The
ripple effect of Bible translation in a community that has not had it before is
remarkable. I remember sitting with a group of women in a mountain village of
Ghana and hearing them discuss the effects their literacy class was having on
their lives.
One woman spoke about how they were now creating a business co-op
through micro-loans that were helping them all to utilize small-plot farms to
provide for their families. Another spoke about how she suddenly felt empowered
in the market place, that she could sign her signature mark now, knowing what she was signing for, and that no one took
advantage of her anymore. A third mother spoke of all the knowledge she was
newly attaining about the world around her, and that she had never had access
to the health pamphlets given by the city and aid workers before! She cried as
she gestured and explained examples of how to wash her baby, and that covering
their food could make a difference in keeping things sanitary… simple but
powerful things that had never been opened to them before.
They spoke from the heart,
blatantly choked up and moved by the impact of these practical lessons. These
mega life-changes all followed the introduction of a Bible translation project
into their community, and the establishment of literacy courses alongside it,
so that once the Word became fully available in their variety's heart language,
they would be able to read it.
My experience of these stories is not isolated, and today's PassionBite video
beautifully reiterates some of the socioeconomic ripple effects that have shown
communities Jesus' love for them through practical means.
“I feel a great satisfaction in Bible translation. I am encouraged and have energy to keep doing the translation because I know my people will be able to read the Word of God in their own mother tongue.” –Bernard Diatta, national translator. Photo by Zeke du Plessis
