P. O. Box GP 13993, Accra, Ghana Tel: +233-302 - 508321, +233-302 - 506321; [email protected] ; www. theovision.org ANNUALANNUAL REPORTREPORT 2 0 1 3
IN THIS ISSUE: Fetish Priest turns to Christ; Burns down his idols New Challenges in 2013 Bible recordings
God’s Word for All (WFA) impact in Ashanti region of Ghana
Karim is now for Christ; read his dramatic conversion.
1500 people receive free medical care from Theovision/ HCJB Medical Outreach Team FROM THE PRESIDENT
KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE
Praise the Lord!
Friends, my heart is over owing with songs of praise to the Most High God, as I ponder over the beginning of Theovision International and the progress made over the years, especially the immense work that has been done this year.
When we began in 1989, all we had was a dream. A dream to reach the numerous non-readers of Africa with the Word of God in their mother tongue. This vision required us to record the Bible in many languages across Africa and to use these Audio Bibles in the mother tongue to reach out to people who cannot read or may not read. 24 years on, I am amazed at what the Lord is using our ministry to do. communities for the Bible listening program. Glory to His name. One of the exciting things that happened to Theovision By the grace of God, Theovision has recorded the this year is the partnership with Moody Radio (USA) to Bible in 294 languages spoken by 70% of people provide quality media training to over 200 people from 15 across 35 African countries. These Audio Bibles African countries. Moody Radio, one of the biggest include 16 new ones which were recorded this year in Christian Radio networks in USA responded to 12 African countries. Our recording teams who have Theovision’s training invitation and reached out with their been at the frontline of these recordings deserve a Global Partners Training program. Many of the big pat on the back for defying all odds and staying participants have written to attest to the usefulness of the the course. training to their Work. By God’s grace Moody Radio have agreed to provide another training next year June. Our Word for All (WFA) Bible Listening program has continued to engage the rural folks in the Word of Through it all, I am grateful to God for the friends and God through the organized Bible listening sessions. partners he has given us. This results could not have been About 70,000 people in Ghana and Kenya are achieved without your encouragement and support, dear listening to the Audio Bible in their mother tongue partners. I therefore dedicate the successes chalked this once every week. Some testimonies of impact have year to you. For every Bible recorded, every Bible listening been detailed in this report. group set up and for every soul won through these activities, you, our dear partners have kept the dream We have also continued our medical outreach Alive. program in the areas of great need, where the Bible listening programs are ongoing. Together with our Ayekoo!!! Well done! dear partners HCJB Global, we provided free medical care and treatment to about 1500 people in six di erent communities in Ghana this year. The medical Theodore Asare outreach has really opened up many other President of Theovision
02 ANNUAL REPORT AUDIO BIBLE RECORDINGS
recording team are always positive about any recording trip across Africa. Mark Adu Danso, Theovision’s Language Recording Manager says, “I have been recording the Bible for the past 17 years because I love what I do and the joy of seeing many lives transformed as a result of the Audio Bible gives us ful lment.” Theovision International is really blessed to have such dedicated servants of God who defy all odds to record the Bibles in the mother tongue that is transforming many lives in Africa.
For many years since its inception, Theovision NEW CHALLENGES IN 2013 BIBLE International has worked tirelessly to bring God’s RECORDINGS unadulterated Word to oral cultures in their mother tongue. With the mission to share Christ’s love and This year, Theovision’s recording team encountered His blessings with Africa’s numerous oral intense challenges that threatened their health and communicators, the organization records various delayed the recording process in some cases. The translations of the Bible into audio formats and Bibles were recorded in minor languages spoken makes it accessible to people who cannot read or by few people who live in some of the remotest may not read for various reasons. It takes a lot of parts of Africa. In these areas, there is little or no time and sacri ce to record the Bible into Audio in access to potable drinking water, no electricity; any language. decent accommodation is even very hard to come by. Our teams had to live in mud houses with When he started Theovision, Rev. Asare, CEO of thatched roofs in some places and often times they Theovision International, spent ve long years to fell sick on recording location and were not be able record the Akuapem Twi New Testament. to work for days. Approximately 20 years after, even with improved technology, the New Testament Bible still takes between 4-6 weeks to record, and the Old Testament 16-20 weeks.
Theovision International’s dramatized Bible recordings employ 25 readers. The recording is done within the particular language group and Theovision’s recording team travel twice to that area; to research and then to record. During the research, the team scouts for readers and proof readers and con rm their availability for the recording. They also identify any potential challenge to the Bible recording. They then travel a Alex draws water from a village well second time to begin the actual recording. They leave their families for weeks, settle in unfamiliar Following from the challenge of recording the Bible locations and work with people they have never in smaller languages was the unavailability of met to record the Bible in a language they may not readers. According Mark Adu Danso, “only a speak or understand. handful of the people can actually read.” In recording the Bible in these languages, our team Despite these demands on their work, the Bible had to resort to the prompting method whereby
ANNUAL REPORT 03 selected non-readers would have to repeat each ALEX ESCAPES DEADLY SCORPION STING sentence after someone who would read, for the entire process of recording. This made the process In April this year, Alex and Frank travelled to far painful and time consuming” away Koupor, Chad, one of the warmest places in Africa to record the Audio Bible in the Kera language. The temperature at the time was about 45 degrees and this was unbearable them. Frank said “at a point, we wanted to give up and return home but the dedication of the local people and the impact the Audio Bible in their language will have on them spurred us on.” Aside the heat, the presence of scorpions at night was scary and that worsened their situation. There was no electricity in the entire village and as a result it was very di cult for them to spot these deadly reptiles even with their torchlight. “Sometimes they came as close to our feet before Studio setup inside a mud house we could see them” Frank said. Alex recounted an incidence that happened to him Even more problematic is the unavailability of one night at their residence in Koupor. “We were all Christian readers in some non-Christian outside chatting when suddenly I felt something communities. It took the team four months instead moving around my right foot. Out of fear and panic of six weeks to record the Bible in one of the I jumped and shook my leg as hard as I could. To my languages in northern Nigeria because they surprise it was a big black scorpion.” “I have never couldn’t nd Christian readers. In some areas, been this frightened in my entire life.” he added. non-Christians who could read, also refuse to do so Frank summarized the experience and said “the because they were scared of being beaten or killed.” Lord stepped in for us. Otherwise Alex would have Even the lives of the Bible recording team were at received a deadly sting.” risk in some areas.
When the issue of no readers persisted, readers were own in from areas as far as 900 kilometers Below is the details of work done in 2013. distance with a missionary airplane provided by No Language Country Missionary Aviation Fellowship (AVF), to participate in the recording. Though a very costly venture, this 1. Chadian Arabic Chad had to be done so that people in that language 2. Lobiri Burkina group will also be redeemed for the Lord through 3. Kera Chad the Audio Bible in their mother tongue. 4. Pulaar Guinea Conakry One of the most di cult recordings was the Bible 5. Waama Benin recording in the Tyap language in Nigeria which had no Bible translation yet. Though time 6. Sekpele Ghana consuming and tiresome, this recording has also 7. Noon Senegal been completed. 8. Bekwarra Nigeria Despite the harsh circumstances that shook the 9. Kukele Nigeria faith of our recording teams this year, by the grace 10. Duruka Kenya of God, Audio Bibles were recorded in 16 African languages. 11. Lumsaaba Uganda 12. Tyap Nigeria With these new Bible recordings, Theovision has recorded the Bible in 294 languages across 35 13. Buamu Burkina Faso African countries. We give God the praise for Bible 14. Senoufo Djimini Cote d’Ivoire recording ministry. 15. Birifor Northern Burkina Faso 16. Boomu Mali
04 ANNUAL REPORT WORD FOR ALL BIBLE LISTENING PROGRAM
EVANGELIZING UNREACHED ORAL CULTURES and practicality.
During one such Bible listening sessions in a village church in Ghana for instance, it came to light that two of the young leaders of the church there had paramours (illicit lovers) within the church. To cover up their shameful act, they will always skip the portions of the Bible that spoke against such practices during churches service. Their lovers did not know that this was wrong. It was as the whole church listened through the entire Bible that they discovered that God’s Word was against those vices.
Bible Listening session at New Bakpa The Bible listening program may be unpopular today In Ghana and all over Africa, there are many people among the elite, but its usefulness for reaching the who cannot read or write. In fact, letters mean unreached oral cultures is laudable. We thank God for yet nothing to them. Even those who have been to another this tool that is the transforming lives through the school may not continue to read and write regularly power of His Word. after school. Through oral communication, these people have come to learn and pass along their Over 7000 people in the rural areas had the opportunity to culture, including their religious beliefs and practices. hear God’s Word in their mother tongue weekly this year. Through the organized Bible listening sessions, many Any ministry to these oral cultures must adopt church leaders have testi ed that church attendance has culturally approved oral forms in order improve the shot up, young people have developed a hunger for God’s impact of the message on the people. Unfortunately, Word, hard core criminals in some societies have almost all missionaries or missionary churches are surrendered their lives to Jesus and there has been literates and communicate with oral cultures through improved harmonious living among people in some literate means; which rarely speaks to the people. The communities. Bibles, tracts, Bible study outlines all come in printed forms which the people cannot read and in a By the grace of God, the Megavoice envoy, produced by language they may not understand. In fact, one and a one of Theovision’s partners in Israel was made available half billion people speaking over 4000 languages are for distribution. With the support from Theovision’s local still waiting to hear God’s Word in their own language. partners and donors many of these devices have been purchased and distributed to the listening groups. As a After 24 years of ministering to oral cultures with the result, many dormant listening groups have been revived Audio Bible in the mother tongue, Theovision and news ones have also been started. According to Mr. acknowledges the impact of such a ministry on the Ba our Awuah “many more communities are calling for people. When they hear the Word of God during the Bible listening program to come to their areas and Theovision’s organized weekly Bible listening with the introduction of these new devices, our work will sessions, they are often amazed and have an be greatly enhanced.” immediate response to that message. When they hear, the Word speaks to them in an indescribable Active Bible listening groups as at October 17, 2013 way. Category Listening Listeners groups per week Because it is in their own language, they are often Communities 59 1,392 captivated by the story and want to hear more. During these Bible listening sessions, a passage from Churches 364 11,190 the Audio Bible is played to the hearing of the people. Schools 107 42,830 They then share what they have heard, discuss Hospitals 5 3,500 various lessons learnt and seek clari cation where Prisons 8 1,171 necessary. This step by step Bible study approach has TOTAL 543 60,083 been highly commended by the people for its clarity ANNUAL REPORT 05 WFA TESTIMONIES
FETISH PRIEST TURNS TO CHRISTS; BURNS ALL HIS group to come and pray for me and help me to give my life IDOLS to Christ.” Today Peter has accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and A 60 year old fetish priest, popularly known as Kwaku personal Savior and has been baptized. He is now an active Pra from Ma dugame Volta region of Ghana recently member of the Bible listening group and has since joined forsook his idols and turned to Christ after joining a a local church in Ma dugame, where he lives. We thank Bible listening group in his village. According to John God for transforming the life of Peter. Osabutey, the leader of the Bible listening group “he called me one morning and said that he came to our A Koshe, Village of Attako Bible listening session and heard from our discussion how bar-Jesus the sorcerer became blind. He feared for his life so he wanted to give his life to Jesus Christ.” Subsequently all his idols were burnt by a team of Bible listening leaders, headed by Peter Holonyeku, Theovision’s missionary to the Volta region. “Before the Audio Bible came to our village, I worshiped Known in real life as Peter Kwaku Amaglo, the former Adani, an idol located in a village called Kraboa Coaltar, fetish priest, now born again had practiced sorcery near Suhum in the Eastern region of Ghana. I was the for the past 22 years. He inherited the gods from his priestess at the shrine. I remember that during a certain father and also received some additional powers from period nothing seemed to work for me and my family. We Niger when he worked as an articulator driver plying could not do anything meaningful with the proceeds that the Obuasi-Niger route. He only recently moved to came from our farm work. I did not bother to join the the Volta region from Obuasi in the Ashanti region of listening group when it started, but after a few visits by the Ghana, far away from his 3 wives and 15 children. Bible listening group leader, I decided to visit the listening group. I heard from the audio Bible that anyone who The events leading to Kwaku Pra’s conversion are believed in God would have their lives transformed. I both dramatic and timely. He said, “recently, a snake believed this and the next Sunday I attended church and entered my room and bit me twice. Even though I gave my live to Christ. I have left the shrine and even killed it, I was hospitalized for 14 days and everyone though I do not have much money now, I can experience thought I was dead. This has never happened to me some inner peace and I know that when I die I have a place before so when it happened I knew something was in heaven.” wrong. Many other bizarre things happened which made me start looking for help. One evening I saw Veronica Asor, Farmer and some people listening to the Word of God on some Porter from Bapka Alavanyo device. I joined them for the entire Bible listening session without uttering a word. They discussed the unfortunate end of bar-Jesus, a sorcerer like me who they described as a child of the devil and an enemy of anything that was right. I didn’t want to end up like “My family people were all born and placed under the bar-Jesus so when I came home I knew it was time for Yevu Cult. When I was born, the god of the Yevu cult said, I me to give up on the sorcery and surrender to God. A was the incarnate of my grandmother whose name was week after, I called the leader of that Bible listening Gbeda and had a position in the idol worshipping cult as a commander. I was given the name Gbeda after my grandmother. The village Pastor had come to preach to us from the written Bible but we rejected it. My father said that I held a position in the cult and so I could not become a Christian. One day I just decided to go to church. That time the people were listening to the audio Bible. As I listened, I realized that I was lost and needed to give my life to God. I have now renounced the occult and given my life to Christ. “ Before Veronica could complete her testimony she got dizzy and started falling down. The leaders quickly prayed for her and she was delivered from the demonic attack. Warm welcome for Kwaku Pra
06 ANNUAL REPORT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND HEALTH (CDH)
Community Development and Healthcare (CDH) Department of Theovision International was established in 2009 to cater for the health needs of Man receives free treatment for Elephantiasis; the communities where the Bible Listening gives his life to Christ after programs were running. Over the four years of Many came to receive healing and met the healer. setting up this department, Theovision with her One such is Tome Holoponu, who was carried to the partners, notably HCJB Global have provided medical outreach site in New Bakpa with portable drinking water, public places of elephantiasis. He was in so much pain and his strength convenience and education on preventive seem to be failing when he came. His case needed healthcare to the communities. Once a year, further treatment and the team decided to cater for Theovision and HCJB-Global also provide free that. medical screening, treatment and medicine for the people. This healthcare and development strategy Today, Tome’s condition has improved drastically. His has opened up many communities for the Word of wounds are fast healing after several weeks of God. treatment. Praise God! He has accepted Jesus Christ and is now an active member of the Bible listening THEOVISION/HCJB AKOMA NTOSO MEDICAL group in New Bakpa. He shares his testimony with the OUTREACH 2013 team; “After the medical outreach, many other communities are calling us to bring the Bible “I inherited Idol worship from my family. After years of listening program to their towns. They are ready to practice I realized that my leg was swelling up. There receive God’s Word.” This was the report of Mr. Peter was nobody to take me to the hospital because my Holonyeku, Theovision’s missionary in the Volta family had abandoned me due to my practice as an region, about the impact of the 2013 medical idol worshipper. When I heard about the medical team outreach in the region. The Volta region of Ghana is in our town, I begged someone to take me there and one of three regions of where six communities hoped for a miracle. I am grateful for the help they received free healthcare provided this year. have provided me. Glory to God now I can walk. I want to be baptized and the leaders are arranging for that.” Dubbed Akoma Ntoso, meaning linked hearts in Akan, the outreach provided free medical care and medicines to about 1,500 people in New Bakpa, Ma dugame, Dadogbe, Prampram, Mobole (A anya) and Nmai Dzorn.
Nene Tete, Paramount Chief of Mobole, one of the bene ciary communities thanked Theovision for bringing healing to his people and the four communities around him. Nene himself received treatment and medicine for his skin disease and when our team followed up after the outreach he Medical outreach team with village elders was completely healed.
ANNUAL REPORT 07