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Dedication - March 2006
Kera celebration huge success!
Kera find new friendship!
Well over 2000 people descended on the village of Koupor on Saturday 25th February to celebrate the arrival of the Kera New Testament. Saturday's event was possibly the biggest celebration ever for the Kera people. 3500 copies of the New Testament (entitled 'New Friendship') had been printed by the Bible Society in Korea. The Kera were thrilled to see the smart covers and clear print. About 2000 copies were sold on the day and it won't be long before they are sold out! Thanks to donations from as far away as Canada and England, the price was reduced from £1 to 50p on the day of the event and the New Testament remains at 50p for women who have completed literacy classes (to encourage them to have copies as well as their husbands!)
A large shelter was constructed for the benefit of visitors - including the chief of the county, the representative of the sous-prefect, the president of the Lutheran Brethren church synod, the director of the Bible Society in Chad, the representative of the Catholic bishop and other political and church leaders. An area was roped off for parking and there appeared to be several hundred bikes parked as well as a few cars. An arena was marked out with rope to enable groups to enter for singing and dancing and to give space for a contingent of people taking photos and videos. Mary and Jackie were placed in seats in the front row and Mary was pleased to see that her name on the seat was spelt 'Marie Peace'! A sound system enabled everyone to hear what was going on, but some of the Kera decided they couldn't see enough so they climbed up trees and spent 3 ½ hours up there with their legs dangling from branches!
Music: Authentic comeback!
Despite a slightly tentative start during the first song, the enthusiasm and joy of the Kera people was clearly evident in the singing and dancing of all the remaining songs, which were specially written for the event. It is interesting to note that although a few years ago certain rhythms and instruments were not allowed in the church because of their association with music used in festivals for spirits, the authentic Kera rhythms were enthusiastically welcomed and demonstrated in the new celebratory songs with the accompaniment of drums, flutes and an atoltom, a low sounding pipe with a gourd on the end.
The dancing was so animated that the people in the middle were in danger of having a coughing fit from the dust thrown up! There were only a few songs during the event as some of the visitors had time restrictions due to the return journey, but the Kera enthusiasm for singing was also in evidence before and after the event. The night before, many young people sang and danced through the night. It is doubtful that many people in Koupor got much sleep - but the joy was infectious and most people didn't seem to mind.
Travel: Koupor rush hour
The day before the celebration, a strange sight hit residents of Koupor. Three cars arrived in convoy containing mostly non-Chadians! Then the following day an MAF plane brought even more! 26 members of SIL (Wycliffe's sister organisation) attended the event. That was quite a sight to behold for the average resident of Koupor. The journey by road took about 7 hours each way, but it seemed that all the visitors thought the journey worth the effort.
Food: Food, glorious food!
As the Kera people often suffer famine (and will again this year), an important part of any festival is the food! This celebration was considered a great success in this respect - as demonstrated by some young people who carried the head of a cow on their shoulders during one of the songs. This was not some strange ritual that had entered into the event, but just a way of them thanking God for this celebration including all the lovely food they were about to eat! Beef is normally reserved for special events as cows are used as payment in weddings - so an event with at least 4 cows on the menu is really special!
The food theme was also applied to the New Testament. One pastor encouraged others to eat it - presumably metaphorically! In Jackie's speech, the food theme also surfaced. She told a story about a man who was suffering from severe hunger. One day a friend saw how this man suffered and he donated a huge sack of millet. The man was thrilled and he tucked it away safely in a storage place. A few weeks later, the friend returned to find him and his family dying from hunger. He said, 'But where is the millet I gave you?' The man said, 'Oh, I still have it. It is safely hidden in my store' and he showed him the nice looking, unopened sack! Jackie applied this to the New Testament stating that some people might buy the book and be very proud of it, but then they might put it on a shelf or in a box to keep it safe and never open it. She pointed out that in that case, the New Testament would be as effective as an unopened sack of millet during a famine. Several speakers encouraged the Kera to read their New Testaments and to digest the contents. Even civil leaders who have not necessarily expressed any interest in Christianity were encouraging the Kera to do the same.
Fashion: Colourful cloth
Another important part of a big celebration in Chad is that special material is designed and worn by all who can afford it. At this event, around 200 people including Mary and Jackie were wearing bright orange outfits which proclaimed that this was the day of the Kera New Testament (in Kera and French).
It was an impressive sight. Mary found it odd when the soldier guarding the plane started to read her outfit! But it was a good conversation starter!
Colour was also added to the ceremony by a very attractive banner that was made by Grantham Baptist Church and sent to Chad with Mary. The banner was hung from two trees at the entrance to the arena and proclaimed in Kera that: Jesus said 'The sky and the earth will be no more, but my message will last forever'. The banner was appreciated by a number of people and it really added to the sense of occasion.
Culture: Ceremony highlights
The best moment for many was when young people brought in boxes of New Testaments, singing, 'The New Testament is here, it's here!' At the front, two young men who had been very involved in testing the translation proudly held up a copy each. There was such joy on their faces and such enthusiasm in their dancing that no-one remained unmoved.
They then handed the New Testaments to Mary and Jackie who did their best to dance with the same enthusiasm. (Jackie did so successfully and Mary…well, she had good intentions!)
After a few speeches, some of the key people involved in the Kera project and representatives of the church, SIL and the authorities were presented with copies of the New Testament. The president of the translation committee had a few words for each one. When the director of SIL Chad received hers, she was surprised by general laughter - the president of the committee had told her in Kera that she must read the Kera New Testament every day! As she only knows two words in Kera, I don't think she has followed this instruction! Shortly after this, a line of Kera translators and literacy workers could be seen totally absorbed by the books they had just received, with joy on their faces as they saw that God spoke their language!
Health: Update on Philippe
This paper has previously reported on the Kera literacy administrator, Philippe. Last year, he had an operation, having been ill for some time. There were complications following the operation and it wasn't clear that he would recover.
We are now pleased to report that he was able to attend the ceremony and that he was in good spirits. He probably will need another operation however as his stomach muscles can not take any stress at the moment which means he can't lift anything or do any work in his fields. But he was pleased to be able to join in the celebrations and he certainly appeared to be enjoying himself.
Book Review: New Friendship
More than 2000 people climbed over each other to try to get their copy of this book. They were eventually satisfied as later that evening there was a steady trail of happy looking people in orange outfits making their way home, each clutching a black book.
Aidjo: Our New Testament has finally arrived. It is like Simon and Andrew waiting to meet Jesus! We need to eat this book!
Kuuri: Thank you to all the people back home who have supported us. They made this day happen. We now have God's Word in our language!
Philippe: I'm full of joy over the New Testament.
Mary: It gave me great joy to see joy on the faces of the Kera seeing God speak their language. I like to think that there was also joy in heaven - especially for my parents and friends who are already there - I can imagine them dancing Kera style in celebrating this event!
The day closed with a few hundred people staying to watch the Jesus film in French. Many responded to the film by saying they wanted to begin a new friendship with God. These people could now read for themselves in their own language how to begin and cultivate such a friendship.
Weather: Rain, glorious rain!
God also had his say on what he thought of this special day. For the Kera, the rain is a sign of blessing from God - but as it NEVER rains in February in Chad, no-one expected it to do so on this occasion. However, normal weather patterns are no restriction to the Creator, so he arranged for a few drops to fall the night before the ceremony and then - just in case we hadn't got the message - he arranged for fifteen minutes of rain in the night after the ceremony!
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