Audio Scripture project brings hope
to Lesotho’s shepherds

MASERU, Lesotho — Poverty, hunger, extreme weather conditions, loneliness and fear of witchcraft and armed robbery: life for shepherds in Lesotho’s mountainous regions is far from easy. Sent to work at remote cattle posts from the age of six, the shepherds are not able to attend school or church and are said to account for much of the country’s 27 per cent illiteracy rate.

The Bible Society in Lesotho (BSL) is reaching out to this group of people through a project designed to overcome the barriers of illiteracy and hardship that prevent them from encountering the Word of God. The project involves the production and distribution of special audio New Reader Portions and the setting up of six shepherds’ listening centres high in the mountains.

Now in its second phase, with the New Reader audio cassettes currently being distributed, the project has already had a positive effect on the shepherds. Largely unreached by aid or development organisations and used to a life of isolation, the shepherds have responded very positively to the Bible Society’s interest in them, and have been eager to participate in the production of the tapes.

Some have provided music and others have shared their testimonies for inclusion among the Scripture material (See story about shepherd’s testimony). As well as making the tapes culturally relevant, this grass-roots participation has given the shepherds a sense of pride and interest in the product.

With the help of partner organisations, such as World Vision International, Africa Inland Mission and Scripture Union, as well as churches located in the mountain districts of Lesotho, the Bible Society will soon begin grouping shepherds together at the listening centres to play the tapes to them using hand-cranked cassette players. Training will be given to individuals who lead the groups.

The next phase of the project is to provide dramatised New Testament cassettes for shepherds who have heard the New Reader Portions, as a way of taking them deeper into the biblical text. The project will not stop there, however. The Bible Society is planning to evaluate the project’s impact near the end of the year and seek ways of providing more Scripture material relevant to the shepherds’ needs.

One of the plans in the pipeline is to work with government agencies already involved in literacy programs by providing New Reader Scriptures in print form especially for shepherds. This initiative has drawn a warm response from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and the Lesotho Distance Teaching Centre, who are enthusiastic about beginning literacy training for shepherds. (WR 360/15 - 06.01) [PHOTOS]