Samuel had been waiting for this for twenty years. At last the day of the New Testament dedication arrived. The celebration began with hundreds of Christians singing, chanting, cheering, carrying banners, and marching through the town. Samuel is a Makonde man from Mozambique. He and other believers were celebrating the arrival of the New Testament in their language for the first time, both in print and audio formats. The parade which began as a few dozen people crescendoed into over a thousand Mozambicans rejoicing in the town center. Even the of the vendors selling in the market and the truck drivers lounging in the street stopped to watch the joyful procession.

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Samuel sang and danced along with his people, with a broad smile shining across his face. At the dedication, Samuel had the chance to say what the New Testament in the Makonde language meant to him, “The greatest of all poverties is Bible poverty! Now, we have the Bible in our own language. That poverty has ended!” 

 

A visitor asked Samuel if the translated Scriptures had made an impact. Makonde after Makonde lined up to tell stories of what Jesus had done for them through the new translation: radical change from wife beating to love in the home, from drug addiction and alcoholism to steadiness and safety, from conflict to reconciliation.

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At the close of the ceremony, Bibles were sold for 50 Meticais each (roughly $1.70 USD). Within the next two hours, over 2,100 were sold, with another 2,000 sold by the end of the weekend.

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As the New Testament was being translated into Makonde, Samuel learned something new about God — that just like the Makonde, God also values generosity and sharing. Makondes value these traits in their community above all else, and anyone who doesn’t live them out is called “a person who eats alone” — one of the greatest insults a Makonde can receive.

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Reading the New Testament in Makonde showed people that God not only values generosity and sharing, but that He also displayed the greatest act of generosity and sharing when He gave His one and only Son as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. And because of that sacrifice, we have the opportunity to live with Him forever.

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Samuel shared about this at the New Testament dedication. “Our God is not a grasping God. He is not a keep-it-to-yourself God. Because of His love for us, and His desire to bring us to heaven, He did not hang on to His Son. Truly our God does not eat alone!”

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And that day, as this community in Mozambique gathered together to celebrate the gift of the New Testament in their own language with music, dancing and feasting, no Makonde had to eat alone either.