Sudan (MNN) — After a year-long wait, the Dinka Rek
people of southern Sudan
have finally received 30,000 copies of the New Testament in their own
language. An outdoor
dedication ceremony was held on April 20, with a local
governor and a representative from the State Legislative assembly attending.
The New Testaments had arrived in Wau,
the central city of the region, after waiting for six months for clearance from
customs. The authorities charged
Wycliffe for the cost of storing the New Testaments while they were waiting for
clearance. God provided the money to pay
for the storage, and the New Testaments were released from customs.
There are about 500,000 speakers of
Dinka Rek in southwestern Sudan. According to SIL International, they also use
Sudanese Arabic, but they have never before had copies of the New Testament in
their very own language.
In February, 1,000 copies of the New
Testament reached an area where Dinka churches were experiencing a lot of
growth. It was reported that "those who received the New Testaments understood them
perfectly and were excited." Praise
God for His faithfulness to His people, even during a terrible civil war.
