The Bible In Kiitharaka Language
The joy of receiving the Bible in Kiitharaka language could not be hidden on the faces of the Tharaka people. The long wait of 30 years was finally over; they had been patient, weathering through orthography issues, harsh weather, limited access to holistic understanding of the scriptures but on 13th June 2019, nothing could keep them back.
"..And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"
Romans 10:15 (KJV)
Their Bible was finally being dedicated and their hunger for deeper understanding could now be satisfied. Just as it were to the people in Jerusalem at Pentecost who heard God's wonders in their languages, so it was to the Tharaka people, they could now read the great wonders of God in Kiitharaka. Reminiscing on the past, Hon. Susan, the MCA, pointed out that the Tharaka people have read other translations that seemed close to them but they could not read it fully. She noted “We could not read all the words because some were shameful to the Tharaka people.” “But,” she continued, “today we are grateful to God that we can read the Bible in our own language.” In words that affirmed her sentiments the Deputy President Hon. Dr William Ruto, who was the chief guest, reckoned that were it not for the scriptures that his father read, he could not have gone to school. “When a man reads Gods word in his mother tongue it touches his heart,” he added.
Climaxing the day was the dedication of the Tharaka Scriptures and the presentation of inaugural copies to some members of the community among them being the Governor, Senator, and key church leaders in the area. Both the leaders and the community at large were grateful to BTL and their partners for the resilience and commitment they had shown over the 30 years to see to it that the Tharaka people join the 10% of languages that have the Bible in their tongue globally.
Furthermore, we are eternally grateful to God who has made all things possible at the right time. To Him be glory and honor.
Did you carry the Pokomo New Testament?
Shedrack Falama is not just a translator. He wears shoes of different needs of the Pokomo community he translates the Scriptures for. In his community, he is not Shedrack Falama but BTL. At one time, he was invited to speak at a funeral in a neighboring village, “I shared of our Bible Translation progress of the Pokomo Old Testament. This is what the people expect of my colleagues and I to tell them in every event they invite us to.”
As he made his way back to his seat, a Giryama pastor approached him inquiring if he had carried a copy of their Pokomo New Testament. “I had carried neither a hymn book nor a New Testament, I never imagined of anyone in need of it and especially in a Giryama populated area.” As he conversed with the pastor, someone who had sat close to them overheard the pastor’s question. “He too stood to join in our conversation with the pastor. He also expressed interest of a copy. I was overwhelmed.”
Shedrack Falama’s office was 10KM away from the burial venue; he decided to go for the two Bibles. “I rode my motorbike to our office. When I got back, on the mourners seeing me hand over the copies to the two fellows, more than 10 others came forward expressing needs for their own copies.”
“My Bibleless hands did not worry of what they were going to give to the brethren that stood before me; instead, my heart rejoiced for what the Lord was doing in the lives of His people. I saw a thirst for God’s Word in a way that I could not understand.” Since Falama could ride back to his office, he promised the growing number to carry enough copies for them as soon as he could.
*Pokomo New Testament was dedicated in 2005. Translation for the Old Testament is at its final stages and we are hopeful that in the next 2 years, Pokomo full Bible will be launched and dedicated. Pray for the remaining process of the translation to proceed well.
The camel returned the Book it had ‘eaten’
The Rendille community has always believed that the ‘Bible’ meant for them had been eaten by a camel. This is the reason why they have not had access to the Scriptures in their heart language for a very long time. On 18th August 2018, this narrative changed as they hosted a multitude of guests from Kenya and beyond to witness the ‘Bible’s’ return by their treasured animal, the camel.
Missionaries and partners from USA, UK and South Africa who faithfully supported this project were in attendance to witness this once in a lifetime occasion. Representatives from Kenyan churches, partnering institutions and mission agency representatives with work in the community were also present. A great highlight was a choir from the Daasanach community, which had traversed the Chalbi desert, for a three-day journey in order to be part of the big day.
Jeremiah Intimo, the Rendille area chief could not hide his joy as he welcomed all the guests present at the occasion. “We celebrate the coming of the Rendille Bible today. We have God’s Word in our language and I am glad you are all here to celebrate with us.” He also congratulated the translators for the sacrifice and hardwork that they had put in over the years for the Rendille translation.
The greatest highlight of the day was the greatly awaited arrival of the New Testaments, loaded on the backs of camels that made their way through a colorful procession to the venue. There was great celebration and dancing as the crowd witnessed the offloaded cartons of the Scriptures being placed on the table. It had been an over thirty year’s wait. This duration of the translation process was not just silently passing years, as Rev. Peter Munguti, BTL’s National Director, narrated the many challenges that the Rendille translation team faced while attempting to provide the Scriptures in their language. He pointed out that at some point during the translation process, the team was faced with very long spells of drought and famine forcing them to stop the work. “Choices had to be made between saving a dying population and continuing with the translation; the obvious choice was to save the Rendille people.”
The unending thirst to have the Word of God in the Rendille language was finally quenched. This was evident on the faces of the elderly Rendille men and women as Rev. David Gargule, delivered the first sermon from the dedicated New Testament. Rev. Micah Amukobole in his address noted the changes that had taken place in the community. Among these were the special increases in the number of colours in their attire. Relating this to the occasion, he stated that the Bible had added even more colour to an already colourful congregation. “Thanks to God for an increase in colours. The work may have taken time, but God was developing His people. The Book that the camel had eaten is finally here. Read and believe it. ”
Church leaders from the Anglican church of Kenya and the Catholic Church from Marsabit Diocese gave their remarks in support of the work of Bible translation and the impact it has in the kingdom of God. Marsabit County Assembly through the Speaker, presented the Marsabit County Governor’s donation of Ksh 100,000/ to facilitate Bible translation and literacy work. Over 400 copies of the New Testament were sold out that day, with many local mission agencies pledging to take more for evangelism within the community.
To God be the glory!
Praise God for the availability of Scriptures in the Rendille Language.
Praise God for making the long awaited dedication happen. Praise God for all the men and women who took an initiative to bring this to fruitful.
Pray for the Rendille Church to grow in the knowledge of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Pray that the Word will go forth so that God’s people will experience His daily presence in their lives. Pray for funds and plans to start translation of the Old Testament.
by Jackson Vusaka
I graduated with Jesus and not a goat
Nareio is a lovely Rendille Woman. She feels good when she is asked how she came to know about Christ. “I was looking after the goats when I heard of Rendille classes that were to begin soon in my vicinity. I registered for the classes because I was promised a goat upon graduating from the class. That was my motivation; to graduate with a goat,” She says.
Nareio began her literacy classes immediately. “Neither did I know how to hold a pen nor read.” Nareio likens her first experience in a literacy class to that of a toddler in kindergarten. “I was taught every other thing that a toddler would be taught,” She asserts.
Nareio attended literacy classes until she could read and write in the Rendille language. Something she refers to as a miracle. “Besides knowing how to read and write in the Rendille language, we were taught Bible stories and towards the end of the year, we started reading the gospel of Mark. As we read through the gospel of Mark, I heard the voice of the Lord and my eyes opened to the marvelous things He has done. I needed to be a new being.”
“My life changed, I became a new creature in Christ. I received Christ through reading the gospel of Mark. Through literacy classes, I realized that looking after the goats was in vain. Christ changed my life. I experienced patience and peace. I used to follow so many customs of the Rendille but after I received Christ, I made a decision: TO FOLLOW HIM. Since then, I chose to do the right thing, do what He desires of me and that which is good in His sight.” Nareio concludes.
Praise the Lord that Nareio will be reading The Rendille New Testament soon. Pray for her walk with Christ as she grows in Him. Pray that she will experience God’s love in her life and pray that she may never depart from His ways.
by Daisy Kilel
The old men helped!
Atonement! What is the right word for it in Pokomo? Sacrifice? No. Reconciliation? How? I racked my hairless head, and got nothing. I asked my colleague Vincent, he too saw blank. Now what? I called a few old men who always bailed me out whenever I was hemmed in by bonds of limited language and asked them to give me an equivalent word for atonement. They too did not know! I asked myself, “Why call themselves old men, if they did not know something as simple as atonement?”
I had to change my approach. I called the same old men and asked them what happened in our culture when someone did something so hideous like killing a kinsman or committing incest? They said a particular ritual was performed to cleanse the evil and make things right between the offender and the offended, animal blood had to be spilled. I asked them what that particular ritual was called. Everybody I phoned told me it was called “Yala”.
Next, I went to my fellow translators. We brought our heads together and decided to use that word as we waited for the reviewers to give us their views since this is a Key Biblical Term. When they came to review I Chronicles, they agreed that “yala” was the right word for atonement, only that the term was expressed in the verb form “kuyala”. What a mine of cultural wisdom!
by Shedrack Falama
Please let Jesus continue to talk
One day I was traveling by bus to Chuka, a town in my own language area. That morning I had just set Luke Chapter 4 of the audio New Testament as the ring tone for my phone. Somebody rang me, and so people heard Luke 4 being recited in my language. It took me time to realize that it was my phone that was ringing. It had, however, drawn the attention of a number of the passengers who sat close to me. Unknown to me there were people listening to the Bible portion very keenly, and when I answered the phone I interrupted them.
As I was putting the phone back into my pocket, a man patted me on the shoulder and said, “So the Bible is in your phone? Please allow Jesus to continue talking. Let us listen.” It happened that he was not the only one: the passengers told the driver to turn off the radio and told me to turn up the volume of my phone. Unfortunately it was not loud enough to be heard in the whole vehicle above the noise of the engine. But those who sat near me listened attentively to several chapters of the Tharaka Bible before we arrived at Chuka. I also sent some chapters of the Bible to three people via the Bluetooth function on my phone.
This has inspired us to plan to distribute the audio bible using memory cards which can be played on phones, DVD players and even on motor bike radios
by Onesmus Kamwara
I thank God He found me!
*Kazuri is a pleasant old woman, who cannot stop smiling. Are you always this happy? I ask her, as we chat outside her house. “Yes, who would not be? since I became a Christian, I have known only Joy. I do not even get sick – I was a sickly woman.
She is eager to tell me how she became a Christian. “ I heard a man preaching in Kigiryama, reading from the New Testament and I said, "that God must be real. He knows our language! The more I listened to him preaching, the more I became interested. My grandchild continued reading to me and telling me about Jesus. Soon, I knew that I needed to commit my life to this God…”
As I look at *Kazuri, I can tell that this joy I see on her face comes from her heart.
“What wasted years!” She says, staring into the horizon. “The life without Jesus! How vain! I wish I could live again”. But I thank God that He has saved me before I die”.
She is so fascinating to listen to. She gives me her life story - of visits to witch doctors, broken relationships and many unpleasant things that have happened to her in her lifetime - things she truly regrets. But she is grateful that they belong to her past.
I am curious to know if she can read and whether she reads the Kigiryama New Testament.
“No, I cannot read! But I thank God for my grandchildren and her friends. We hold a Bible Study meeting here every Wednesday. She and other brethren read the word of God to me and to others who cannot read. It is so good to hear the Bible read in my language! I wish that this word had come when I was young!” she concludes
I can imagine her reaction when she finally reads The Giryama Full Bible; tears of joy. I am hopeful to meet her soon during the launch and dedication of the Giryama Complete Bible.
by Florence Wamae
Giryama ladies chatting after the launch of the New Testament (2004)
Tugen, Gospel of Luke dedication
