Earlier this year the Flame* translation team celebrated the arrival of the printed New Testaments with Genesis to their West African port.
As Covid-19 restrictions tightened, the team couldn’t hold the large celebration they had planned for April. A sense of urgency compelled them to share the Scriptures with their community right away. They held a small celebration with a group of influential leaders, and then they set to work again, distributing printed books, sharing copies of the Flame Scripture app, and reading passages on the radio, all while continuing to translate the Old Testament into the Flame language.
Whom shall I fear?
Pastor Paul*, director of the Flame project, shares how God has encouraged the team in this work:
‘When we began distributing the New Testaments,’ he says, ‘we were anxious how certain people might react’. But now those apprehensions are turning to joy. One Muslim teacher had helped the team incorporate Ajami script into the book. Using this Arabic-derived script for select passages will help make these Scriptures more accessible. ‘This teacher fell ill,’ recounts Pastor Paul, ‘and though some people may see him as a radical because of his preaching, we decided to go visit him with a gift.’
A precious gift
Sharing a gift of money with someone who is ill is a common practice in Flame culture to encourage the individual and to help cover medical expenses. Pastor Paul decided to also offer this teacher a gift of two New Testaments to thank him for his help proofreading the Ajami script passages.
Pastor Paul continues: ‘We gave him an envelope containing the financial gift, and then presented the two New Testaments. It was clear the envelope had less importance for him! We could sense that he felt he had received a great treasure. He went to the floor, almost kneeling to thank us as he embraced the New Testament in his own language.’
‘In our culture, he who is less important kneels to greet someone greater, not the other way around. So out of respect I said to him, “Papa, don’t kneel to me”. He replied: “This is the kingdom of God that you have brought me. Its value is incalculable!” Then I offered to pray for him. He readily assented and at the end of the visit he thanked God for us.
Sharing the Book of Life
‘Several days later, he wrote to me asking for two more New Testaments for certain teachers of their faith. The next day he said to bring three instead, because another person wanted one too.’
Thus, explains Pastor Paul, this one man is becoming a channel for others to receive ‘The Book of Life’.
‘We have now had several experiences of this kind. So we believe that there are many people secretly wanting to read this book and give their lives to the only true Saviour.’
A gift for all
‘We want to give thanks to God, who has permitted us to see the New Testament in Flame. Already voices are raised to say that it is well done.’ The presence of those selected passages in Ajami script in the Flame New Testament with Genesis have had the intended effect: people are seeing that these Scriptures are for everyone, not just for Christians. As Pastor Paul describes it: ‘Some Flame* Muslims who purchased copies immediately began to read and meditate on them.’ Flame* Christians are also united around the newly available Scriptures in their own language. Paul reports that they are ‘searching for ways and means, through prayer, to not only make use of it in their personal studies but also to reach their people.’
God proves His faithfulness
‘We have reviewed all the years of work and the difficulties met,’ Pastor Paul concludes. ‘At one point we thought that it was too hard. We were tempted to give up. To finish the New Testament and print it seemed impossible. But God proved His faithfulness to us! And it is His faithfulness which motivates everyone to keep going now, no matter the force of the winds and waves that may arise. We will soon have the entire Bible in Flame because God is faithful. It is neither by my strength nor my power, but it is His Holy Spirit that does His work.’
*Names, including that of the Bible translation have been changed for security reasons
