Setting the Stage

It is a warm, Friday afternoon—the day before the Soli New Testament Launch—and six of us are tightly packed into a car, traveling through the Soli-lands, east of Lusaka, Zambia. I have never travelled through this part of country after the rains, and my heart is happy to see fields of corn and flowers stretching as far as I could see; all underneath the striking blue and white of the cloudy and endless African sky. We are listening to the Chongwe radio station as one of The Word for the World translators is being interviewed, and as he ends his segment, he perfectly captures the excitement of the coming day, exclaiming,

“Yes, there are many things happening in Zambia tomorrow, but here in Chongwe, the day is all about celebration, as we receive the New Testament in our OWN language, and the Soli can read the Bible in Soli for the FIRST TIME EVER! Praise be to God!”

 

 

 

The rest of the day is busy with preparations; meetings with the High Chieftainess, headmen, and Soli Committee; and ensuring that nearly four thousand Soli New Testaments are delivered and secured. As I return home late that evening, I find myself still basking in the excitement—for tomorrow we celebrate something truly special: a people receiving something that is both a result of their own dedication, as well as the generosity of others—something which took faith and hard work—a longed for destination which is also the start of a new journey of discovery and understanding. The Soli New Testament is truly a gift from God, and the Soli are literally and metaphorically about to turn the page, and begin a new chapter in their walk with God.

The Celebration

The program reads as a tightly-packed, two-and-a-half-hour event—but you should know, there is no Zambian celebration that fits into a morning session! Dancing, music, and speeches abound—and we hear stories of victory and loss—of blessing and sacrifice. Throughout the many, varied, and colorful presentations, the heart and hand of God becomes clear—for the Soli people have come, just as they are, and they are loved by Him.

That Moment

We ended up spending the better part of a day at the ceremony, and there were many fun and exciting moments—like seeing our Zambian accountant blush when traditional dancers moved in a bit too close; or the pomp and circumstance surrounding the High Chieftaness’s arrival; or even the New Testament presentation processional moving to the powerful polyrhythms of Soli drummers—but for me, there was one moment that said it all: the first time the Soli Bible was read publicly to the Soli people.
Throughout the morning, the ceremony was accompanied with the expected noise of thousands of people. Hushed conversations created constant white noise, and people moved about freely on the grounds—hunting for shade, meeting with friends, and playing with children. However, when our lead Soli translator took the stage, with tears in his eyes, a watchful quiet started to rise. The silence gained strength as he opened the Bible and started reading; and when those first Soli words were read aloud, something amazing—reminiscent of Pentecost—occurred. A moment of intense silence instantly stuck the crowd as a palpable spirit of understanding, astonishment, and joy spread like a wildfire amongst the gathered Soli.
Even up to this moment, some were skeptical, asking themselves—Can I ever really understand what’s in this Bible? Can these local Soli men really translate the holy book? Will we be abandoned or forgotten? Does God actually speak my language? It was in this moment that their skepticism was dismissed, and the

astonished silence gave way to the most jubilant and resounding cheers of the day as God made it abundantly clear, “Yes, I speak Soli!”.

Language as the Nexus of Politics, Tradition, and Religion

There were tears in the Soli chieftainess’s eyes. Zambia is an amazing intersection of African and Western culture, and certain ideals which act as oppositional forces in my own western culture, find mutuality and harmony here in Zambia. The Soli High Chieftainess is a stunning example of how God is moving here in Southern Africa. She is a devout Catholic, a former member of the Zambian national government, a female chieftain ruling over seven chiefs and over four hundred villages, a powerful elder whose quiet words create law for the Soli while also setting the spiritual tenor of daily life.

In her response to receiving the Soli New Testament, a process in which she has been involved since the start, she expressed her great joy in seeing many Christian denominations and organizations work together. She shared her passion for the Soli New Testament to be the start of greater work for the Soli people, and even gave of her own wealth to the Soli Language committee “as a seed” to bring about further fruit. She shared her vision, reminding her people that at the start of this project she said, “God should not take me until the Soli have the Bible in our own language”, and she even went as far as to say that “Now, He can take me”.

Here in Zambia, your language is the cornerstone of your identity. The chieftainess took on this work of Bible translation as her legacy because she understands the profound impact that a Soli Bible will have for her people. She understands how God uses the work itself to draw people together, and closer to Him. She clearly sees a better future for her people as they are able to better understand the Bible and live more Christ-like lives. She openly thanked God, not only for His presence with her people, but for the continuing work He is doing in their midst.
The completion of the New Testament strengthens the Soli resolve to push back against worldly forces—it validates the Soli in the eyes of surrounding peoples, and makes clear the power of the Gospel—the Soli can now fully embrace their own language, and thus themselves, as children of God—and it is a beautiful thing.

The Harvest, the Field, the Workers

Harvest terminology makes a lot of sense for an agricultural people. Even though I am struck by the simple beauty of the farmlands surrounding the celebration, I know that farming is not a simple thing—neither is Bible translation. There are many communities and individuals involved, and at many levels. The ceremony tends to focus on those with the highest authority and position, and as the speeches and presentations come to close, attention turns to the Soli people gathered for the occasion.

Bibles are distributed by local pastors. It is amazing to see throngs of people with Bibles in their laps—some with looks of elation, some with confusion, and many with tears. One might think that now the labor is done—the fields harvested–but as I watch, different fields come into rotation:

• Many Soli had already accepted Christ as their Savior, but for the first time they can now wrestle individually with meaningful and understanble Scriptures. God has moved from the pulpit and is now personal.
• There are those who cannot yet read, and while I watch the limited audio Bibles disappear, I am reminded of the need for literacy and local writers to be developed.
• While the Soli church is now better equipped for good works, the fields of their culture, their friends, and their family still need work. As their leader said, the completion of the New Testament is more like a planting than a reaping.
• The New Testament has been translated, but the people have committed to a full Soli Bible.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest”, and today I see both the answer to prayer and need for more.

I agree with the ceremony, with the heartfelt thanks given to the translators, supporters, leaders, staff, committees, partner organizations, and prayer warriors who have answered God’s call. I celebrate the tenacity of the Soli, the perseverance of the partners, and the generosity of the multitudes of saints who have labored and sacrificed together. At the same time, I am inspired to further respond to Jesus—to prayerfully seek out ways I can labor in the fields—to encourage others to hear the call of the Lord of the harvest, and to come work with us!