WINTER 2021 Sower. BIBLE SOCIETY AUSTRALIA. OPEN THE BIBLE AT HOME 2 OPEN THE BIBLE AT HOME s I write this, the team at Bible Society is working feverishly on the End of Financial Year Appeal, focussing on Bible Society’s missional work at home. Many of you are passionate about our Indigenous translation work, forA instance. As I am! The Bible Translation process outlined in our Autumn Sower demonstrates the complexity and biblical thoroughness of the work. In this Sower, you will read about projects our Remote Indigenous Ministry Support (RIMS) team is undertaking alongside different Aboriginal communities and other translation partners. Earlier this year, a group of Christian leaders in the not-for-profit, church and education areas came together at our national Parliament House to discuss a Church Community Restoration Project with the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and other politicians. This enabled an impromptu meeting with the Minister for Indigenous Affairs (and Nyoongar man) Ken Wyatt. We had the privilege of presenting Minister Wyatt with a copy of the Book of Ruth in Nyoongar, along with Our Mob, God’s Story, and to talk with him about how we can best partner with Government in serving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. I pray that your heart will be moved as you read in this Sower about the people at the centre of our projects: how some of our Bible Society partners have been impacted by COVID-19; the delight of parents as they sign up their new offspring for a Toddler Bible through our ‘Bibles for Bubs’ program; and the work of school chaplains as they help young students understand this big, complex world. Thank you for your prayer and financial support. Your commitment is helping us honour our commitments to our project partners in Opening The Bible to all people, both here in Australia and overseas. “...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8, NIV GOD BLESS, Grant Thomson CEO, BIBLE SOCIETY AUSTRALIA BIBLE SOCIETY AUSTRALIA 3 “I pray that your heart will be moved as you read this Sower...” 4 OPEN THE BIBLE AT HOME Open The Bible At Home For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ - Galatians 5:14, NIV BIBLE SOCIETY AUSTRALIA 5 TO ALL PEOPLE. BY ALL MEANS POSSIBLE. 6 First Nations Two translators share their personal stories of what it is like to bring God’s word into their own heart languages – for the first time. BIBLE SOCIETY AUSTRALIA 7 ore than half of all Aboriginal and “Once you put your mind to it, you can really Torres Strait Islander peoples are translate anything into Adnyamathanha,” says Christians.* Only one Indigenous Lily, who grew up speaking it with her parents. language in Australia, Kriol, has a A regular at church “from Sunday School up”, Mfull Bible translation. Lily feels a sense of pride about being able to put Christian resources into her people’s own words. Let that sink in. “I didn’t think it would be easy like that; well, The vast majority of First Nations brothers I find it easy anyway to translate anything. I do and sisters in Christ do not have God’s word my best. I travel by the grace of the Lord and in their heart language. That’s a precious gift that’s how I’m getting that work done. I believe so many of us simply take for granted. While that by faith you can do anything, especially about 22 Indigenous languages have, at least, keeping the language going.” one complete Old or New Testament book, there are about 120 Indigenous languages spoken in “It’s very important to me. I don’t want to lose Australia today. the Adnyamathanha language.” Bridging this gap in access to Scripture is According to the 2006 Census, only 107 people why Bible Society Australia remains intent on spoke Adnyamathanha at home. But the number backing translations in Indigenous languages. of First Peoples who identify as Adnyamathanha Like you, we see the importance of this to is much higher. Lily hopes God’s Story for identity and culture, as well as the eternal value the Outback is one positive way for the next of Opening the Bible to all people. generation to do two things at once – nurture the words of Lily’s heart language, and also be Recently, the Adnyamathanha people – from changed by words of God. the area now known as the northern Flinders Ranges in South Australia – had a breakthrough. “I would like them to get the knowledge and Not only was a hymn book of church songs understanding and pleasure out of reading this published in Adnyamathanha for the first time book,” Lily says of a book about “Jesus’ story”. (‘Tyurtya Udiapinha’) but so was a children’s book and CD, God’s Story for the Outback. “I really was excited to get this published.” Critical to both was sole translator Lily Neville. “Now, my little ones – the grand kids – can After surprising herself years ago about how read it and learn. I know there are a couple of she could translate the Lord’s Prayer into her them on the road to doing the Adnyamathanha heart language, Lily hopes to inspire others to language. I’m thinking positive that they will get translate more and more. involved in this.” cont. page 8 8 OPEN THE BIBLE AT HOME from page 7 Luke, which took about 20 years, due to the “exhaustive process” of language work that “became the template for later translations.” The second biblical Nyoongar text was the Old Testament book of Ruth, which Little completed single-handedly last year – in just four months. “I was extremely lucky that about 98 per cent of the language I needed for Ruth was already embedded in Luke,” Little says. “I believe that by faith But shared words were not the reason Ruth was you can do anything, picked. “It was logical to do Ruth next because especially keeping the I grew up in a household of strong-willed and faith-filled women. My mother and my aunts are language going.” all Christians.” - Lily Neville The Nyoongar translation of the book of Ruth More translation work is coming Lily’s way, now is “absolutely” a tribute to these women, says she is known for doing it. The hardest thing Little. “I made it perfectly clear to them that the for Lily is she is alone. Translating by herself. reason I chose Ruth was because of the example Not that she dwells on that. Having done the that they had set me.” song book and kids book, Lily is confident in her skills, something Tom Little – an elder of Even with the increased rate of Ruth’s the Bindjareb/Bibbulmun people – also has completion compared with Luke, Little still is developed into a powerful tool for God’s work. not sure the whole Bible can be translated into Nyoongar during his lifetime. He’s keen to give Little’s mum and his aunts told him to help them it a go, though, with ongoing support from Bible translate the Bible into their heart language. He Society Australia, its Remote and Indigenous knew what the right answer was. Ministry Support team, and the vital help of experts such as Rev. Dr. John Harris, Bible “When they gang up on you and tell you to Society’s translation consultant. Harris has jump, you only ask, ‘How high?’” says Little been Little and the Nyoongar committee’s main with serious jest, thinking back to how he first translation and theological sounding board. became involved with the Nyoongar Bible Translation Committee around 1995. A few Little was recently commissioned by a priest years earlier, Little’s mother and aunts became friend to translate one famous passage. “I’m founding members of the committee helping to working on the Sermon on the Mount at the keep alive the Nyoongar language (originating moment – Matthew chapters 5 to 7,” reveals from south-west Western Australia). Little, adding that Bible Society Australia has got behind this translation. “They said to me, ‘You’ve got to come to help us to do this’”, says Little. “I said, ‘Hang on, you “I will go back and finish Matthew completely. speak the language better than I do.’ They said, Then, I want to go back to the top and start ‘Yeah, but you remember better than we do.’” again.” Return to where it all began – Genesis? Little says that since God’s word began to be “Yes.” translated into Nyoongar, two books have been completed. The first was the Gospel of *2016 Australian Census 9 Masterclass Meet Maddie and Abigail, two high school students who have had their faith impacted by Bible Society’s Masterclass. cont. page 9 TO ALL PEOPLE. BY ALL MEANS POSSIBLE. 10 OPEN THE BIBLE AT HOME Maddie Maddie’s faith and Masterclass addie grew up in a Christian home minority at school, and as she says, “Being in and her heart has always been the minority is hard, no matter who you are or consumed with sharing God with where you are.” her friends. “I was at a church camp Mbefore I started year 7 with a friend who was not While her friends ask her questions about her a Christian, and I remember really caring that faith and are open to conversations, Maddie says she listened and understood about who God is.