LABRECQUE, Barbara

At the age of 15 Barbara came to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour. From that time on the Bible, God’s written Word, played a large role in forming and transforming her mind and life. She went on several short term service trips and saw needs in many languages for Bible translation and literacy work.

Between 1990 and 1994, she studied at Prairie Bible College in Three Hills, Alta., earning a BA in Intercultural Studies with a minor in New Testament Greek. Later, she attended the Canada Institute of Linguistics (CanIL) in Langley, B.C., studying linguistics. In 1998, she and her family joined Wycliffe Bible Translators and were assigned to work in the South Pacific country of Vanuatu.

In 2001, the young family travelled to Vanuatu and began working with the Paama people. Within one year, they had also begun working with the Southeast Ambrym people, who speak a related language. Work progressed for 16 years with the Scriptures being translated, national translators being trained, church leaders trained, Bible studies written, six years of Sunday school lessons developed, school curriculum developed and school teachers trained. Finally, in May 2016, the Paama and Southeast Ambrym people of Vanuatu celebrated the dedications of the Bible in their two language groups (printed full New Testament with Old Testament summary, and 80% available in audio format).

Since 2013, Barbara has been reassigned to CanIL in Langley, Wycliffe’s Canadian training school. Barbara has served in the Student Life department, reception, human resources, teaching, administration, and finances.