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Bible for Tomorrow’s Army (Congo-Brazzaville)
New Training Initiative for Translators in Southern Africa
Bibles for Namibia’s Military Men and Women
Publishing Workshop for Francophone Africa (Côte d’Ivoire)
BUJUMBURA, Burundi — “Since July 1996, Burundi, a country without direct access to the sea, has had to suffer the burden of sanctions. These were imposed by neighbouring countries following a coup d’état that toppled our legitimate government. For almost two years, it has been impossible to import many commodities that we need, and this includes Scriptures.
Just as the embargo was being put in place, a shipment of 10,000 Bibles en route to Burundi had arrived in Tanzania; the shipment had to be redirected and made available for distribution among Burundian refugees in Tanzania.
In July 1997, our leading bookshop, affiliated to the Pentecostal church, decided to beat the threatening shortage and bought most of our remaining Kirundi Bibles, some 4,000. We now began to worry because we had very few left if other churches needed any, and we sent a strong ‘SOS’ message to the UBS Regional Service Center in Nairobi, Kenya.
In one of my letters I even pointed out that if we no longer had Scriptures to supply, we might as well close down the Bible Society. I must admit that I was beginning to despair. But during all this time we continued to pray and trusted that God would once again be our provider.
Overjoyed
In September 1997 the Regional Service Center informed us that the Kenyan authorities had agreed to allow a consignment of Scriptures destined for Burundi to cross Kenya, and that an order had already been placed for the Scriptures to be printed. This was really good news and we were overjoyed.
In the meantime we had run out of our main Scripture items: the Kirundi Bible and the French Bible (Segond version). Soon, churches and bookshops were praying with us that God would supply more Bibles.
Many people felt deeply dissatisfied and were looking to God for help, but at Bible House we were almost out of all Scriptures. We could only pray that God would speed and protect the printing and shipment of Bibles we were awaiting.
The Bible Society of Rwanda sent us 300 Kirundi Bibles and 200 French Bibles – a drop of water in the desert.
The year ended and then, in January 1998, we suddenly heard that the shipment of more than 10,000 Kirundi Bibles had arrived in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, only one day’s journey by road from our own capital, Bujumbura. How happy we were then, and we turned our joy to praise and thanks to God.
The necessary paperwork was completed in record time so that the consignment could get through customs quickly, but the following day, when we expected to welcome the lorry bringing our Bibles, there was bad news: there had been a mistake and our Bibles had been left in Kigali.
They were so near, and yet so far away! And yet, we knew that our God who had brought them safely from Asia, who had also looked after them as they crossed Kenya and then Rwanda to arrive in Kigali, that he would also bring them safely into Burundi. We went back to our prayers.
Hijacked?
A few days later the freight company informed us that the Bibles had left Kigali and were on their way. But the following day we were told that the lorry had gone missing. For two more days we left wondering if the lorry had been hijacked and the Bibles stolen.
Then we heard from another source that the lorry carrying our Bibles had been in an accident and was broken down 60kms (37 miles) from Bujumbura. The freight company knew nothing about this and simply stated that the Bibles must still be in Kigali.
We did not know whom to believe or what to do and were beginning to become exasperated. I was due to travel via Kigali to catch a plane, in order to attend a UBS seminar in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Some sixty kilometres from Bujumbura we passed a lorry which had been in an accident. We stopped and had a good look around but it was impossible to see inside the lorry, and there was no sign of the driver anywhere.
Further down the road we saw someone who had obviously been buying provisions to camp out overnight. It turned out that he had been sent to guard the lorry and that as far as he knew it contained Bibles. “Do your job well,” I told him; “That is a very precious cargo.” Then we drove on to Kigali.
Broken down
We tried to contact the freight company from Kigali, but the man in charge refused to believe that the broken-down lorry was carrying our Bibles. “No, your Bibles are still in Kigali,” he told me. We prayed again, begging God to do something to break the deadlock. And when I reached Abidjan, all the other workshop participants heard about out plight and they prayed with me.
God heard our prayers and the shipment of Scriptures arrived intact in Bujumbura on February 4, 1998. Within three weeks of them reaching Bible House, 4,500 Kirundi Bibles had been distributed. When we take into account that in one year the Bible Society rarely distributes more than 15,000 Bibles, we realise the great thirst people have here for the Word of God.
The Protestant churches that use the Kirundi Bible are overjoyed and join with us in giving praise to God who brought this supply of Bibles to us in our time of need. We know that these Scriptures will really be a source of life and hope for many people in Burundi.” (WR 331/16 - 6.98)
BRAZZAVILLE, Congo — In March, a team from the Bible Society in Congo distributed French New Testaments (Français fondamental) to pupils at the General Leclerc military training school, where they met young soldiers with a love for the Bible.
The colonel in charge of the school, who was moved by the fact that his first public engagement was marked by the distribution of Scriptures, exclaimed: “This is the Lord’s timing! Thank you so much for bringing us these wonderful Scriptures; my colleagues and I are greatly encouraged by your gesture.”
The Bible Society accountant gave a presentation about the work of the Society, emphasising the need to support it financially and through prayer. He gave the colonel some membership cards, should anyone wish to make a contribution to Bible work.
Daily study
After the distribution had taken place, the Bible Society team met a young officer who told them the following story: “During my daily Bible study, I kept coming across Psalm 20:7, which says: ‘Some trust in their war chariots and others in their horses, but we trust in the power of the Lord our God’.
I spent a long time meditating on this passage, and was surprised to be led back to it time and time again – the Lord must be trying to tell me something, I thought.
Then I read Deuteronomy 20, and was particularly struck by verses 5 to 7, ‘... otherwise, if a man is killed in battle...’. I finally decided to ask my commanding officer if I could move to another site, not really knowing why. He agreed, so I moved, and a little while later a shell hit the very place I had been guarding.”
At the end of the distribution ceremony,
some Scriptures were offered for sale. The soldiers showed great enthusiasm
for purchasing them and our stock of French Bibles was soon exhausted.
The Bible Society team even had to take orders for extra copies!
Testimonies from a Catholic school
“I am delighted with these New Testaments! They are written in simple French which is easy to understand, and they will be very useful to us during devotions. The children loved the Portions, especially the stories of Abraham and David. But the stock was stolen during the war and we would very much like to receive more copies.” – Sister Marguerite, Headmistress.
“The children were captivated by the Portions, and the illustrations are so vivid that even those who cannot yet read are able to understand the stories. It would be wonderful to receive further copies for our lessons.” – Catechism Tutor.
“We only have a few copies left of
the ‘Keeping your Balance’ Selection, and the level of French used
is too difficult for the children. We need more material like the Abraham
and Moses Portions, with easy-to-understand French.” – School Librarian.
(WR 331/17 - 6.98)
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As a first step towards meeting this need, the Bible Societies in the region approved the idea of trying to initiate special training programs for Bible translators in cooperation with existing Christian educational institutions. One of the results is that a two-year program has been commenced near Cape Town, in cooperation with the Bible Institute of South Africa. In order to fulfil both the UBS vision and that of the Bible Institute, it was decided to establish a new Centre within the institute.
New Centre
The Centre for Intercultural Communications Studies (CICS) has been established to cater for the needs of Bible translators, missionary linguists and missionaries-in-training who want to do studies in cross-cultural communication and language learning. In its first year, only the Bible translation program is being offered, and the UBS has responsibility for the curriculum.
The UBS contribution to the project
consists of: a) the secondment of Dr Ted Hope to the Centre as its principal,
and b) the provision of scholarships for translators working on UBS-related
translation projects. In one year, the translators will get more training
than could have been provided in five or six years relying on seminars
and workshops, and at almost no extra cost.
Projects and translators
Ndau Bible
The Ndau people live in eastern Zimbabwe, south of Mutare, and in the
adjacent part of Mozambique all the way to the coast. Their ancestors were
warriors from Swaziland who came to the area and married local women. Their
initial language is thus related to both Shona and SiSwati. The revision
of the Ndau Bible began in the early 1980s under the sponsorship of the
Bible Society of Zimbabwe. The New Testament
is now complete and will soon be published, but the team has taken a year’s
sabbatical to learn some Hebrew and advanced translation theory in preparation
for work on the Old Testament.
Lala Bible
The Lala people, and their close relatives the Biza people, live in
eastern Zambia and adjacent areas of Malawi. It was among the Lala people,
in Chief Chitambo’s village, that David Livingstone died. His sister established
a mission near the chief’s village, and spent her life there ministering
to the Lala people. They have never had the Bible in their own language,
but a translation project was started in the late 1980s under Bible
Society sponsorship, and the New Testament will soon be published.
Kalanga Bible
The Kalanga people live in the eastern part of Botswana and the adjacent
areas of Zimbabwe. Their language is related to Shona, and they trace their
ancestry back to the great Shona kings of the 17th century. They have never
had a Bible in their language. In the mid-1980s work began on a Bible translation
under the joint sponsorship of the Bible Society
and various Lutheran churches and missions. The New Testament is now complete
and will soon be published.
Dhimba Bible
The Dhimba-speaking people live in southern Angola and north-western
Namibia. Their language is related to Herero. Work on the first translation
of the Bible in this language began in 1994, with the sponsorship of the
Lutheran Bible Translators, and to date
Mark’s Gospel has been drafted. This will become a joint BS/LBT project
in the near future.
Future Vision
There are plans to expand the staff and facilities of the CICS, and it is hoped that translators from additional projects in the Southern Africa region will be sent for training. As Angola and Mozambique are rehabilitated, and more translation work gets underway there, it is hoped that suitable translators from these countries can also be sent for training. (WR 331/18 - 6.98) [PHOTOS]
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WINDHOEK, Namibia — The Rev Onesmus Ihidipo Shanyengange is an army chaplain in northern Namibia, who regularly buys Bibles from the Bible Society to distribute among military personnel.
During his visit to Namibia in January 1998, Program Consultant Evariste Munyabarame was able to meet with Rev Shanyengange to share a few distribution ideas.
Direction
“Most of the soldiers are Christians in uniform,” said Rev Shanyengange. “Every Christian needs the Word of God; it is our spititual food. The Bible is God’s computer! Different key strokes bring to light different lessons; and people can find direction whatever their need may be. There are answers in the Bible for all of life’s problems.
No profit
“We buy Bibles from the Bible Society at a reasonable price and sell them to the soldiers for the same price, thus making no profit at all. The Bible should be very expensive, but fortunately the Bible Society is able to subsidise their sales so that people can afford to buy copies.
However, as regards military personnel, we tell them: ‘You are lucky: you are provided with a uniform, accommodation, and meals at a reasonable price, so you should be able to buy your own Bibles at this reduced rate.’
“I am a Lutheran pastor, and I started doing this chaplaincy work in the military last March. Since that time we have distributed more than 60 Bibles in local languages.
There are women in the Namibian army, and it is interesting to note that they are more open to the Gospel and more serious about the Scriptures than their male counterparts.” (WR 331/19 - 6.98) [PHOTOS]
ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire — Fifty kilometres from Abidjan, at a place called Grand Bassam, 15 representatives from 9 countries in the new UBS Francophone region of Africa gathered to take part in a publishing workshop, for five days from March 30, 1998.
Some of the Scripture formats considered included New Reader Portions, needs-related Portions geared to young people and answering questions related to war and drugs, and audio Scriptures for those who cannot read or for the visually impaired.
Most of the delegates came from areas of economic depression or where fighting and instability frequently hamper Bible work. But by the end of the week there was a more positive note echoed as participants found new focus and guidance in developing more relevant Scripture formats.
One of the aims was to encourage national Bible Societies to match the product with the demand. “I can see myself concentrating on producing a Portion that will speak directly to those involved in the conflict in my country; a Portion that speaks of peace,” said one participant.
Reaching forgotten groups of people, involving the churches in new Scripture editions and producing New Reader Portions in more local languages were among other expressed goals.
Serge Rhéaume, Director of the Francophone work in Canada, assisted John Ball, UBS Publishing Coordinator, and other UBS staff in presenting a full program that ranged from a study of the markets to client relationships, from vision and mission to resource management.
One of the comments made during an
evaluation session concerned the sharing of ideas and resources: “I feel
it is important to increase my contact with other national Societies, especially
those that produce texts in languages other than French.” It was felt that
there was much to be learnt from each Society’s experiences and much that
could be shared in the future. (WR 331/20 - 6.98)
