Update From Chad

Dear Friends,

The first week, Carla (a full time missionary) taught and Susan (my sister) and I translated into French. We trained a group of people who speak Sara Kaba Dem to use their primer to teach others how to read. The man who has been translating the Bible in this language attended the training. This was very helpful, and we enjoyed spending time with him. We taught in a church. The pastor of this church is so sweet. He has been blind for the past 5 years now, but he is full of God’s joy. His life is truly a testimony that God’s grace is sufficient for us.

The second week, we worked at the translation center here in Balimba. We have been living in the house of a retired missionary. Eight people came to help us write a new primer in Sara. The first day, we translated about 450 words from English to French then they translated them into their language. This list was used to build the lessons. After a few days, they became familiar with the idea of writing a short story and their imagination surpassed what we were expecting. J One man came to do the illustrations for this book. He has a lot of talent. 

The third week, on Monday they were done writing the lessons so our friends went home. Carla entered the information in her computer that week. I was able to rest for a few days. During the day, it has been about 85 degrees and 70 or 68 at night. Our Chadian sister Linda came to visit and we celebrated Thanksgiving with her. We had chicken since we couldn’t find a turkey J Turkeys don’t live in Chad. The two Chadian sisters that celebrated with us cooked some fish. During the afternoon, we had the students from the School of Theology come over for cake. Before Linda went back home, she edited the new Sara primer with Carla and Susan. This is Linda’s first language. God provided all the help we needed to put together this book. 

The fourth week, Susan and I traveled about 2 hours south to a city where they speak Rito (pronounced ree toe). There by the grace of God I was able to train twenty young men and women to use their primer. Susan helped me teach. Recently, Mr. K. has finished translating the New Testament. This is a good time for people to continue or start to learn how to read their language then they can read the New Testament when it is printed. 

This week, I am resting and I have had more time to spend in prayer. Next week, I will work on translating a few short projects and editing in French. The week after that, I will train some women so that they can begin to teach others how to read.

Please pray about the Christians who speak Sara, the last few months a false teacher has been preaching in their churches. People are following him because he appeals to their emotions. He is teaching, amongst other things, that all illness is a result of a personal sin. His work has been very destructive and the churches face the possibility of a separation. People need the word of God so that they can read the truth. The spiritual battle that is going on is so obvious here.  

Pray for Mr. K., the Rito translator, who has been losing his eyesight and he is in pain. The last surgery, he had, did not help him. He and his wife have also been going through very painful events like the loss of close family members. They are so Christ like. God taught me a lot through them.

When I start to feel like life is so unfair for the believers here, the words of a hymn keep coming to my mind ‘Lest I forget thine agony, Lest I forget thy love for me, Lead me to calvary.’ The suffering of those who are faithful to God is a witness of the suffering of Christ on the cross. I cannot forget what He has done for me!!!

In His grace,

Claire Hossack