Bible Man Killed

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — It was reported that George Mashwama, the Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in Swaziland, was found shot dead on August 26, 1999 in Swaziland.

Mr Mashwama, who had only been appointed to the Bible Society leadership post last year, had driven to Johannesburg earlier the same day to collect a consignment of Bibles.

He was approaching the capital of Swaziland, Mbabane, and travelling along an empty stretch of road when he was ambushed, shot in the head and dragged from the vehicle. He died of the gunshot wound.

The Bibles were found abandoned at the roadside at some distance from the body; the motive for the killing was apparently the vehicle, which, at time of going to press, had not been traced.

Mr Mashwama, who was in his early forties, leaves his wife Clementine Phindili, and two daughters.

Peter Mkolesia, UBS Regional Secretary for Southern Africa, attended his funeral on behalf of the Bible Society fellowship. He said that Mr Mashwama would be sorely missed and hard to replace.

The Rev Fergus Macdonald, UBS General Secretary, said that the thoughts and prayers of the fellowship around the world were with the bereaved family. (WR 344/3 - 10.99) [PHOTOS]

First Nzema Bible Launched

BONYERE, Ghana — The arrival of the first ever Bible in the Nzema language was greeted with “deafening cheers and applause” during the launch ceremony on August 7, in this western region of the country, reports the Bible Society of Ghana (BSG).

Twenty years in the making, the Nzema Bible and the New Testament audio cassette in Nzema were launched by the guest of honour, Ernestina Naadu Mills, wife of the Vice President of Ghana.

Addressing guests, who included government ministers, traditional chiefs and church leaders, Mrs Mills urged the people of Nzema-land and Ghanaians in general to go back to biblical values.

“If there is any age in the history of Ghana when there has been a clear call for Ghanaians to re-live and uphold the true values, teachings and practices in the Holy Bible, then it is today,” she said.

Excitement

Noting the atmosphere of excitement, BSG General Secretary, Kofi Owusu, said that the launch of the Nzema Bible and the New Testament audio cassette in Nzema was a joyful occasion and a real achievement for all those who had contributed to the translation work.

“Since it takes years to complete one Bible translation, occasions like this seldom occur in a lifetime,” he said. “If it does occur it is cause for great celebration and thanksgiving to God.”

He recalled how in the early 70s a team of church leaders and traditional chiefs from Nzema-land had made a passionate appeal to the BSG to translate the Bible into their language. This dream was now realised, he said, thanks to the many contributions from different people.

Giving an example of these contributions, Mr Owusu told the gathering about a British lady doctor, Dr M Rowson, who in 1978 sponsored a team of five potential Nzema translators to study linguistics at the Summer Institute of Linguistics in Great Britain.

This contribution yielded great results, and Mr Owusu saluted one of the five sponsored scholars, Alfred Sobo-Blay, who had spent so much time and energy on the project until its completion.

Hunger

Noting the hunger of the Nzema people for God’s Word, UBS translation consultant, the Rev Dr Gilbert Ansre, said that of all the translation projects he had been involved in, the Nzema project had attracted the strongest and most loyal grassroots support.

“From chiefs, elders, social groups, Christian denominations, and concerned individuals as well as the Bible Society of Ghana and the UBS fellowship, came invaluable contributions and support,” he said.

In a message read on his behalf, the Anglophone Africa Regional Secretary of UBS, the Rev Daniel Bitrus, challenged the Nzema people to carry the enthusiasm with which they were celebrating the new Bible “into the days, months and years ahead”. He congratulated the translators, church leaders, chiefs and people of Nzema-land for their hard work in seeing this translation completed.

Sold out

Eight hundred copies of the new Bible, brought to the launch ceremony in a pick-up truck, were sold out within an hour. Since then, 1,800 more copies have been delivered to Nzema-land to meet the ever-increasing demand for the new Bibles. (WR 344/4 - 10.99)

Govern With God

Bible Society leader calls on government to build with vision

KINSHASA, Dem. Rep. Congo — Government based upon biblical principles was the call of the Rev Nlandu Mukoko, General Secretary of the Bible Society in Dem. Rep. Congo.

Christian help

More than 95 per cent of DR Congo’s people were Christian, he said, and these should be prepared to help the government have a real vision of God and seek his direction in the development of the state.

He further pleaded with the authorities to lift the duties imposed upon certain imported materials used for education, health clinics and productive workshops, all beneficial to Congolese citizens.

The state should review the law concerning religious bodies’ exemption from tax, and the level of so-called administrative taxation. The non-profit organisations concerned were trying to help people while these taxes effectively reduced the level of that help.

For its part, the Bible Society would be presenting the Lingala people with a new modern-language Bible in 2000, and there would be a Portion issued on the theme of national reconstruction with relevant texts from the Bible.

To mark the 53rd anniversary of the establishment of the UBS, the national Bible Society presented the President of the DR Congo Republic with a selection of Bibles in different languages. Bibles were also presented to church representatives and government officials. The armed forces received 2,000 New Testaments specially printed for them.

Remarkable

More than 1,000 people heard about the work of the Bible Society and the role of the UBS. According to a report received on the gathering, it was remarkable that almost every church and denomination in Kinshasa was represented at the service. The Bible has truly become a point of unity around which Christians can share their faith. The service closed with the national anthem being played by buglers of the Congolese army. (WR 344/5 - 10.99)

Signs of Life and Hope

KINSHASA, Dem. Rep. Congo — War has prevented any contact between the Bible Society here and its two depots in the east of the country.

In August, despite the ongoing conflict, word got through to Bible House that staff were still safe and continue to do their best to supply Scriptures. But there is an immediate need for thousands of New Testaments and Bibles.

Damage

The Deputy General Secretary, Joel N’Shisso Ngoie, writes that the fighting between Rwandan and Ugandan troops has been taking its toll. The building in Kisangani that houses the Bible Society depot was badly damaged by shells. Miraculously, none of the Bible Society staff was injured.

Celebration

In that province, 150 Christians braved the insecurity and fighting to celebrate Bible Sunday and the anniversary of the formation of the UBS.

In North and South Kivu, churches also rallied to celebrate Bible Sunday at Bukavu – once the scene of the massive refugee camps filled with people fleeing from the genocide in Rwanda. Bukavu is still an area of insecurity, but thanks to the tireless efforts of the Bible Society advisory committee there and other volunteer pastors, the churches joined together in celebration of the Bible.

And since April, a small group of pastors is working to ensure that people have Bibles. They often walk for long distances to remote villages and settlements to distribute Bibles and other Scriptures. On one of these trips they met a missionary who placed an order for 1,000 New Testaments in Swahili.

As in many war situations, there are many Christians who have lost their Bibles and are discouraged, and because of the ongoing fighting, they have no means to obtain another Bible.

Support needed

The Bible Society of DRCongo is planning to distribute 5,000 Bibles and 10,000 New Testaments in Swahili to help replace lost or destroyed Scriptures. But this is an unfunded program and is waiting for the support of the UBS fellowship.

The Scriptures would be reserved for free distribution to those who had been badly affected by the fighting. In the meantime, Mr Ngoie said, they are hoping that new peace initiatives will be fruitful. (WR 344/6 - 10.99)

New Testament That ‘Speaks to the Heart’

JINJA, Uganda — Openly expressing their joy at the publication of the New Testament in Uganda’s Lusoga language, speakers at the celebration held to mark the occasion continually referred to the fact that expressions in a foreign language do not fully “speak to the heart”.

“All these years we have been imprisoned in Luganda,” said the Bible Society of Uganda (BSU) Chairperson Faith Mwondha.

“We talked and laughed in one language but moved into another for songs, hymns and prayers.”

The Minister of Culture in the Busoga Government agreed. ‘Mukama’, the name of God in Luganda, he said, did not speak to his heart as ‘Musengwa’ did in Lusoga.

The launch of the Interconfessional New Testament in Uganda’s second city, Jinja, this year on June 15, was marked with colourful open-air celebrations.

They began with a procession through the town to Busoga Square led by a brass band. Choirs from several churches and institutes of higher education created a lively atmosphere with songs in the Lusoga tongue and with dancing.

Busoga chief

Notable among the dignitaries attending were His Royal Highness Isebantu, the Kyabazinga (traditional head) of Busoga and the President of the Bible Society of Uganda, Bishop Joseph Willigers.

They also included the representative of the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Government dignitaries and Busoga church leaders. As well as Mrs Mwondha, BSU representatives included the General Secretary, the Rev Benezeri Kisembo, three other board members and most of the staff.

In his address, the former Bishop of Busoga, Bishop Bamwoze, issued church leaders with a challenge. They had, he said, a great responsibility to help their congregations “hear, read, mark and inwardly digest and embrace” the Word of God.

“The launching of the Lusoga New Testament places on you a singular responsibility for the teaching and training of the laity”, he added.

“May God help you to lay aside everything else and attend to the matter of training God’s people to hear God speak through his Word.”

Unity

Bishop Willigers said that in the past the translation of the Word of God had been used to emphasise the differences between denominations. He commended the efforts of the Bible Society to promote unity among the churches by its interconfessional New Testament.

Culture boost

He was among several speakers who affirmed the wide value of the new translation. While the translation had been made so that people could read the Bible in their own language, it would be a boost to the Lusoga language and culture, he added.

“I hope that you are all going to buy copies and encourage your children to read for the good of our country,” he said.

Others echoed his call. A woman speaker challenged mothers in particular to use the New Testament to teach their children to read and to use Lusoga both inside and outside the home.

Tribute

Mr Kisembo, too, paid tribute to those who were eager to establish Lusoga as a language in its own right. Outlining the history of the Lusoga translation, he pointed out that the first Gospel in the language (Mark) dated back to 1896.

The lack of a Bible in Lusoga, he said, was attributable to those speakers of Lusoga who had failed in their role as advocates of the language back then.

Teamwork

The chairperson of the Lusoga Bible Translation Project, the Rev Fr Kawanguzi, praised the committee, the translators and the reviewers of the Bible Society for their teamwork, and for their commitment to the translation project.

But there was still work to be done, he pointed out. The translation of the Lusoga Old Testament still had a long way to go before the complete Bible would be available in contemporary Lusoga. (WR 344/7 - 10.99) [PHOTOS]

Where Does One Buy a Bible?

Although large-quantity distribution makes a great impact, sometimes the story of one person finding the right Bible is worth the telling. Cecile Cilliers writing, for Beeld magazine, tells how the Bible Society of South Africa helped Sir Harry Oppenheimer, a mining magnate, obtain the Bible he desired.

Translated from an Afrikaans column in Beeld magazine of February 4, 1999 (used with permission)

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — There is a vast variety of Bibles available in thousands of different languages. Over the years my family and I have gathered only a few of these Bibles, and yet our collection is quite a considerable one.

The ‘family Bible’ from my grandparents’ home is an 1887 Dutch edition. We have a copy of the first Afrikaans Bible – on the flyleaf my husband John’s father wrote that it was bought in Johannesburg at 10am on June 9, 1933. Apparently it was the first copy that was sold in the Transvaal. It was part of a consignment of Bibles that had arrived in Cape Town harbour on June 1 from England, where they had been printed.

So many Bibles

We also have some English Bibles – a pocket Bible in red leather which my grandmother was given by her cousin in 1892; there’s the one I bought in America – the words of Jesus are printed in red; and the Good News Bible that we use in church every week.

Yes, there are many Bibles in many versions in my house, but not one of them was what Sir Harry Oppenheimer wanted. Seated together at his dining-room table, my 90-year-old friend, such an important figure in South African history, told me about the Bibles that he had used for most of his life.

He still had the one his mother had given him at his confirmation, but it was the King James version and he read it only occasionally, when he wanted to get the feel of the language again.

Falling apart

The Bible he used every day, the Revised Edition, was worn from reading, and falling apart. He needed a new one. “But Cecile, where does one buy a Bible?” Sir Harry asked me.

“At the Bible Society,” I replied. I told him that I would get one for him if he described the type of Bible he wanted. He did not protest.

He told me that he would like a copy of the Revised Bible with the Apocrypha. He sometimes enjoyed reading the Apocrypha, he said.

“And in leather please. Cloth doesn’t last,” specified Sir Harry. I looked with respect and admiration at my 90-year-old friend who wanted a leather-bound Bible because it had to last.

Young at heart

I understood that it was this approach to life which made him such a young man at heart. I am proud to call him my friend.

I phoned the Bible Society in Kempton Park, and was greeted by the friendly voice of Kobie Krige. I explained my whole story – who the Bible was for, and the exact requirements. Mr Krige knew what I wanted and said he would send it immediately.

Hand-delivered

An hour later, a minister from the Bible Society, the Reverend Sieberhagen, arrived on my doorstep with Sir Harry’s new Bible. I peeked into the box and saw the gold foil on the leather cover, and the thumb index. It was exactly what Sir Harry wanted.

Mr Sieberhagen told me that he had offered to deliver the Bible himself when he heard who it was for.

Years ago when he was a theological student at the University of Pretoria, a group of them had lunched with Mr Oppenheimer, a man of great stature, wealth and authority.

Lasting impression

He had made a lasting impression on the young student – despite his importance and power, he had been interested in their opinions and listened intently when they spoke. Now, many years later, Mr Sieberhagen was glad to deliver Harry’s Bible himself.

Pleased

Sir Harry was very pleased with his Bible. So was I. One enjoys doing a favour. But I was especially pleased with the Bible Society.

Years ago in an interview, Harry Oppenheimer recommended two literary sources to a rising generation : Shakespeare and the Bible. The Bible Society makes his second recommendation possible. (WR 344/10 - 10.99)

Bring Them Hope
in the New Millennium

ACCRA, Ghana — As the new millennium approaches, people across the world are becoming increasingly anxious. They are unsure of what the future holds for mankind – and there are fears that the impact of the year 2000 upon technology will bring chaos and destruction.

Some people, however, are more positive. The Bible Society of Ghana (BSG) is looking towards the millennium with excitement, and has planned several projects aimed at making the Bible available to more people in the early years of the new millennium. The aim is to show the relevance of God’s Word in the twenty-first century.

The BSG is tackling Y2K fears head-on, and one of the projects in the pipeline is the printing of 460,000 copies of a special Selection offering comfort to those who are troubled about the coming millennium.

Reassurance

The I Am With You Selections, which will be available in the nine main languages of the country, reassure Christians that they can depend on God’s presence into the millennium no matter what the situation.

Another special millennium publication, based on similar lines, is Jesus, Lord of the Millennium. There are plans to print and distribute 50,000 copies of these Selections.

The need to get the Scriptures out is seen as pressing, as there are many new Christians in Ghana who need guidance and support.

According to the Rev Prof A Seth Ayettey, Dean of the Medical School of the University of Ghana, the approaching millennium has made this need even more urgent.

‘False doctrine’

“There are some people who are taking advantage of the new millennium to influence people in the wrong way,” he said. “They are not teaching people from the Bible.”

Today’s children will be the new leaders of the next millennium and the BSG is making this project a priority. The provision of Bibles will help children to be able to read for themselves what God wants of his followers.

Shortage

On a recent visit to some rural schools, Bible Society staff found a desperate shortage of Bibles and Scripture material – most of these schools cannot afford the regular subsidised Bibles which are normally provided by the Bible Society.

One of the BSG millennium projects is to provide rural schools across the country with 5,000 copies of the Good News Bible in a special missionary millennium edition.

Half of these Bibles will be given free of charge to schools in deprived areas, while the rest will be sold at half the usual subsidised price to schools able to afford it.

No Bibles

Distribution officer Nathaniel Nunoo said that the BSG team recently visited a school less than 100 kilometres from the capital which had no Bibles at all. The only religious book they owned was an English Koran.

The teachers – all evangelical Christians – use their own personal Bibles in the weekly assembly and during religious education classes.

The BSG gave the school some Bibles last year, but they were all taken home by the graduating class. To help bridge the gap until the new Bibles are available, the BSG gave each child a Gospel Portion, and this was warmly received.

Waiting for Bibles

“This will help us greatly as we teach religious education,” said the deputy headmistress, Grace Riche. “But this is only one Gospel so come back soon with the other Gospels,” she urged. “We will wait for the Bibles you have promised us for the beginning of next year.”

New Reader Portions

Another project aimed at providing children and newly-literate people with the opportunity to know God’s Word is the printing of 60,000 millennial New Reader Portions. This project is expected to have a big impact, as the Portions have been approved by the Education Department for use in language classes as well as religious education classes. With 46 per cent of the population under the age of 14, these Portions will reach a large chunk of the 17 million people living in Ghana.

Peacekeepers’ New Testament

Also targeted by the BSG millennium program are the Ghanaian peacekeeping troops stationed in countries such as Cambodia, Lebanon and Sierra Leone. Ghana has been involved in providing large numbers of troops to assist United Nations projects since the 1960s.

The Bible Society will be printing 5,000 millennial Peacekeepers’ New Testaments in a special camouflage cover. The Director of Religious Affairs in the Army, the Rev Colonel Ebb Sintim, said the men are looking forward to receiving their New Testaments.

“We have had these before and I know the men just love them,” he said. “They consider them to be their New Testaments and they carry them around in their pockets all the time.”

About 90 per cent of the armed forces are at least nominal believers, but many have become practising Christians through the ministry of the 25 army chaplains. The New Testaments have always played an important role in their work.

Commendations

The Bible Society is receiving encouragement for its plans to maximise the distribution of Bibles and Scripture material through their millennium program. The country’s Vice President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, whose wife was recently elected Vice President of the BSG, fully supports the Bible cause.

“Where would we be without the Bible? We have to keep building our nation up on God’s Word,” he emphasised.

Prof Ayettey of the University of Ghana also expressed his support for the Bible Society. He said that the Bible would play an important role in encouraging the nation’s Christians to carry their faith into the twenty-first century. (WR 344/8 - 10.99) [PHOTOS]

New Moore Catholic Bible Hailed
a Translation ‘Masterpiece’

These were the reactions of the people gathered in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on May 8, to dedicate the new Moore Catholic Bible, which has been 13 years in the making.

Partnership

The fruit of a partnership between the Roman Catholic church and the Bible Society of Burkina Faso (BSBF), the Moore Catholic Bible received an emotional welcome as it was held high for the assembled believers to see – there were shouts of joy, banging of drums, and deafening applause.

For the Mossi people, who represent 48 per cent of the population, the arrival of the Bible in their language signifies a strengthening of their relationship with God. In addition to the five million Moore-speakers in Burkina Faso, the two million Mossi people who live in Côte d’Ivoire have also been eagerly awaiting this Bible.

Masterpiece

Hailed by many as a “masterpiece of Moore literature”, the new Bible was celebrated at a colourful interconfessional ceremony attended by government authorities and church leaders.

Catholic and Protestant churches were united as representatives from Protestant denominations joined with Catholic priests and authorities from across the country to dedicate the Moore Bible at the same altar. Protestant and Catholic speakers all emphasised the importance of the new Bible for the spiritual growth of the Moore-speaking people.

“The Word of God translated into Moore represents the incarnation of God among the Mossi people,” said the Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Jean Marie Untaani Compaore.

Meaningful dialogue

“A deep and meaningful dialogue between God and the Moore-speaking reader is now possible through the new Bible,” he added.

Pastor Flavien Tapsoba of the Federation of Evangelical Churches and Missions agreed. “The Word of God touches our hearts and leads us to repentance. People therefore need to be able to read the Bible, especially in their own language, and that is why we are celebrating today’s accomplishment,” he said.

Translation consultant Dr Lynell Zogbo thanked the UBS for its support and prayers, and paid tribute to Father Emmanuel Douamba, Father Adolphe Ouedraogo and Father Jean Gabriel Ouedraogo for their translation work.

Government welcome

The Moore Catholic Bible was also welcomed by the government. Speaking at the dedication ceremony, a representative from the Ministry of Education said that the new Bible will serve a dual purpose - it will help newly-literate Moore-speakers to perfect their reading skills, as well as reaffirm their relationship with God.

The representative said that the country’s leaders aspire to the principles and values upheld by the Bible, and she ended by offering the services of her ministry as a distribution channel for the new Bible.

Unfortunately, due to delays at ports in Abidjan and Burkina Faso, the bulk of the new Bibles only arrived in the country on June 9 – a month after the dedication ceremony. This did not dampen the enthusiasm of the Mossi believers, however, and 11,000 copies were sold out in a period of two weeks, sales averaging at about 800 Bibles a day.

“The wish for each Christian to have a Bible as we enter the next millennium has become a reality for the Mossi people,” said the Executive Secretary of the BSBF, Maxime Bakiono.

“From now on, every Moore-speaking Catholic will have the Bible as a reference point and a guide for daily life.” (WR 344/9 - 10.99) [PHOTOS]