The global pandemic, terrorism, and economic collapse have brought Bible translation to a halt in the most populous nation on the African continent, where more than 500 languages are spoken. Mother-tongue Bible translators in Nigeria were working to start 30 language projects before they had to stop.

“This year, as COVID-19 ravaged Nigeria, they have suffered in tragic new ways,” says Bruce Smith, President and CEO of Wycliffe Associates. “The government locked down the nation, and jobs—even meager wages—disappeared. In areas of serious poverty, national Bible translators and their families found themselves ...