Christians asked to support Bible translation work in Tanzania

This Bible Sunday will see churches across the UK find out more about vital Bible translation work taking place in Tanzania.

Christians are being asked to support the Bible Society’s translation work there, which includes the first ever translation of the New Testament into the Kikagulu language, spoken by hundreds of thousands of Tanzanians.

Prayers for Bible Sunday on October 24 will feature 33-year-old farmer Josephine Mkala-Mungi, a member of the Kikagulu tribe who until now had to use a Bible written in the national language, Swahili.

She said: “It feels as if God is my best friend because he is now speaking to me directly. I read how to keep my faith and how to forgive others. I didn’t understand these things before.”

Josephine was one of the luckier ones. Fifty-six per cent of the Kikagulu tribe cannot speak Swahili, meaning that the Bible has virtually been a closed book for them until now.

Translator Michael Nhonya has spent four years working on the new Kikagulu Bible.

He said: “This is great. To finally hear and read it feels like I’m in heaven. It feels like Jesus is speaking in the synagogue, only he’s speaking here. It means that Christianity will grow here.”

The theme for Bible Sunday 2010 is ‘Free to go’, emphasising the way in which translating God’s Word into native languages sets people free as believers.

It takes as its inspiration Luke 4.16 – 21, the scene where Jesus stands up and reads from Isaiah in the synagogue, declaring that he has come to set the captives free.

Lindsay Shaw is overseeing this year’s Bible Sunday.

He said: “In Tanzania the Bible has set people like Josephine Mkala-Mungi Free to Go as believers, with a new understanding of God’s Word.

“This Bible Sunday we are encouraging Christians here to read and understand the Bible, and to let its message set them ‘Free to Go’ beyond church into every moment of their lives."

He cautioned, however, that not all colleagues may be happy about having the Bible brought into the workplace.

"Of course, you'll want to bear in mind your conditions of employment when deciding whether to take your Bible to work and please be considerate towards others who may not share your views," he said.

Free downloadable resources are available from Bible Society at www.biblesociety.org.uk/biblesunday2010