During his time as the U.S. division director of Wycliffe Bible Translators, Bernie May used to write a column in the ministry's newsletter. He once wrote about Ken and Neve Shoemaker of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, faithful supporters who were in their 80s at the time.

"We're on our last lap," Ken told Bernie on the phone, "[but] we're committed to spend three hours a day in prayer—mostly for Wycliffe people. The other day Neve was awfully tired. She said she didn't know whether she was able to pray the full three hours. I told her, 'Come on. Don't let up. We've got to finish the course.' That day we prayed three and a half hours."