Gilbert R. ProstOn November 22, 2023, Gilbert R. Prost graduated to glory after serving his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for almost 80 years. Gil, as he is affectionally known to family and friends, earned his undergraduate degree from Wheaton College.He grew up in a Chicago church that birthed several important ministries that have impacted the world, including the Pacific Garden Mission (it’s still on the radio today), New Tribes Missions, and AWANA International, a children’s program with games and Bible memory. Gil served as one of the first teenage AWANA leaders, and he recruited children from the neighborhood to build a Sunday School class of over 40.With his beloved wife, Marian, Gil embarked on a 25-year mission with Wycliffe Bible Translators and SIL, serving the Chácobo tribe in the Amazonian Rainforest of Bolivia and translating the Bible into the Chácobo language.Concerned about the tribe’s long-term survival, using AWANA children’s curriculum and Scriptural insights regarding cultural transformation, they equipped the Chácobo with the necessary skills to thrive in an encroaching world they did not understand. In the process, they fostered leadership among the Chácobo men and left a lasting Christian legacy among the indigenous people of Bolivia.After Gil finished his work with the Chácobo, he continued his education at the University of Florida, obtaining a Master’s degree in anthropology, including some doctoral work. He also made several important linguistic discoveries in connection with the Miccosukee Translation Project (Seminole Indian Language).Gil started a ministry for international students at the University of Florida, which spanned almost 25 years. The highlight each year was a Thanksgiving meal at Creekside Community Church for hundreds of international students and their hosts.Gil was a prolific writer and published most of his research regarding Bible translation, anthropology, and Christian missiology on his website at the wixsite (search gprost). He also published several articles in anthropology journals.His book Created in the Image of God: Missionary to the Chácobo Ignites A Revolution Without Guns represents a culmination of his work as a Bible translator, anthropologist, and researcher regarding what he considered hindrances to The Great Commission. Gil was a visionary, and much of what he warns the reader of in this book began decades ago in missiology.Gil is preceded in death by his wife, Marian. He is survived by his daughter, Laurel, his son, James, and two grandsons, Geoffrey and Christopher, and many co-laborers and friends.Read more about this authorRead less about this author