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Eyesight to the
Blind (Nigeria)
First Lukakamega Portion Greeted with Singing and
Dancing (Kenya)
A New Friend (Nigeria)
'What is God's Agenda?' (Mozambique)
IJEBU-IGBO, Nigeria — For everyone at Ade Okubanjo School for the Handicapped in Nigeria, the delivery of some New Reader Portions in Braille was a minor miracle – but for one boy it was a total revelation.
Representatives of the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) had to contend with a serious shortage of fuel and some rough terrain to get to Ijebu-Igbo. At times they almost turned back, thinking they would never make it, according to the Rev Dr Fred Odutola, BSN Acting General Secretary.
Finally, the BSN vehicle rolled into the school compound and the blind students gathered to greet the staff. The students were delighted to receive the New Readers which were given out according to achievement and school grades. No one, however, was more delighted than a boy called Ahmed.
Ahmed, who had been blind since birth and brought up in a Muslim background, devoured all the Portions given him – books one to four. When the Bible Society staff returned two weeks later, Ahmed came to tell them about how his life had been turned around.
“Since I was born blind, even though a Muslim, I have realised that I
have been touched most often by the magnanimity of Christians,” he said.
“Even though I am physically blind, now I can see. I can see the love of
Jesus. I love him and I feel his presence as a light in my dark world.”
(WR 352/27 - 7/8.00)
NAIROBI, Kenya — One more language group in Kenya can now read the Gospel in their own tongue.
The Gospel of Mark, the first Portion of Scripture ever published in Lukakamega/Lutiriki, was launched in March in the Kakamega District of western Kenya. Before the dedication the copies of the Portion were carried through the streets to a Roman Catholic church at the head of a procession which included a Salvation Army band. Its arrival there was greeted with singing and dancing.
The tribal chief of the area, the local member of parliament, as well as the General Secretary of the Bible Society of Kenya, Rev Henry Kathii, were unanimous in urging people to read the Gospel, now that they had it their own language, and to support Bible work.
The UBS Translation Consultant for the project, Dr Mikre-Sellassie, pronounced himself delighted by the publication and launch. In a symbolic gesture the Rev Micah Amukobole, the Chairman of the Bible Society of Kenya, presented the Portion to a single church leader.
In his sermon, Mr Amukobole emphasised that merely for people to hear the Gospel
in their own language was not enough: they also had to obey it, he said. (WR
352/28 - 7/8.00) [PHOTOS]
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LAGOS, Nigeria — If ever the staff at the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) Lagos office needed confirmation that the New Reader Portions in Braille were changing lives, they had only to read a letter from a blind student named Doris. Doris was one of the students at the Orji River School for the Blind who received a New Reader Portion in Braille as a reward for her coursework. The Rev Dr Fred Odutola, acting General Secretary of the BSN, travelled 500 miles to deliver the BSN Portions to the school principal in person. In her letter Doris explained that she often felt lonely and at a loose end until she started to find solace in the Word of God. “Apart from helping to improve my reading of Braille, the more I read the stories, the newer they become to me,” she said. “I have a good friend now who will never leave or abandon me – Jesus.” (WR 352/29 - 7/8.00) [PHOTOS]
MAPUTO, Mozambique — The entire southern half of Mozambique, a total of five provinces, falls under the pastoral care of the Right Rev Dinis Sengulane, Bishop of Lebombo, who is also the Chairman of the board of the Bible Society in Mozambique (BSM) and a UBS Vice-President for Africa. Talking about the floods, the Bishop sees the opening of a real spiritual opportunity when people are faced with hardship.
“We know that God has not forsaken his people, so there must be purpose in this suffering. In the face of adversity we must ask ourselves, ‘What is God’s agenda?’ Those who have received our handouts could come to God. We do not distribute Bibles at football games. We distribute them whenever we face suffering,” he said.
In 1993, Bishop Sengulane mediated in the peace talks held between the Frelimo government and the Renamo rebel forces. The church is given so much respect that the words of its leaders could be accepted by both sides of the conflict. Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama confessed his ignorance of the divine teachings and borrowed the Bishop’s own Bible so that he could read the words for himself.
The Bishop has not recovered his Bible to this day but he is far from unhappy. If God’s Word can reach the political leaders in whatever way possible, it may prove a key factor in the governing of the country. (WR 352/ 30 - 7/8.00) [PHOTOS]