.
“There are a ton of idioms in their language,” Joe said. But despite the cultural barriers Joe loved Indonesia. “It’s the most beautiful place in the world.”
After Mr. Peckham’s year at Biola, he and his wife will return to the southern Philippines. There, Mr. Peckham will be teaching in three locations, training Filipino missionaries.
“My guess is I will keep doing some [work] on the interlinear translation of Mairasi.”
The Peckhams are planning on continuing the translation of the Old Testament the best they can from a distance. They have written rough drafts in Mairasi for the books of Genesis, Ruth, Lamentations, and Jonah, and they are writing an introductory to each book in the New Testament. Peckham feels that Lamentations will relate to the Mairasis because of their experiences as slaves.
Joe Peckham quoted Cameron Townsend, founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators “The greatest missionary is the Bible in the mother tongue,” and this is something the whole Peckham family strongly agrees with. The Word of God is the foundation of Christianity, and no person should be prevented from receiving the Word. It is families like the Peckhams that make a mark on the lives of others, and we should all try to strive to fight with that much vivacity to bring God’s Word to those who need it.