Better Jallah’s Vision for Liberia: How One Local Leader is Partnering to Bring Scripture to Remote Communities 

Scripture Available but Not Accessible 

The Kpelle speaking community in Liberia was the first to receive the full Scriptures in their language. The Bible was dedicated in 2014. The Lutheran Church in Liberia has continued training people in urban areas how to read, but many rural churches have not received literacy programs, or even Kpelle Bibles. 

Better Jallah wants to change this. After reading Scripture in Kpelle, Better knew he needed to help all Kpelle people to read God’s Word for themselves. He joined LIBTRALO (Liberia Translation and Literacy Organization). The staff, who received training many years ago by Alvina Federwitz and other LBT personnel, spent many years pouring into Better Jallah. 

Partnership Across Continents 

Alvina Federwitz now resides in the United States but keeps in touch with her former colleagues. LIBTRALO staff introduced her to Better Jallah through online communication, and he shared his vision for bringing literacy to remote communities. Alvina was overjoyed by his dedication to Kpelle literacy. At the time, Better Jallah needed an off-road vehicle that would assist him in reaching the off-road areas where many Kpelle people live, Bibles, and other training materials. Alvina is very active in the LWML and worked with her local branch to raise and send money for Jallah to purchase a motorcycle. Her local church also caught the vision and raised money for Bibles and other materials. 

Literacy Classes in Action 

Better Jallah has helped to open nine literacy classes in churches across the Kpelle speaking areas. When he travels to different churches for supervision visits, he travels around the village talking to people about the program, the importance, and shows them where to go and how to register. Momentum is building.  

When attendees arrive for class, they are greeted and then the instructor continues with the lesson from the book. This usually takes over an hour. After the book instruction, the class spends another hour in the Kpelle Bible. People are excited to learn, and Better sees healthy competition among students. Many have become Sunday school teachers or evangelists. 

Sustainability Efforts to Carry on the Work 

 While he could use a whole lot more material, Better continues to send Alvina pictures of what he is accomplishing with the little he has. The Kpelle literacy association has cultivated a small Cassava farm and sells the produce to support the program and secure materials on their own.