It was a little over a year ago that we got news from a group of Bible translators working with the India Evangelical Mission (IEM) on a language called the Bison Horn Madiya (I love that name). They asked us if we would record the New Testament that they had just translated, so we did.
The first week in November this year, we received an email from the translators containing several stories that they wanted to share with us. I want to share one of them with you because it highlights the importance of what we do and why we need to keep doing it.
A poor couple told the translators that they used to gather for worship with other believers in their tiny village. However, a terrorist group called the Naxalites began to cause problems. This group forbid the believers from gathering. They also prevented the missionary from having access to the believers in this village. However, through God’s divine providence, just prior to access being cut off, the missionary gave this village an audio Bible in Madiya! The couple then added that due to this precious gift, they continue to listen to God’s Word regularly, especially in the fields as they work. Their closing comments gave me goosebumps: “People may stop us from attending worship, but they are unable to stop us from listening to God’s Voice through this device.”
Thank you for being agents of God’s grace for people like the Madiyas, and countless other tribes in India. Your partnership is invaluable in ensuring that no matter what the circumstance, people will never, ever be far away from God and His Word in their heart languages.
