George Cowan 1916 – 2017
I got news today that George Cowan died in the early hours of 11 February aged 101.
I never met George but have known him as one of the greats of Wycliffe Bible Translators.
Wycliffe Bible Translators USA published an article celebrating his 100th birthday last February. Here are some extracts…
In 1942, George moved to Mexico where he met and married his wife, Florence. During their time in Mexico, they studied the Mazatec language — one that can be spoken or whistled — and helped translate the New Testament, which was completed in 1961.
But perhaps one of George’s best-known contributions has been as a prayer warrior. His dedication and passion to pray for the Bibleless peoples of the world has been an inspiration to many people over the years.
George once said, “I’ve got more versions of the Bible than I know what to do with. But what about that poor guy out there in a Bibleless group? … He’s got nothing. What should I pray for him? … I can only ask that God give him the same as he’s given me.”
I know him best by the quotation above because many times when I have spoken about Wycliffe and Bible translation, I have shown a very short but very powerful video in which we hear George voicing those words – and with such passion – urging us to pray for the Bibleless peoples of the world..
Family members have suggested that on arrival with his Lord, his wife would had greeted him with the words “Well George, you finally got here!”
And so George Cowan is with the Lord in company with family members and colleagues who have gone before and with Mazatecos with whom he and his wife worked to translate the Mazatec New Testament.
John 20:21 