Bible in Dhimba

The translation of the New Testament (Etestamende Epe) into the Oludhimba language is completed, and available for use by members of the OvaZemba community in the Kunene Region. According to Reverend Johannes Tolu, Head of the Dhimba Bible Translation and Literacy Project, it took 15 years to translate the complete New Testament, from Mathew to Revelations.

At least 3,000 copies of the OluDhimba Bible are available throughout the country. There are just more than 30 000 Dhimba speakers in Namibia and Southern Angola.

• Thank God who longs to show himself to people everywhere and enable them to live as the people he made them to be. 
• Praise Him that the Bible has power to help people of all backgrounds in every situation and at all times.
• Thank you God for a Bible Society presence and ministry in Namibia.
• We praise you Praise God for the new OluDhimba translation.
• We trust You that the followers of Jesus in the OvaZemba community will grow in knowledge and love of God and neighbor, and will shine as lights to all around (Matthew 5.16).

Pray with us: Wonder-speaking God, you created all there is by the power of your word and renew us daily by your life-giving Spirit. We give thanks for the Scriptures that you give us the wisdom leading to salvation through Jesus Christ, and that teach, train and correct us. We pray for all involved in the translation, distribution and production of the Bible worldwide, and for all who help people understand and live by it. Lord, so shape your people by your word that we will bring life and hope to all around us through Jesus, your living Word. We ask this for your glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sources:

News: http://sun.com.na/education/bible-translated-into-oludhimba-language.52681
News: Bible Society of Namibia https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bible-Society-of-Namibia-Bybelgenootskap-van-Namibi%C3%AB/110514915681217
News: http://www.nbc.na/news_article.php?id=11904&title=The-Dhimba-community-now-have-a-bible-in-their-mother-tongue
Prayer: http://www.biblesociety.org.uk/support-us/prayer/

BRING THE BIBLE BACK TO SCHOOLS

ERONGO Governor, Cleophas Mutjavikua, says Namibia should bring back Bible studies to schools in order to win the war on the rampant abuse of women and children.

Addressing the 7th Women Summit in Swakopmund, Mutjavikua said demonstrations and lighting candles only show the problem. “We need to find a strategy to solve this problem; not just talk about it,” he said at the opening of the Summit in the coastal town reported The Namibian

He said part of this strategy would be to reintroduce Bible studies in schools which were scrapped after Independence resulting in a notable decline in moral societal values. “Children do not even go to church anymore. They grow up in front of the television and on cellphones,” he said. 

Biblical Model from the Bible 

The Lord desires for the family unit to once again thrive with the husband as the head of the family who loves and nurtures his wife and children.  Christian homes that are in God's order will produce happy and loving families. Many cultures throughout history made women mere items or property of the man.  When Jesus came, He truly liberated women to be restored to their proper place in a marriage. The Biblical model for marriage is a partnership between a husband and wife, where both parties love and respect each other.  Cultures and societies without the Bible's influence usually repress and use the women and even the children. Betty Miller 

Prayer:

Grant the people from Namibia
the knowledge that we need,
To solve the questions of the mind.
Light Thou our candles, while we read,
To keep our hearts from going blind.
Enlarge our vision to behold,
The wonders Thou hast wrought of old!"
Words of Henry Van Dyke

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. Psalms 33:12

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER BIBLE TRANSLATION

Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work. - Oswald Chambers

The call to pray never ends and will continue until the Lord’s return.

Let us continue to hear His call and encouragement to pray:

• Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Mark 14:38 
• Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luke 18:1
• He said to them, "When you pray, say: "‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Luke 11:2

Wycliffe's World Day of Prayer for Bible Translation - 11 November 2012

Approximately one-third of the world’s language communities do not have even one passage of the Bible in their language.

And many of these same people are among the world’s most neglected and overlooked in areas of education, economics, health, cultural preservation and justice.

Pray that the Word will be made available and that these communities will be recognized, respected and flourishing. Visit Wycliffe Prayer Blog for prayer items.  Let us in our prayers also remember the work of the Bible Society of Namibia

90 DAYS BLESSINGS & BIBLE MARATHON

As you pray for your community, make yourself available to be used by God to bring the change you want to see. We will share resources and ideas how to work toward Biblical community transformation during the 90 Days of Blessings that follows GDOP from 1st June.

We also want to challenge you to read through the Bible in 90 days from June 1. This will help you to understand the big picture, how everything in the Word fits together and get an understanding of Gods love for you and His people. My wife and I will run through the pages, how about you? If you want the program for the 90 days, please write to louis.conradie@gmail.com

Pray for all in Namibia who registered for this 90 Days Bible Reading Marathon, that

• we will be faithful to keep our appointment every day
• God will meet with with us in a very personal way
• the Holy Spirit open our eyes to see His truth
• that this marathon (the Word) will change our lives.

Photo: Elsabé reading her bible on Prayer Mountain at The Rock Lodge.