The leprosy mission, whose work is to treat and eradicate leprosy, operates in villages all over the North of Mozambique.  Besides the medical treatment and advice, the Christian message is also necessary to encourage and bring about needed changes, namely in eliminating many social prejudices toward those with the disease. I was invited to help with the recording of Bible passages and their application in one of the native languages. I left Nairobi on the LAM flight, flew over Kilimanjaro and and in less than 2 hours I was in Pemba. I was received at the Airport by our doctor friend, Arie, who drove me to his home, where I was to stay. Marie, Arie’s wife and their 3 sweet children, Hanno, Helene and Emma, received me with the warmth that is so natural with their family. In the home I met new people who were visiting and was informed of the latest news from the region. Pemba is a city under construction and there is development everywhere, however, many people still live in extreme poverty. [Please, click to enlarge:]

We did our first section of recordings in Pemba and then we were transported to another town, in the interior, where we finalized the recordings with the help of four local narrators. The ride was good,  nice paved road and the town has developed greatly in the last few years.  [Please, click to enlarge:]

In that town I stayed with foreign missionaries friends who kindly offered me their guest’s room. This missionary family, in their 30, have 3 beautiful girls, and have been in that part of the country for over 10 years. They work together with 2 other families, also foreign, and teamwork in Christian outreach. That includes teaching and helping the community,  for which they have learned Portuguese and the local Makua language. The recording were in the school facilities that they have built along with their house.. [click to enlarge]

The 3 day recording section went well. The narrators had already prepared the material to be recorded. There were no major problems and we finished the task. The narrators also received a gift of an audio Bible in Swahili (which most understand)  and were very encouraged with the prospect of seeing their own Makua Bible being, one day, distributed in that way. Some of them have been working on the translation of the Makua Bible for several years [working with SIL] and they are eager to see their own language printed, digitalized, recorded,  and subsequently made available to the many illiterate people in the region. Their vision is to have the New Testament finished by 2016… we found that sort of slow and we have been trying to analyze the reasons…
[click on picture to enlarge]

HEAR sample – Makua language:

 

I was blessed with this opportunity to help and I had the opportunity to learn more about that field. The missionaries I met are very dedicated and sacrificial and a sample of Jesus’ love. I was very thankful for their love and concern and  the way they provided for my needs while there. I am praying for them and the work of spreading of the Gospel in Mozambique.

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We took 50 audio bibles as a gift to the work in the North of Mozambique. We sent 10 to Mocimboa, 300 kms north of Pemba, and left some in Montepuez. Through Paulo  I met several local pastors who were happy to receive a sample of our audio Bibles and are willing and eager to help us bringing more into the country.  Many were excited about the audio Bibles and the wordproject vision.