Colombia (MNN) — The internal conflict in Colombia has the U.N. naming it one of the most violent countries in the world. Each year, 30,000 people die as a result of the violence, and there are four million internally displaced people.
That's where Book of Hope comes in. Half of those 4 million IDPs are youth. Richard Luna says the challenge here is great. "Because the challenge is great, if you will, anytime there is a deep, deep cross, the power, the sovereign, the resurrection becomes that much more impacting."
As Book of Hope aims to reach every child, they realize that also naturally means reaching every tribe. There are 79 tribal groups in Colombia.
Native missionaries have begun translating the first eight tribal languages for the GodMan and the narrated Book of Hope. "We're now in the third wing of missionaries, and that is tribal missionaries mobilized to reach their own people. So we're learning now that we're reaching through the tribal groups themselves,and the indigenous leaders themselves. They are the translators, they are the linguists, they are the distributors," said Luna.
Luna says this project is especially significant because "it's the first time ever that four of these groups will have an engagement with Scripture. It's the first Scripture portion they will read. So for us, it's great that the God of big numbers–you know 10 million, one million–is also the God of each child and the God of each tribe."
Luna said they are grateful for these indigenous workers. "Children are being reached," he said.
