Lives are being changed through Bible translation in Indonesia.
‘This is a miracle for us in Lindu’, said the government official, as Tado speakers pored over the first copies of the Tado New Testament.
After nine years of patient and steady translation work, the Tado New Testament was launched on 22 October at a packed event in Lindu District, Indonesia. Just two days later, having taken 12 years to complete, the Moma New Testament was launched in the neighbouring Kulawi District.
These launches were the culmination of increasing excitement at the impact that the comprehension of God’s word is already having among the Tado and Moma people.
Since 2014, when the Gospel of Mark was first printed and distributed, ‘transformational church services’ using the Tado language and Scriptures have been held twice a month in one of the churches. Tado Scriptures have also been used in services held in homes, and in personal discipleship.
The impact of God’s word
As the translation work progressed, the Tado team released portions of Scripture to their community, leading to radical change in people’s lives. Stories abound of the impact of God’s word.
Ronald, one of the main translators, used to get drunk and beat his wife; not any longer. Now he has been through theological college and serves as a youth leader in his church.
Adolf used to be emotionally unstable and criminally violent. He now coordinates a team that helps people to engage with the Scriptures through music, and his eyes shine with the light of Christ. He says: ‘The arrival of the Tado translation facilitator to coordinate an effort among us to translate the Bible into our language was an extraordinary event for the people of Lindu. The introduction of the word of God to us in our language has helped our community to change our habits and our character, and taught us how to be closer to God.’
Enos, a member of the Tado music group, was a gambler, alcoholic and drug addict. He also used occultic items, but the translation team leader helped him to burn them. Now he plays songs about Jesus.
Speakers of Moma have also seen change in their community after understanding God’s word in their own language. Some have set aside occult practices because they understand the Scriptures. Young and old alike love to hear their own language in church from sermons to songs to Sunday School. Even people who understand Indonesian, the national language, find they experience the Scriptures in a new way when they read them in Moma. There is increased pride in their culture, and evidence of increased use of their language even beyond the church. All this has happened even before the New Testaments in these local languages were completed. Just imagine what God might do next!
‘The Holy Spirit enabled us’
As a member of the Tado translation team says: ‘I wasn’t sure that we would be able to translate the New Testament, but the Holy Spirit enabled us. Jesus is now a native of Lindu. Why? Because we hear Him speaking to us in Tado.
‘We have seen so many changes in people’s lives. People are making progress in their faith. They understand the Scriptures better and are more motivated to read them now that they are in Tado. We’ve seen people stop their occultic, animistic rituals – things like sacrificing chickens to help sick people get well.’
Change has come to the Moma and Tado people as they discover God’s love for them through the Bible. What an incredible gift! In the words of one Tado speaker, the investment of other Christians into their community has shown them that ‘the people of Lindu are so precious in God’s sight’.
Bryony is the Communications Officer for Wycliffe Bible Translators. www.wycliffe.org.uk
