Dave, Carnsey and Sav will walk 2000km over 80 days. Allowing for rest days, they’ll walk on average more than 30km each day. Each of these kilometres represents a distinct living language that doesn’t yet have the Word of God – not even a single verse.

‘It doesn’t seem fair that we have not only one but dozens of different versions of the Bible in English,’ says Sav, ‘yet there are millions of people in the world, representing 2000 distinct languages, who don’t have a single verse of God’s Word in a language they can understand.’

Beginning in Cairns on 25^th August, the Walk will take Dave, Carnsey and Sav south through Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Bundaberg and Toowoomba – as well as many, many more smaller towns in between. All according to plan, Dave, Carnsey and Sav will walk into Stanthorpe on 11^th November – Remembrance Day.

God laid the idea for The 2000 Walk on Sav’s heart a couple of years ago and it has steadily been growing since. Sav (Andrew Sav) is 48 and married with four children. The other walkers are 23 year old Dave (David Carnell) and Carnsey (Andrew Carnell), his 30 year old cousin.

PE teacher Dave recently returned from trekking through Nepal with Operation Mobilisation. He’s stepped out of his career as a teacher for 2010 to participate in The 2000 Walk. Apart from walking, Dave is also responsible for logistics along the way – such as coordinating accommodation and meetings in the different towns en route. On average the trio will hold an evening meeting at local churches and town halls every second day.

Carnsey is Queensland’s State Director of Operation Mobilisation (OM). He’s a country boy at heart and is looking forward to linking up with country churches.

The 2000 kilometre route that the three mates will walk reflects the 2000 languages that don’t yet have the Bible. Just as the Walk will be a long, hard process, so is translating the Bible into different languages. It’s too big to tackle alone, which is why Dave, Carnsey and Sav are working together with Operation Mobilisation and Wycliffe Bible Translators to make this massive need as widely known as possible.

‘Our aim is that this need will no longer be hidden,’ says Carnsey. ‘We want the Australian church to become aware.’

To follow the progress of Dave, Carnsey and Sav before and during The 2000 Walk, visit www.the2000walk.com. On the website you can also get involved in many different ways, such as by prayerfully ‘adopting’ one of the 2000 Bible-less language groups or making a donation to a specific project.

Follow The 2000 walk on Facebook or Twitter

Written by Karyn Markwell from (Markwell Publishing)

Darrell and Margaret Thatcher

Darrell & Margaret have had close contact with Wycliffe over many years in church ministry in Western Australia and while serving as missionaries in Vanuatu. Sharing the same values on the importance and relevance of the Scriptures for today makes it no surprise that Darrell & Margaret  decided to join in the Bible translation task.

Darrell & Margaret are currently in training to take on the role of Regional Representatives in Perth replacing Rob and Hazel Looney. They have four children Luke, Nicole, Joshua and Zoe.

Maureen Hillary

Maureen has now joined Raj as a member of Wycliffe Australia. She has a background in nursing and says, ‘God has led both Raj and I to Wycliffe. Raj’s calling has an administrative strength and requires pastoral flexibility. My gifts complement in mercy, hospitality, pastoral, counselling and flexibility.’ These gifts will be well used when they take up an assignment with Wycliffe International Lord willing, later this year.

Raj has served at the National Centre, Kangaroo Ground as Personnel Director for the past five years. He and Maureen have three children, Emma, Bryan and Katie, and are excited at this new opportunity to serve the wider world of Wycliffe

Ian and Beth Smith

From forest pathologist and receptionist respectively Ian and Beth have moved into a new ministry – as Assistant Managers at Tree Tops Lodge (TTL) Cairns.

Because of their daughter Missy’s involvement as a member of Wycliffe their eyes were opened to the work of Bible translation, and they felt the Spirit’s prompting to also become involved in this ministry.

Seeing the advertisement Assistant Managers at TTL after having stayed there for a short time helped Ian and Beth realise that this was God’s open door for them at this time. They began working at TTL in January this year and are enjoying the challenge and ministry.

Coralie Grant

Coralie has been interested in languages most of her life but it was only when she became a Christian that this passion was transferred to missions. Through a friend she heard of the work of Wycliffe and Bible translation and decided to investigate the possibility of joining.  Then came the need for a business manager at EQUIP Training so she applied. Coralie’s history of working in finance, and her interest in mission, fits her well for the role and she is excited about the part she will play in bringing God’s Word to those without it in their heart language. 

Ruth Oatridge

Ruth grew up as an MK (missionary kid) in Papua New Guinea where her parents, Des and Jenny Oatridge, were translators with SIL for many years. When the family returned to Australia, Ruth worked in administrative jobs in Queensland until the Lord called her to serve him in missions.

Being willing to serve him anywhere, she soon heard of a huge need for administrative staff in the Uganda Tanzania Branch, and decided this was for her. She spent two happy years there – enjoying her role of helping to further the Bible translation task so much that she decided to become a member of Wycliffe. Ruth will return to Tanzania as a full-time Administrative Assistant when she has a complete team of pray-ers and supporters.

Belinda Fox

Belinda has always been fascinated by languages and from primary school through university linguistics has been her passion. God has taken that passion and called her to serve him in a two-year GRIP (Graduate International Project) program in South East Asia where she will be working as a Project Coordinator Assistant. In her own words, ‘To serve such an amazingly faithful God and be a part of providing people with his Word in their own language is not only an incredible privilege but a great joy. I can’t help but be excited about all that he has planned.’