April 01, 1981 by Bernie May

March 9, 1981 Dear Prayer Warriors:

I promised to get back to you when the battle ended. As you know, Chet Bitterman was murdered by the M 19 terrorists in Colombia. But the battle is far from ended. The M.19 is continuing to oppose our work.

As we prayed, the Lord reminded me of Nehemiah. He, too, was threatened by terrorists as he followed God's command to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem. Sanballat and Tobiah challenged him to a fight, saying they were going to kill him. But Nehemiah sent a message: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot come down."

That is the stance of Wycliffe Bible Translators. We must complete the task God has given to us to translate the Bible into the languages of the world. We are trusting Him to fight the battle for us.

Answers? They are hard to come by right now, We are operating on faith, not knowledge. Chet is not the first member of Wycliffe to be murdered. Yet from ground wet with the blood of martyrs the church has sprung up.

Chet and Brenda had been in Colombia two years. They felt from the beginning God had something bigger. They had not been able to find a house to live in. It took them almost two years before they were able to locate an Indian tribe. They were supposed to start to work next week building their little house among the Indians. Then Chet got sick and had to go to Bogota for a gall bladder operation. That is why he "just happened" to be in the group house when the terrorists made their raid.

Even though the terrorists said they took Chet as hostage only because they could not find Al Wheeler, Brenda does not believe God makes mistakes. As she looks back on the last two years, she believes God was preparing them all along for this moment.

I spoke with her when she got off the airplane in Miami. "I know this was God's ministry for Chet," she told me. "He was chosen!"

Already we see miracles. Many who had formerly opposed the ministry of Bible translation in Colombia are now rallying to our support. And the prayer support around the world has been incredible. All of usespecially the Bittermans are humbled and awed by your love and prayer support.

When I called Uncle Cam (Wycliffe's founder, Cameron Townsend) to tell him of Chet's abduction, he said: "We must begin to pray now that Chet will lead at least one of his captors to the Lord."

I wonder which of his captors, like Saul who helped murder Stephen, will become an evangelist and an apostle.

Brenda and the children have returned to the States to seek God's purpose. The wives of martyrs, you know, have often had great ministries. Please keep praying for her and those two little children.

Chet's parents in Pennsylvania have been a tower of strength. Mrs. Bitterman told the press that the real tragedy was not the death of her son, but that a tribe of Indians would now be denied the witness of Jesus Christ. Please pray for them also.

Threats and harassment continue for our people in Colombia. Pray for them too. When God sends you on a mission, you cannot turn back regardless of the consequences.

Thank you, from the depths of our hearts, for joining us in battle. We are committed to do the job God has called us to do translate the Bible into the languages of the people. I believe with Brenda that the Holy Spirit has stirred up a lot of people to pray. I also believe God is going to send us many new men and women to replace our fallen warrior.

It's interesting that from the very beginning God gave Brenda this verse of Scripture:

Since you are precious and honored in my sight, And because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you,  And people in exchange for your life. (Isaiah 43:4)