About fifty-eight people from Mafinga and Isoka Districts have been trained in Scripture Engagement to help spread the word of God in local languages.
The training was organized by the Bible and Literature Translation Association (BILTA) in partnership with Faith Comes By Hearing.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, National Scripture Engagement Coordinator Pastor Isaac Lungu said the program is meant to help people engage with the Bible by listening to it in their mother tongues.
“More than half of the world’s population cannot read or write. This program uses audio Bible scriptures so that everyone can understand and hear the word of God,” he said.
“Oral people worldwide, our friends just took oral into paper. When I was born, I was introduced to oral in my mother tongue, and I understood. I communicate with my family orally. This is the reason that oral is more convincing to understand the word of God because it’s just tuning to the gadget and starting to hear. Both literates and non-literates can listen.”
Pastor Lungu further explained that this is the reason BILTA's translation approach is done orally to accommodate everyone.
“With translating the Bible, BILTA does it orally in order to accommodate everyone...even if someone has no time to read, by listening to the audio, they will be able to communicate with God.”
He added that the trainees will now go back into their communities and form small groups of about 10 to 15 people to listen to the Bible together.
Trainer of Trainers from Faith Comes By Hearing, Catherine Katete, stressed the importance of sharing the Bible in local languages.
“Some people don’t read the Bible because they can’t read, or it’s not in a language they understand. With this program, people will now be able to understand because it is in their mother tongue,” she said.
Mrs. Katete encouraged church leaders and community members to embrace audio Bible tools and make scripture listening sessions part of regular church and home programs.
Isoka Pastors Fellowship Association Chairperson, Reverend Dominic Simukwayi, welcomed the program, stating that it will help many people grow spiritually.
Rev. Simukwayi said the church has for a long time faced challenges in reaching certain groups, especially in areas where one cannot read.
He noted that the Scripture Engagement program is timely and will close that gap.
He commended BILTA and Faith Comes By Hearing for bringing such a life-changing program to Isoka and Mafinga.
The training brought together participants from Mafinga and Isoka Districts, where BILTA is also working on oral Bible translation in Fungwe, Lambya, Wandya, and Tambo languages.
