Sadly, SU does not have a large stock of Bibles, so I said no and gave him a contact for the Bible Institute in Kampala. Swahili is not a widely spoken language in most of Uganda. However, here in Gulu, there is a small community of women from the Democratic Republic of the Congo who all speak Swahili. Pastor Ron is the main pastor at Gulu Bible Community Church which was a church plant from Rock Harbor in Costa Mesa, CA. He and his wife, Mama Joy, are originally from Kenya (where Swahili is widely spoken) and has started having one service a week in Swahili.About 3 weeks later, I received an email from my church in Longmont, CO - LifeBridge Christian Church. They forwarded me an email from a lady, Tammy Will, who had visited LBCC with her sister. She realized she had some Swahili Bibles at home and she thought it was time for the Bibles to go back “home” to Africa where they could be used. My church wanted to know if I had a use for some Swahili Bibles. Again, under “normal” circumstances, had I not been connected to Pastor Ron, I would NOT have known of a use for them here in Gulu. SU does have a use for Swahili Bibles in other regions of Uganda that border the DRC, as well as Kenya. I responded with YES, I would be happy to receive these Bibles as I knew of a great home for them!!
In June, I moved into a house which is in the same compound (fenced wall) as Zion Project which is a Women’s Counseling Center for these Congolese women. These women are now part of my daily life!
On Monday July 26th, I delivered the two Swahili/English Bibles to the Congolese women at Zion Project in Gulu, Uganda.
I met Mamma Joy for the first time that morning and she is one of the most delightful women I’ve ever met. She is FULL of joy and love. She lives her life for Jesus and His Glory. When I shared with her the whole story of these Swahili Bibles she just said: “Glory to God” and “We Thank God for that!” She spoke of how these women are thirsty for the Word!! All with a huge and beautiful smile on her face!
I presented the books to her and the women (notice Mamma Joy standing beside me with her big beautiful smile!). As I told the story for the women of these Bibles, Mamma Joy translated in Swahili. They were overjoyed to be receiving Bibles. They were extra excited to hear that they were Swahili and English, since they are also trying to learn English!!! They said to me “Thank you”, “Asante Sana” and “I love you!”
TAMMY These women say to YOU: Thank you. Asante Sana!!!!!! I am simply the deliverer of this great gift.
Thank you for allowing me to be apart of this story. Thank you for feeling moved to put these Bibles into the hands of native speakers!!
After I left the room, one of the women said this to the rest of the women: “Let us read Psalm 117.” “Why this scripture passage?” asks Mamma Joy. “Because of what the Lord has done for us this morning. Let this be our memory scripture.”
Please read Psalm 117 (only 2 verses) so that you can know the joy of these women!
What’s even more amazing, Tammy, who sent the Bibles, is the daughter-in-law of Kathryn Will. Kathryn and I traveled together to Kenya for a Mission Trip in Turkana in 2005. My first time ever in Africa. Wild!
I love how God connects His people for the betterment of the Kingdom!
ABOUT THESE WOMEN FROM THE CONGO:
Pastor Ron also works with the women at the Zion Project Women’s center. He, or someone from his church, comes every morning to do devotionals and praise/prayer with the ladies. All of these women are from the Congo. They were abducted (in the Congo) by soldiers in the Lord’s Resistance Army; a rebel army originally started in northern Uganda which later moved into the Congo. The LRA has been out of Uganda for 4+ years and northern Uganda is doing amazing rehabilitation and a very safe and peaceful place. However, the LRA is still very present in northeastern Congo as well as Central African Republic and Sudan. These women escaped from the LRA (the bush) and many have had children with the LRA soldiers (not by choice). Culture says that the women must go to the home of the husband. Their “husbands” were all from this area in Northern Uganda. Sadly they are not welcome in their homeland of Congo, yet this is also a foreign land for them. Very few in the Gulu area speak much Swahili. The women, through a partnership with another ministry, also receive English lessons and various training in craft-type projects (beading, sewing and screen printing). These women are full of life and a love for Jesus! :-)
More about Zion Project – http://www.zionproject.org
More about Gulu Bible Community Church - http://www.rockharbor.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=204&Itemid=210
DO YOU HAVE SOUVENIR BIBLES IN YOUR HOUSE? If they’re Swahili Bibles, I would love to find a useful home for them!!! :-) I’m sadly guilty of this myself and have one that’s in a storage box in Longmont!! :-(
1 comments:
How beautiful are the feet and hands of those who love to spread the Gospel!!!!I love that the Bibles found their way 'home'.
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