Scripture in Use
Jeff and I had the opportunity to visit a small town about an hour and a half from Durban with a local church ministry team. This team provides encouragement, spiritual guidance and medical advice to people with HIV/AIDS and those that are in some other way affected by the disease.
It has been reported that millions of people in South Africa are infected, and the infection rate is the highest in the world. This area has one of the highest infection rates in the country. One of the pastors of the church we visited said that they wanted to respond, but didn’t know how. A doctor at the church spearheaded a program to meet the needs of those infected by HIV and AIDS in the community. It started as a small hospice program. Soon they found that many patients were not dying but were recovering enough to return to work and daily life. The ministry changed its focus. While the hospice remains open, each week follow up is done with patients not in the hospice. Volunteers check on each patient’s well being (including a medical questionnaire) and conduct a Bible study with the patient and anyone else the patient invites to participate. We each went with small groups to check on a few patients. To us the people we visited did not look ill. The antiviral drugs that many people take, while not a cure, do allow people to have healthier, longer lives. People that live longer can continue to care for their families, contribute to the larger society through their work and interact with their communities in a meaningful way.
We were in a Zulu area, so many of the people we visited only spoke Zulu. The Bible study and much of the rest of the content of our visit was done in the Zulu language. Seeing the Zulu Bible in use reminded me that this is what we desire to see in all the language communities where Scriptures are being translated. The Scriptures in a language the community understands best being used not only in church but also to address relevant current needs, even providing encouragement to those struggling with affects of HIV/AIDS. A woman in the photo above committed her life to Christ after the Bible study was complete.
Zulu is one of the 11 national languages of South Africa.
What about the families where parents have died from AIDS? The church also responded by starting a ministry for child-headed homes. They offer child-care for younger siblings and assistance with studies for the child heading the home. This is a critical care component giving children who lead their families the opportunity to complete their education. However, the life of a child who has suddenly been thrust into adulthood, is not easy. Learn more about child-headed homes.
Learn more about how Wycliffe is addressing HIV/AIDS.
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