Wycliffe Discovery Center
Wycliffe Bible Translators is a religious nonprofit organization that is based here, in Central Florida, and from the Lake Nona area, no less! Their address is at 11221 John Wycliffe Blvd, Orlando, FL 32832. This organization has a lot to offer us that correlates with the Easter Season!
Wycliffe’s Roots
According to the Wycliffe website, Wycliffe was founded in 1942 by William Cameron Townsend on the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to read the bible in their native language. This ideology is from a trip Townsend took in 1917 to Guatemala to sell Spanish Bibles; however, the people he encountered spoke a completely different language called Cakchiquel, now known as Kaqchikel. The first Wycliffe Bible translation was completed in 1951 and the 500th translation in 2000. By 2025, Wycliffe is currently striving to have at least a Bible translation program in progress for every language that still lacks a Bible translation. According to the Wycliffe Center, there are over 1,800 languages that do not have a Bible translation. For Wycliffe to accurately translate Bibles in an abundance of languages, they work with local churches and communities across the globe to make it possible.
The Discovery Center
Due to the dedication and outreach of Wycliffe, the Lake Nona center holds knowledge and exhibits of different languages, cultures, and people from around the world. The Wycliffe Center, here in Lake Nona, houses The Wycliffe Cafe, Village Shop, and the Discovery Center.
The Wycliffe Cafe offers lunch during the week, Monday through Friday. The Village Shop has an online and in-store storefront that sells an assortment of fun goodies ranging from books to jewelry, nativity scenes from around the world, and much more. The proceeds from the Village Shop go to helping fund translations of more Bibles into languages from across the globe. The Discovery Center has a variety of activities to offer that provide unique learning experiences for many different age groups. The Discovery Center has tours and interactive experiences for all ages, ranging from storytime on the fourth Friday of every month to an escape room-like experience, along with a few other options to explore as well. The interactive experiences offered at the Discovery Center are the Educational Program, Passport to Adventure, Wycliffe Story Time, and The Mystery of the Missing Scriptures. Each interactive experience is different, and some have an intended age group. The learning goals incorporated into these various programs and available experiences are God’s love for all people, God’s plans around the world, how God has uniquely created each of us to be a part of his mission, and teaching our community about diversity.
Conclusion
The Wycliffe Discovery Center is a unique experience providing knowledge of different languages and cultures with a likeness to an interactive museum for all who come to visit. This center is a place for Central Florida families to come and visit, learn, and immerse themselves in different cultures based on lives touched by the Wycliffe Bible Translators.
To learn more about all that the Wycliffe Discovery Center offers, its hours of operation, and pricing, check out https://www.wycliffe.org/discovery-center for more information and details. If you wish to learn more about getting involved with this charity or how this work positively impacts communities across the globe, check out https://www.wycliffe.org.
