SEND! magazine Third Quarter 2006: A Bible of Their Own
A Bible of Their Own
God's Word for an Unreached Tribe
Sibu Samuel knew that the book he held in his hands was a treasure. He slowly turned its pages, looking at words he had labored over for six years. This was the first printed book in the Najug language—and an open door to reach the secluded Najug people of India with God's Word.
A Gospel for Asia native missionary, Sibu had grown up with a desire to serve the Lord. In 1990, while studying for a bachelor's degree in English, Sibu attended a camp held by a missionary organization. One speaker, a translator, shared the huge need for Bible translation in India: At that time, more than 250 languages needed God's Word.
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| As Nanju children learn to read and write, the Word of God will be opened to their hearts and minds. |
"How do you know that the things the missionaries tell you are true?" Sibu asked him. "I believe," the man answered, "because I can feel deep down in my heart that this is true." That answer would not leave Sibu's mind—and a few days later he reached a point of decision.
"As I was reading the Bible," he recalled, "a question came to my mind: 'Sibu, what is the basis for your belief?' I realized my belief is based on reading God's Word in the language I understand best.
"Then another question came to my mind: 'If there were no Scriptures in my language, where would my faith be now?'
"And then I made a commitment. 'Yes, Lord, I am willing to go as a Bible translator.' "
Outsiders Not Allowed
Sibu spent the next five years studying linguistics, training specifically for Bible translation. In mid-1996, he received a long-awaited letter asking him to move to a remote area, create an alphabet for an unwritten tribal language and translate God's Word.
"There is a language group that definitely needs Bible translation," it read, "but the location is very remote and the lifestyle will be very different. Would you consider going?"
Sibu was actually excited about going to the tribal area.
"I loved the place and the way these remote people lived, because as a child I was brought up in a tribal community," he remembered. "I really felt that this was where the Lord wanted me to go. But I realized that this was not going to be an easy place to work."
In fact, he didn't know the language, there was no writing system for Najug and there were few Christians. But another kind of barrier also stood in the way.
"The government has declared the Najug people a restricted tribe," Sibu explained. "Outsiders are not allowed to live where the majority of the tribe lives."
Nevertheless, Sibu packed up and relocated, willing to face whatever was necessary to bring them the Word of God. And by April of 1997, a house—actually, a 10-by-20-foot room—became available in a village on the edge of the tribal area. Sibu quickly moved in.
Necessary Sacrifices
The majority of the 50,000 Najug people lived below the poverty line. They were part of the lowest caste, and many of the adults were alcoholics. Scarcely any children went to school because education was unavailable in their language. Out of the few who did go to school, 90 percent dropped out by grade five. Only 15 out of every 100 men were functionally literate—just able to read their name and bus stops. And only 2 percent of the women could read at all.
Sibu began his work in earnest. He knew that only Jesus could truly meet their needs.
"The answer is not just handouts," said Sibu, "but the transformation of the people's hearts."
By the end of the year, Sibu married Swayam, who had also studied linguistics.
"She is equally committed to the task of translation," Sibu stated, "and willing to make the sacrifices necessary to reach these people."
There were sacrifices. After missionary Graham Staines's murder in 1999, more restrictions forced Sibu and Swayam to move out of the village.
But by the following year they had learned the language with the help of Peter, a Najug young man. They also completed a script for the language, and in 2001, they held the first printed book in the language—a brand-new reader.
'Jesus Speaking Our Language'
"It was a joy," remembered Sibu, "when we went back to the village and gave the people a copy and said, 'This is your language, and we have written it down!' "
Peter received Christ through his work with Sibu and Swayam, and as the couple shared with him their vision to translate the Bible, he began helping enthusiastically.
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| Swayam and Peter work step by step through a passage in the Gospel of Luke. |
Once Scripture portions began to be translated, Sibu and Swayam began another necessary step. They held a successful one-month camp to teach older Najug believers to read and write their language. They also held a literacy program for 30 children who had never gone to school. And they trained five young men to help them in translation.
"We want it to make sense to the people, so they will read it and say, 'This is our language! Jesus is speaking in our language!' "
Today, as a result of steady work, Sibu, Swayam, Peter and a small team of Najug helpers have completed translation of the Gospel of Mark, some of Paul's letters, James, Jonah and the stories of Creation and the Flood. They are now working on Luke, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus.
Toward the Finish Line
The work of translation is indeed laborious, and not everyone Sibu has encountered has been encouraging. But Sibu Samuel is already looking expectantly toward the finish line, confident in God's faithfulness.
"We should be able to finish the New Testament translation in 16 years," he estimates. "A person once told me, 'Sibu, you shouldn't expect that you will be able to do this translation project.' But it is amazing when I look back now, 10 years later, and see how the Lord has led us.
"It has been a very satisfying experience. I have only one life. May the Lord use it for His glory."
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