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George & Wendy Payton

Serving with Wycliffe in Tanzania

Ministry

The Paytons work with Wycliffe Bible Translators. They joined as 
full-time missionaries in 1982. Currently they are based in Mbeya, 
Tanzania, in East Africa, after having served in Kenya for many years. 
George is a translation consultant for Tanzania and Uganda. His main 
assignment is to consult with the translators of the Mbeya-Iringa 
Cluster Project, a group of ten languages in southern Tanzania that 
Wycliffe is working among. George’s responsibilities entail training 
the Tanzanians who are translating the Bible into their own languages, 
and to check the translations in each language to ensure they are of 
publishable quality. He is also developing a training program to 
equip new missionary colleagues in how to work with the Tanzanian 
translators, and how the missionaries can assist and advise the 
Tanzanians throughout the translation process. Wendy works in the 
translation department, and also offers occasional help to other 
departments such as linguistics and literacy. She assists new 
colleagues moving to Mbeya by lending practical advice on how to 
find housing, get set up, and which places to shop.

In addition to their translation work, George and Wendy are looking to 
be involved with a local congregation. The Paytons enjoy serving 
others through hospitality by opening their home for informal social 
gatherings and Bible studies. George also preaches in local Swahili 
speaking churches on request.

Family

The Paytons have five children. Their two older sons, Adam and Luke, attend Biola University. Adam is studying cross-cultural ministries and plans to do church planting in eastern Africa when he graduates. Luke is pursuing a degree in cultural anthropology and will lead a mission team to Malawi summer 2008. Kerry and Emily, following in their siblings’ footsteps, both attend Rift Valley Academy, a missionary boarding school in Kenya. Hilary, their eldest, is married to Andrew Boone, and they have one son, Ezekiel James born September 30, 2007.

Country Profile

Tanzania

is located in East Africa on the Indian Ocean, just south of Kenya. Tanzania is roughly the size of the state of Texas and has similar terrain to the southwestern United States. The famous island, Zanzibar, is a two-hour boat ride from the mainland of Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is sparsely populated, with only 37 million people spread over the country. Approximately 50% of Tanzanians profess Christianity. However, many people mix traditional beliefs with their religion. Most of the 130 languages in Tanzania do not have any scripture portions at all, so there is still much translation work needing to be done.

How to Pray for the Paytons

George will be taking on supervisory responsibilities in the area of translation training beginning mid-2007.

1. Pray for wisdom as he plans training programs.
2. Pray also for wisdom to balance his time between designing the training programs and at the same time continuing with other consulting duties.
3. Pray that Wendy as she works with George and assists the translation teams.
4. Pray for their older children as they transition into university and post-university life in America, and for Kerry & Emily at boarding school.

Birthdays
George 10/7
Wendy   3/13
Luke 5/25/88 (son)
Adam 1/16/86 (son)
Kerry 3/17/91 (son)
Emily 8/5/96 (daughter)

Anniversary
George & Wendy - September 5, 1981

Appointed by CBC:
June 1986

About Wycliffe Bible Translators

Today more than 300 million people do not have the Bible in their own 
language. Wycliffe’s vision is to see the Bible accessible to all people 
in the language they understand best. To make this vision a reality, 
Wycliffe also focuses on literacy development, community development 
and church partnerships.  We are men and women, young and old, 
from many nations and of many colors and cultures. We come from 
many different churches and denominations, but we all worship one 
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Unified in our calling, we pray for and 
work towards the day when every language community will have an 
equal opportunity to discover God’s truth in the Bible.

WYCLIFFE BIBLE TRANSLATORS
P.O. Box 628200 - Orlando, FL 32862-8200
800-992-5433   --   http://www.wycliffe.org   --   http://www.thetask.net