Karl and Joice have worked with the Wycliffe Bible Translators (WBT, on the web at www.wycliffe.org) and the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL at www.sil.org) since 1956. Currently they are assigned to the training institute that SIL fostered, the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics (www.gial.edu), located in Dallas, Texas.  Joice is the alumni secretary and Karl is an Adjunct Professor, currently teaching a graduate course on Oral Traditions and Literature, with a special emphasis on storytelling and its applications, particularly Bible storytelling. Karl is also an SIL International Anthropology Consultant consults with the West Kewa Old Testament national translation team, located in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, where the Franklins worked for many years translating the New Testament (published in 1973, revised and published 2004) and the East Kewa New Testament (published in 2005).

Joice and Karl graduated from The King’s College and completed graduate studies elsewhere (Joice, an M.A. at Azusa Pacific University; Karl, an M.A. at Cornell University and a Ph.D. at Australia National University).

The Franklins have 2 children born in Papua New Guinea.  Karol, now Associate Professor of Spanish at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, with her Ph.D. in Spanish Linguistics from University of Texas, is married to Dr. Mike Hardin, Family Practice physician in Waco. They worked with HCJB in Shell, Ecuador at the Hospital Vozandes for 4 yrs. and return to Waco in June 2008. They have 3 children, Kirsten (8), Evan (6) and Cameron (4).

Kirk Franklin, now Wycliffe International CEO, residing in Kangaroo Ground, Australia, with oversight of some 48 Wycliffe organizations including many national organizations around the world. He and his wife, Christine, have 3 adult children, Wesley (25) married in March 2008 to Heidi; Alissa (23), graduating from Bible college in December 2008 with a degree in youth ministries; and Samuel (20), architectural student at Melbourne University.