 |
|
|
Americas
Bible Launched Under Threats of Violence (Mexico)
Christian Cyclists Board their Bikes for the Bible Cause (Brazil)
Search for Cigarettes led to Discovery of Scriptures (Brazil)
Prisoners Need a Change of Heart (Puerto Rico)
Crowd of 4,000
The Tzotzil people had come in droves from neighbouring towns, farms and villages, to celebrate the arrival of their Bible, the first Bible in Tzotzil. A crowd of over 4,000 attended the launch, where 3,500 Bibles were distributed.
The Rev Manuel Perez-Arias, a local Tzotzil pastor and translator of the Bible said: "We are exceedingly happy to receive the Bible in our language. I believe it will help us all, Catholics and Protestants, to put an end to the envy and hatred there has been in our community.
“Our hope is that everyone will read the Bible. For many years we have simply believed what has been preached to us. Now that we have the Word of God in our language, we can read and study it for ourselves. But we still need you to pray that people will come to true repentance.”
Relieved
It is unusual in this part of the country for indigenous people, foreign missionaries and visitors to be seen gathering together, especially with a common objective. In fact, the staff of the Bible Society were greatly relieved to witness this dedication, which has had to be cancelled and reorganised several times. (At one stage it was doubtful that the launch would ever be held here in the heart of Tzotzil-speaking country, because of the violence and murderous threats in the aftermath of the killings of last December.)
“This cooperation is important,” said Dr Ruiz Muñoz. “It sends a message to the outside world that we have found hope through the Bible, the Word of God.”
Vern and Carla Sterk, the translation coordinators for the project, also spoke: “Give thanks to God that March 18, 1998, the day of the Tzotzil Bible dedication, was a success despite the many threats and warnings. Let us pray that this Bible will help to bring lasting peace and reconciliation to the hurting people of Chenalho.”
Mr Perez-Arias commended the Bible Society of Mexico and the UBS for their work and thanked the Bible Societies around the world for their prayers. “You have helped make the Tzotzil Bible a reality,” he said.
Pushed forward
The presentation of the Bible was an emotional moment for many, especially those who had been directly involved in the project. And when the Bibles went on sale, people pushed their way forward, eager to obtain their own copy.
The Tzotzil: Chenalho Bible is an intercon- fessional translation, which was produced by the Bible Society of Mexico and supported by the UBS financially and through consultancy.
There are 75,000 speakers of Tzotzil: Chenalho. (Please see World Report 321/12, June 1997 for further information on the Tzotzil people.)
The Tzotzil Bible follows Bibles in Chol and Maya, and the Old Testament in Tzeltal, all of which have been published in the last few years by the Bible Society of Mexico. These are part of a policy to produce translations of the Scriptures in as many of the nation’s local languages as possible.
The Bible Society is currently overseeing and supporting translations into Mixe (two dialects), Tzeltal (three dialects) and Tzotzil (two further dialects), and plans to reprint the Bible in Chol, and the New Testament in Totonaco. There are 230,000 Tzotzil speakers, 260,000 Tzeltal speakers and 90,000 Mixe speakers, of which between 30% and 40% are monolingual.
Of the 234 local languages in Mexico, there are now four with the complete Bible; 91 have a New Testament and 39 have Portions. There are also audio Scriptures available in six languages. (WR 331/5 - 6.98) [PHOTOS]
Christian
Cyclists Board their Bikes for the Bible Cause
(From A Bíblia no Brasil,
issue 179)
|
|
|
|
‘Bike for Bibles’ was the first in a series of events organised by the Brazilian Bible Society (BBS) to celebrate its Golden Jubilee. July 10, 1998, is the actual date when the Society will commemorate 50 years of translating, publishing and distributing God’s Word for the people of Brazil.
Members of churches from all over Rio de Janeiro came to support the sporting campaign to provide Bibles for people who have none. The cyclists were joined by more than 2,000 pedestrians who were keen to assist in the evangelistic efforts.
Bible gift
In Brazil’s version of the Bike for Bibles event, every cyclist pays a small participation fee, which entitles him or her to a Bible on completing the ride. The idea is that cyclists donate the Bibles to someone they know who has not heard the Word of God or who cannot afford to buy their own Bible.
Not even the intense heat could dishearten the intrepid cyclists, determined to finish the course and thus achieve their goal of spreading God’s message of love and salvation. The ride began in the Avenida Delfim Moreira, in Leblon district, and the cyclists crossed the finishing line at the Praça do Leme, passing through Ipanema, Arpoador and Copacabana.
Roller-skaters
Just before the start of the ride, cyclists and spectators alike were addressed by the Rev Guilhermino Cunha, Board Chairman of the BBS and President of the Supreme Council of the Presbyterian Church in Brazil. “This event is inspiring,” said Rev Cunha, himself one of the participating cyclists. “As well as more than a thousand cyclists, there are thousands of people on foot and on roller-skates, ready to distribute Scriptures to the people of Rio.”
After the Scripture reading, Rev Cunha led the crowd in a prayer of thanks to God for His Word, and the pedalling, walking and skating commenced.
“This is a very effective way of making the Bible better known,” said Pastor Antonio Faleiros, Rector of the Bennet Institute, a traditional evangelical teaching organisation in Rio. With 110 years of work behind it and a long tradition of partnership in events promoted by the Bible Society, the institute offered sponsorship of the Bike for Bibles campaign.
Massive turnout
The Rev Jairo Miranda, BBS’ regional secretary in Rio, who was the main organiser of the ride, was not at all surprised at the turnout for the occasion. “People in Rio always respond well to events of this sort. Nevertheless, we praise God that our expectation of a massive turnout by the churches was fulfilled. We hope to extend the experiment to other towns in Brazil,” he said.
Standing among the mass of cyclists, Dr Carlos Wesley, President of the BBS’ state board in Rio, emphasised the participation of local churches in the event: “Pastors encouraged their church members to get involved in the event, placing teams of people on the beaches to distribute Scriptures and undertake personal evangelism.
All ages
“There were dozens of groups along the main avenues and surrounding areas handing out biblical material,” he said. Fifteen churches from the southern part of Rio coordinated the distribution of 50,000 Selections to locals and tourists who thronged the beaches in the Sunday sunshine.
Cyclists of all ages played their part in promoting the Bible cause. Sixty-four-year-old Inocêncio Rubim, a member of the Catete Methodist Church in south Rio, was among the first to cross the finishing line.
“I think there should be more events like this – it’s a good way of catching the attention of people who have never heard the Word of God,” he said.
Eight-year-old Aline Silva Vilella from the same church was thrilled when she won a BBS Golden Jubilee commemorative watch for being the youngest cyclist in the event. At the other end of the age scale was 76-year-old Hercílio Ribeiro Mattos, who was proud to win the prize for being the oldest participating rider.
On crutches
Amidst the sea of bicycles, one person attracted everyone’s attention: 31-year-old Marcelo Ferreira showed incredible courage as he completed the cycling course on crutches! Since he was inflicted with infantile paralysis at the age of three, Marcelo has undergone eight operations but still has difficulty walking. Nevertheless, his faith in God is strong and he was determined to take part in the event. “I am going to take the Bible I won to my mother who lives in Campina Grande in Paraíba,” he promised.
An hour and twenty minutes after the start of the ride, the faster cyclists were already crossing the finishing line. There, groups of distributors had been busy handing out Selections to the spectators. One of the most enthusiastic evangelists at the finishing line was 68-year-old Maria do Carmo Oliveira, who had recently become a Christian. “I found Jesus in a moment of grief, but today I am happy,” she said.
New image
Ana Carolina Padro, age 15, pointed out that “this ride has been good for changing the image of the evangelical church – so that people understand that there are many young people following the teaching of the Lord.” Ana was not one of the cyclists, but turned up early with three of her Christian friends to support the event.
On arriving at the Praça do Leme at the end of the ride, each cyclist received a certificate of participation and a Bible specially produced for the occasion by the BBS. Tired but happy, José Carlos Moreira and Glaucia Cavalcanti from the Baptist Church had a special reason to celebrate. They were awarded the prize of a new bicycle each for having recruited the most participants for the Bike for Bibles event. José Carlos had enrolled 155 people and Glaucia 148. “I made an all-out effort – not to win a prize, but to contribute to the evangelisation of this town,” said Glaucia.
Enthusiastic response
It was while planning for the BBS’ 50th anniversary celebrations that Pastor Erní Seibert, Coordinator of the Golden Jubilee Committee, came up with the idea of a Brazilian ‘Bike for Bibles’ event. “I thought it would appeal to Christians of all ages, especially the younger generation, as it combines a sporting activity with spreading the Gospel,” said Pastor Seibert. “We were greatly encouraged to see such an enthusiastic response from the people of Rio who came to support the riders,” he added. Pastor Seibert now hopes to get a similar turn-out for the other events organised to celebrate the BBS’ Golden Jubilee. (WR 331/6 - 6.98) [PHOTOS]
Search
for Cigarettes led to Discovery of Scriptures
(From A Biblia no Brasil,
issue 179)
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — On the road from Imperatriz in Maranhão, feeling sad and depressed after attending his father’s funeral, Antonio Ramalho decided to stop and rest in the village of Sapucaia, the home of the Guajajara Indians.
One young Indian came up to him and
asked: “Have you got a cigarette?” Antonio did not, but he had something
much better to offer the young man. He started to tell him about Jesus.
The Indian listened attentively, and at the end of their conversation he
asked for a book that would tell him more about Jesus.
 |
|
|
After that came the turn of the Canela tribe, a more distant people who remain closely attached to their indigenous ways even after contact with the white man.
Early seeds
These early seeds bore, and are still bearing, a great deal of fruit. In 1995, Pastor Ramalho and Pastor Estevam Angelo de Souza, then President of the Board of the Brazilian Bible Society, founded the first church of the Assemblies of God (AOG) in the village of Barreirinha, belonging to the Guajajara tribe.
From then on, the AOG Church in the capital, São Luíz, began to give donations to the missions working among the Indians in the form of clothes, medicines and non-perishable food, as well as supporting the training of missionaries in the region.
As a result of these efforts, the Assemblies of God Mission ‘Ademi’ was born, founded and coordinated by Pastor Ramalho. With its headquarters in the town of Barra de Corda, the organisation has 11 missionaries, of whom five are Guajajaran and preach in their native language. The mission covers 18 Guajajaran villages representing a total population of around 5,200 Indians. Furthermore, new frontiers are always being explored, and the ‘Ademi’ has already begun to work with the Urubu-Kaapor tribe.
Read and write
Currently, the general supervisor of the missions is Giseuda Lima de Souza, widow of Pastor Estevam Angelo de Souza. Since 1996 the Bible Society’s Special Promotion Secretariat has, through the Light in the Amazon project, been working with the ‘Ademi’, particularly regarding the supply of Bibles.
Scriptures distributed by the missionaries have played an essential part in teaching the indigenous peoples to read and write, as well as helping them to discover the Gospel message. (WR 331/7 - 6.98) [PHOTOS]
 |
|
|
Such was the interest raised in the event that there have been calls for it to be organised more often in the future, and at least one rural pastor aims to hold a similar effort this year in the West Demerara area.
15-hour effort
Staged in downtown Georgetown, close to the largest marketplace, and just in front of the popular Demico House fast-food restaurant, the ‘readathon’ commenced at 8:00am and continued until 11:00pm. The only breaks in the 15-hour effort were for the readers to change over and come to the microphone to undertake a five-minute session.
And throughout this time, volunteers from local churches were busy mingling with the gathered crowd, distributing Scripture Selections to them as well as to passers-by.
The range of participants was diverse, with 150 taking part in all. A nine-year-old primary-school girl, Lois Nelson, started the event, while following readers included members of the clergy, students, housewives, bankers, medical staff, salespeople, teachers, and a manager from Demico House.
Psalm 23
The event finished with Salvation Army Major McKenzie, Chairman of the Georgetown Bible Society branch, reading the Doxology and Psalm 23, followed by a prayer.
But this was not the only event in the week-long program of the Suriname Bible Society: all intended to promote the Bible cause and especially the importance of Scripture distribution.
40 readers
One church in New Amsterdam – some 100 miles (160 kms) east of Georgetown – devoted an entire service to Bible reading, and another ‘readathon’ (Matthew–Luke17) on Bartica island, some two hours’ boat journey upstream the Essequibo River, attracted 40 readers from the island’s churches.
At the Bible Week launch service earlier in the week, the need was also expressed for the Bible’s message to be clearly explained if more people were to understand it properly and be able to respond to the challenge of Jesus in their own lives. Most of the Scripture Selections distributed to the public addressed specific issues in people’s lives, and included such titles as: The Best You Can be; I Am Somebody; God’s Love; and Families Under Stress.
Biblical perspective
Many who received these items of literature, and who were going about a busy day’s shopping, stopped in their tracks as they read with interest a biblical perspective on such everyday themes. (WR 331/8 - 6.98) [PHOTOS]
BAYAMON, Puerto Rico — This year the Puerto Rican Bible Society (PRBS) held its Annual Assembly in January, with the focus on the Bible in prison.
Twenty-five prison chaplains along with more than 200 Bible Society members listened to Attorney Zoé Laboy, Administrator of Correction and the Hon Nydia Cotto Vives, Secretary of Rehabilitation and Correction, speak about the need for change in the heart of a prisoner before effective rehabilitation can occur: and that is where the Bible plays its part.
Serving her time
The Bible reflection was given by a former inmate, Ivette Carrasquillo, who had become a Christian while serving her time in Vega Baja prison for women.
Bibles were presented to the chaplains for distribution during their ministry, and they were obviously delighted to receive such gifts, reports Dr Wilfredo Estrada Adorno, General Secretary of the PRBS.
Quoting passages from the Bible, the Hon Nydia Cotto Vives talked of the importance of the often unseen work of chaplains and those involved in prison rehabilitation. And their work was not limited to prisoners, but extended into the community to prisoners’ families and to former inmates.
Spiritual support
She said that spiritual support and educational activities were two constants in the many changes which had occurred in the prison system, and that spiritual guidance would be included in their newly-developed Integrated Rehabilitation Model, which the government would be applying throughout the prison system.
“The family nucleus and the ministry
work of the churches constitute decisive factors in implementing our rehabilitation
model,” she said, and she hoped that the Bible Society would continue to
add its support to the rehabilitation program as it is developed in Puerto
Rico. (WR 331/9 - 6.98)
