Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Translation and
istry in Zaire can be arranged by con tacting their public relations represen
tatives:
Literacy?
II Timothy 3:15 in Greek, the original language:
jcoi Srri airo pp<^vs Upa ypafLfjuira oRas, ra 8wafJtvd o cro<f>iiT<u ls aomjpiav Sta niaretias hf XpUTTi^ '/ijoov.
The same verse in English, your mother tongue:
", . .from childhood you have known the sticred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Serving in
Zaire, Africa
Bomili *
Cyangugu, RWANDA
Field Fax #: 011-250-37514
ZAIRE
Bukavu *
AFRICA
Cyangugu. RWANDA
was translated into English, our mother tongue. 300,000,000 people (approximately the population of
the United States of America) are
"/ thank my God in oR my remembrance ofyou, always offering prayer withjoy in my every prayerfor you all, in view of yow participation in the gospel..."
Phil. 1:3-5
mission
organization dedicated to translating the Bible for the Bible-less peoples of the world. The Farmers live and work among the Babali people of northeast Zaire, a tribe numbering approximately 50,000. The Farmers* ministry ofliteracy-evangelism is to enable the Babali to read their language, Kibali, so they can use the Scriptures which are being trans lated into Kibali by PBT TVansIators Brad and Tammie Harvey.
"For. whoever will caR upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shaR they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a
preacher? And how shaR they preach unless they are sent^' Romans 10: 13-15.
Jim and Susan's ministiy in Zaire is sup
Bible translation and literacy com bined also provides many opportunities for witness and discipleship as the Babali begin to read the Scriptures for the first time in a language they clearly under stand as in the case of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch. " 'Do you under stand what you are reading?' Philip asked. 'How can I,' he {the Ethiopian] said, 'unless someone eyqylains tt to me?' "
Acts 8: 30, 31.
YES, I want to be a part of Jim and Susan's ministry with PIONEER BIBLE TRANSLATORS
and AFRICAN CHRISTIAN MISSION to ZAIRE,
AFRICA in the following way(s): By praying for them regularly "... You alsoJoining in helping us through your prayers..." II Cor. 1:11 By writing to them "... Encourage one another, and built up one
another..." I Thess. 5:11
$10
$15
. $20
other
$25 _
$50.
Having the Scriptures in their mother tongue will enable the Babali who have never heard the gospel to hear with understanding and respond with repen tant hearts just as the first believers did on the day of Pentecost. "... Each one hearing them speak in his own language
... Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said . .. 'What
shall we do?' And Peter said to them,
"... Many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means." Luke 8:3
I would like to receive the Farmer's news
letter.
Signed:
Address:
Date:
'Repent and let eachofyou be baptized in the name ofJesus Christfor theforgive
ness ofyour sins ... Acts 2: 6, 37, 38.
Address:
In.
Forwarding
Agent;
Public
Tony
635
Relations
& Laura
Arnold
Representatives:
Crane
Ave.
N.
Clermont, FL 34711
(352) 394-3397
Clermont, FL 34711
(352) 394-6507 APRIL. 1997
Groveland,
(352)
FL 34736
^CFRI
429-3391
Dear Friends,
Greetings From Kentucky! Our stateside assignment in recruiting is almost over and we are preparing to leave for Tanzania the last week of May. We are excited to be a part of opening this new branch for PBT. Two families with whom we worked in Zaire (Jeff & Lori Hobble and Brad & Tammie Harvey) will also be part of the PBT
team in this new field.
It has
a strong Muslim influence as the Arab traders came to that part of Africa several centuries ago. It is quite different from Zaire in a number of other ways as well. There Is a stronger economy, though most of the people are still very poor. There is a better public educa tion system, better health care available, MUCH better roads, and
better public utilities.
After Swahili language school in the town of Morogoro, we will be living in the town of Dodoma where PBT will be based. Jim will be
part of the survey team which will be working to assess the various language groups, of Tanzania's 130 ethnic groups, we already know that 61 of them have a de/in/te Bible translation need and 27 of them have a possib/e Bible translation need. The surveys will determine which ones PBT will begin working in first. Susan will be helping with
office work as well as other support tasks to help the branch in
general. Ethan and Abram will be attending a school for missionary children run by the British. Caleb has another year and a half before he begins Kindergarten. We plan (God willing) for this to be either a two or three-year
term before we return to the States. We would love to hear from
Zaire
TANZAN A
CAPITAL:
Dar es Salaam
POPULATION: 28 million
RELIGIONS:
South O
Africa
you!
For the months of June and July, our address will be:
Jim & Susan Farmer Lutheran Junior Seminary Language School
P.O. Box 740
Morogoro,
TANZANIA
Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA Tanzania has phones, so we will be on the internet with the ability to send and receive e-maill Initially we can be reached at jhobbie@maf.org. Once we get to Tanzania we will be given our own e-mail address which we will pass on to you.
Please keep our ministry in your prayers. Satan does not want
people to have the Word of God in their language and we are already anticipating that he will be trying to discourage us from participating in this work that God has given us. Your prayers are powerful weap
ons to defeat him so that God's will may be accomplished in and through us.
ihe
wgfit
Meedom
the
-L^tcW Ca/[c(
CURRENT
PRAYER
NEEDS
-- For the church in Zaire and the changes God is working in it, -- For Jim's mother's health (Alelfair Farmer). She is still battling
cancer.
-- For our financial needs to be met. We still need $800 in monthly commitments and $8,500 for one-time expenses.
-- For our family's transition to Tanzania with language school and then settling down in Dodoma.
lZ^Z-V06li. Ni 'aillAXOU)!
Z^Z xoa Od
'8jo
:o)
jjjojd
ssdjppe
uoN
Nl
M3U
jnoX JO
NEWS
FROM
THE
FARMERS
Forwarding Agent:
Valorie Sierens
j^ucueau^
ACCOU<''*
Dodoma, TANZANIA
DECEMBER, 1997
Dear Friends, Greetings from Tanzania! We've been here six months now and feel at home for the most part. We believe God chose our home before we arrived for which we are grateful since it saved us a lot of searching. It is simple (concrete block with tin roof) but spacious with a lai^e yard ftill of nice shade and climbing trees (]lm and I try to refrain from climb
ing them). This area of Tanzania doesn't have the natural
beauty that Zaire had, but we're learning to appreciate cer tain features about it. It Isvery dry with lots of sand, rock Susan 3nd her language tutor, Mama Temba. and not much vegetation - somewhat likethe southwest US. So far, most of our time has been spent sealing in and with Swahill language and culture learning. The branch (PBT's East Africa Branch) has established a level of flu ency that must be attained before team members can be gin their ministry full-time. We have the textbooks from a language school that we have been using with tutors and it hasworked well. Jim Is pictured with a friendhe has made, an elderly Catholic man who came to our home one day seeking help (as many people do). He Isa wealth of infor mation regarding Tanzanlan history and culture. Tanzania was a German colony until the end of World War 1when It was given to Britain to administer until independence Jim and his friend, Mzee Saiisi. in 1961. Mzee SalisI has many Interestingstories of what
happened in those years. The survey team has not done any surveys yet, though they have done some planning and preparation for anticipated ones the early part of next year. Most of the members have been involved in language and culture learningas we have been. )im has been gatheringinformationregardingsome "Scripture in Use" programs he would like to be Involved in here as he was in Zaire. Even for some people for whom the Bible is already translated there isa lot of work to be done to really get them using and appreciating the Scriptures they have. The boys seem to be enjoyingliving here. They at tend a school run by the Anglican church that follows > rrt '> *\ a British curriculum. Only
about 10% of the school is
expatriate children, the rest being Tanzanian of various ancestry. That is a fascinat ing aspect ofthis area of Af rica - the great variety of cultures present In this pic ture there is represented sev
L%
eral nationalities (British, Ger c/73n, Caleb, and Abram with some of their friends at school. man, Swedish, Italian, In dian, and Tanzanian) and religions (Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, and Animist). Those differences perme ate many aspects of life to the smallestdetail such as on "hot dog" day at school. On that day, beef and pork
of opportunity for wimess and many peoplewe havemet and befriended are quite open to discussing reli^bus One Item that is mentionedinthe prayersectionIshould give more detail about here. There isa drought and famine in Tanzania of huge proportions. It affects us in many ways from our electrical supply (water generated) to there beingmany more needy people around who are in desperate circumstances. International Disaster EmergencyServices (IDES) hasgenerously helped Ineach of these areas mentioned by providingfunds for us to buy a backuppower source and funds to help withthe famine relief. Fellow team member, Tammie
Harvey, will be leading that effort. Please pray for God's leading and help in this as we also share the "Bread of Life" with the people.
Wehopeyou have hada veryenjoyable holiday season aswecelebrate God's GreatGiftfor "every tribe,
tongue, people, and nation." Thank you for your involvementInour ministry.
With Love InChrist, Susan
begun to reflect over the past 20 years since those college daysand to realize the thingsthat I have done tiiat have lasted and those which havepassed away, it occurredto me that a lot hasbeen made of die technological age we live In. It seems high tech isseen as the answerto everything. At times it does appear that the sky Is the
limit and I'm never surprised anymore at what some one comes up with next (likecloning). But is high tech the answer to the world's problems? Isit the answer to the preaching of the gospel to all nations? Just how does
God see it?
As missionaries in Zaire we made a lot of use of high tech stuff. We had a solar power system, a generator, a computer (of course), a video projector for the }esus film, and other gadgets we used in our minisuy. The solar panels kept batteriescharged for the computer while the generator was used to show the Jesusfilm through the video projector. In the more remote areaswhere we could not carry the generator we
used a smaller solar power pack which gave anincredible size projection. InBible translation andliteracy work,
computers cut down by years the amount of time it takes to complete a translationand help people be able to read it So, allthese tools of ministry are important and needed; but today Iwonder how much of thisstuffwe took to Zairehassurvived the war and looting. Even ifit hassurvived, how longwill it be able to endure the
harsh jungle environment with all the humidity anddust? IfGod'sanswer forthe worid Is through high tech,
whydid Hesend Jesus 2,000 yearsago? Surely God knew of the Invention to come. ThroughT.V. we could
have watched as Jesus was crucified. The event could have been broadcast woridwide as was Princess Diana's funeral. Then it could have been put all over the internet and had a Jesus web site with all the detailsof the crucifixion. For tiiose in tiie more remote areas they could have receivedall tiiisviasatellite. Butdie Bible tells
us that, "At justthe appointedtimeJesus wasbom..." This mustmean God had it planned justas Itcame
to pass.
We would tiiinkthe 20th century would be the besttime for Jesusto come. ButGod chose what we now
consideras the "stoneage" interms of technology. A timewhen Ittook days, months, or even yearsto get newsspread to the known worid bywhatever meanspossible. Evidentiy God's formula for the spread of the
gospel is nottiirough high tech gadgets. It Isthe human touch and the love of Christ shared on a one-to-one
basis that Is the foundation of sharingthe gospel. When Jesus saw people hurting He ministered to them.
When He saw tiie lepers He did not cross over to the odier side of tiie street but He reached out and touched
them (something hardto do through a T.V. screen or on a website). He hadcompassion forthem physically but of far more importance was their spiritual condition. When He saw the multitudes as sheep without a shepherd Hisheart wasmoved. He was Immanuel, God with us.
In Zaire (now the Congo) probably not much is left of our high tech things and what is willsoon break down or justwear out So, what will lastand how will the gospel continue to spread? Just as It did 2,000 years ago as we, alongwithPeterand the restof tiie Aposties, preachJesus Christbyword of mouth ft-om the pulpit, in the streets, in the jungles and to the end of the worid. IfJesus were here today 1doubt He would be looking for press interviews or to try and manipulate the pressto get out Hismessage. 1believeHe would do justwhat He did 2,000 years ago. He would be bom in a lowly place in Jemsalem. He would seekout the weak, the sick,the despisedand rejected of the worid. He would feed them, healthem and ministerto tiiem in a way that they would never forget Him even when He was crucified and rejected by everyone else. Now I question through hind sight, "did we leave people behind in Zaire who will continue spread the gospel not with gadgets but with the power of the HolySpirit?" Yes, ACM and PBT did do justthat and It isthe only meanswhereby the gospelwill continue to spread. Will warsor famines or any other power be able to prevent the spread of the gospel? No, not even the gates of hellwill prevail. According to ACM history, during the Simba Rebellion In the 1960's when thousands of Christians and a number of missionaries losttheir lives, it looked like the church would be dramatically impacted, returning missionaries like Ron Butierand Howard Crowl expected to find few churches. Instead they found manynewchurchesand thousands of newChristians. What a testimonyto God's unfailing love, wisdom and power to sustain His Kingdom!
Now, 1lookat our ministry In a different way. 1seeour time here astemporal. We may havea day, a
Before you move, pleasesend die mailinglabel widi a copy of your new address to: MISSION SERVICES ASSOCIATION, PO Box 101 H, Knoxville, TN 37920011 Mission Services Association POBoxlSlll
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