Malawi (MNN) — After four years of waiting, World Missionary Press (WMP) will now begin sending additional Bible study materials to Malawi.
Helen Williams with WMP says they have supplied Bible materials and booklets in Malawi for several years in Chichewa, the national language of Malawi, and the commonly spoken language in Zambia.
Four years ago, WMP worked with people in Malawi to translate additional devotional titles into Chichewa. The project expanded the resources WMP can provide for the 7 million people in the region who speak the language.
(Photo courtesy World Missionary Press)
Some of the texts include the “God Loves You” coloring book for children, the “Alive in Christ” devotional booklet, and an evangelistic booklet called “Who Do You Say That I Am?”
Having completed the translation work with partners who were able and ready to share the materials, WMP went to the Bible Society for permission to begin publishing and printing the texts.
For the last four years, WMP has struggled to get responses from the Bible Society or has contacted the wrong person with the Bible Society, and would get an acknowledgement and then silence.
Some of the Bible Society’s publications require royalties, and since WMP works to honor and take copyright permissions seriously, the project continued to stall.
“It got to be a real matter of prayer, because some of the people that translated it were the ones that wanted it so much, and we kept telling them we can’t print it until we have permission to use the text,” Williams says.
However, a few months ago, Williams was working with a contact at Billion.Global, an organization that works to partner Christian ministries together. He was able to speak to his contacts, including a major ministry leader in Malawi who presented the case, found a solution, and got the permissions.
“He saw it through for us in a matter of weeks, and it was just the Lord’s time,” Williams says. “Now we are in the process of printing those four booklets, and we have orders from Malawi, and they’re waiting for these booklets.”
Williams says that one of the Malawian coordinators was unaware of the work on two of the new titles but had them in other languages. When he found out about the new translation he said, “Oh, that’s going to help our children’s program so much, so please add that to our orders.”
Williams says this is a real gift from God.
“When we were at our extremity, we didn’t know what the next option would be… the permission came easily from the authorities there,” Williams says. “We see the Lord do these things, but this was a big one.”
When people see Scripture in their heart language, it’s dear to them, says Williams.
“It speaks to them of someone who cared to put that in their language and make it available to them,” Williams says. “A lot of times we hear, ‘I just carried it around, and I carried it around, and I carried it around, and I took it out and looked at it, and then I finally read it, and then the Word spoke.’ The Holy Spirit speaks in every language, so when the Word is read in their language, the Holy Spirit’s there to make it apply to the heart, explain it, or speak to the heart.”
WMP gets reports of the gratitude and understanding from those who are given something by someone who speaks another language.
Williams says that when you give someone your same Scripture in their own language, you say, “We are the same before the Lord, and His word is true to all of us, and it’s the same for all mankind.”
As WMP works to get the shipment out the door while transport shipping costs remain high, please pray that the organization will receive wisdom from God, continue to prayerfully seek quotes, provide materials, and be good stewards of its funds.
To assist with these shipping expenses, donate at wmpress.org/give.
Header Photo Flag of Malawi, courtesy Wikipedia
