Scripture Impact

00:00
Pontsho Mosweu
We know that Bible is the word of God in which God communicates with people. It’s a tool that we use in our daily lives. 

00:18
Rich Rudowske
Welcome to the essentially translatable podcast brought to you by Lutheran Bible translators. I’m rich Friedowski. 

00:23
Emily Wilson
And I’m Emily Wilson. And today we have a special episode where you, rich, went to where. 

00:31
Rich Rudowske
Yeah, I was privileged to be given a couple of months away by Lutheran Bible translators to go to Botswana for doctoral research and to go back and live in the village I used to live in with my family and talk to a lot of folks, and especially the translators on the Shikalahari project. And one of those is Ponzo Maue, who we’re going to talk today. 

00:53
Emily Wilson
And tell us a little bit about. 

00:55
Rich Rudowske
Ponzo Ponso is a deaconess in the lutheran church, and she came to the project back in 2011. At that time, my family and I were new in the country, and the project had a committee that was starting to publicize the project, wanted us to go from place to place and wanted somebody to help me with language learning. So they asked the lutheran church if they would suggest any candidates to do that. They put forward a couple of candidates who applied, and ultimately we brought Ponceo on board. So she joined us in 2011 and started by just working with me, doing a little translation and language learning. And then when the project got into the mode to actually begin the production part of Bible translation, they kept her on as a Bible translator. 

01:41
Emily Wilson
So you’re going to be listening in with this interview, but just a quick couple of notes here. So, if I remember correctly, English is not her first language, her second language. Is it her third language? 

01:53
Rich Rudowske
Yes. 

01:53
Rich Rudowske
English is her third language. Right. So the mother tongue first language, Shikalahari, the language of the Bible translation, and then Setswana is a language spoken throughout southern Africa. It’s a national language in Botswana. And then English is what she’s conducted the interview in, but not her first language. 

02:12
Emily Wilson
And. Okay, so also, because just a word of warning or like a little disclosure, you are on the road. So not the studio mics necessarily. So you’re going to hear all of the environment is. 

02:30
Rich Rudowske
This interview was done in the house I lived in the village, and rural villages in Botswana are noisy. So all those sights and sounds, I’m. 

02:39
Rich Rudowske
Talking with a little bit of a. 

02:41
Rich Rudowske
Different accent so that Ponso can understand me, because American English is not easy for most people to understand, honestly, who aren’t native speakers and then listen in. 

02:50
Emily Wilson
As Ponzo shares a little bit about her involvement and the work of the Shikalahari Bible translation team. 

03:05
Rich Rudowske
All right. Welcome to you Ponzo. 

03:08
Pontsho Mosweu
Okay, thank you. 

03:09
Rich Rudowske
Okay, tell us about how you found out about the Bible translation project. Why you applied to work for the project. 

03:16
Pontsho Mosweu
Okay. The first time I found about this project, it was when I was in MAU after completing my course for diploma for theology. I was just there in MAU, voluntary in our congregation at Truth of habitation center. And that time I was just alone. I was not waking. And it comes through our head office for our church, different church. It was sent to all deans in our church. That time the general secretary sent it to all the congregations. So my dean at that time, Mayambo called me and told me that there is an advertisement for a post in Shakarahar’s Bible translation. As I know you are Shakarahar speaker. Maybe you can come and try your luck. So I went there to the church and I take all the papers which was advertised. Then I went home. Then I applied for the job. 

04:38
Pontsho Mosweu
I think it was 2009 when I applied for a job. Then I sent it through the head office. I have to fax to the general secretary of ELCB. Then I waited. But it took long time for them to respond. Keep on asking when are you going to call us for the interview? Or they have already found someone waking in Bible translation and say, no, it’s still on the process. They will tell you when is the right time. So I applied 2009. I waited 2010. Then 2011, I think September. It was on September or August somebody phoned me, right? 

05:40
Rich Rudowske
Yeah, probably was me. 

05:42
Pontsho Mosweu
Yeah, it was. Richard Rudowski told me that we are calling for the interview for Shakalahad Bible translation. Oh, I was very excited to hear that because I was in the middle of something. But he allowed me to do what I did. Then I came for the interview. Then I came for the interview here in gam. I was interviewed by him and the late Reverend Lukutlan who was the AC advisor committee member at that time. After I was doing the oral interview and the written interview. Then the next day I went to MAU. So they told me that we will call you afterwards if we find that you are a suitable person we have selected to the project. Then I went back to MAU with a hope that they will call me back. So I waited maybe for two weeks. 

06:50
Pontsho Mosweu
After two weeks they called me to come and report to work. Then I came to come 2011, September to start with my work. 

07:03
Rich Rudowske
All right. Talk about the Bible and its importance in your life. 

07:09
Pontsho Mosweu
The importance of Bible into my life as Christian. We know that Bible is the word of God in which God communicates with people. And a Bible is a very important tool in every Christian. Every Christian is a tool that we use in our daily life because we communicate through. We communicate with God through Bible. We read the scriptures. We read the comforting verse. It comfort us when we face difficulties in our life. When we find that we face difficulties in our life. We read Bible to comfort us. Like as I quoted from two corinthians, chapter one, verse three, the Bible comfort us. It bring us close to God. Also, the Bible lead us to repentance as we know the christians. We tend to God or how we live or our formerly lives. 

08:30
Pontsho Mosweu
We tend to God through reading some scriptures that will lead us to repentance. Also, it gives us courage. It encourage us when we face obstacles in our life. We know that Jesus Christ is our Lord and savior. He’s our redeemer. He protects us against all evils. Also, the Bible guides us. It leads us to the way of God, how we should live. The principles of christians, how christians should live, like I say, it guide us as christians. Sometimes there are some way we fall or the devil want us to take us from the way. But when we read the Bible, it lead us to the way of God, and that this is the way we should live as christians. Also, it is a tool that each and every Christian should have, is defend us from all the evils of this world. 

09:48
Pontsho Mosweu
Also, the Bible is to reconcile us with God as we read the Bible. As you maybe having, or you have troubles at home, you have some argument. You have at church, you have some argument. We refer to Bible always as a Christian. Our tool is Bible. That’s where we find guidance. That’s where we find reconciliation. 

10:19
Rich Rudowske
Okay, that’s very true. So then obviously the Bible is important to you and that’s why you want to help your people have it in their own language. 

10:28
Pontsho Mosweu
Yeah. To read it in the language of their heart so that they can understand it deeply, how God communicates with them. 

10:39
Rich Rudowske
Yeah. So then you came to the project, and at the beginning, of course, you assisted me on some things, and then when it was time to begin translation, we made you a translator in the project as well. When we got to that point, what was challenging for you as the project was just beginning? 

10:56
Pontsho Mosweu
At the beginning of the project, yeah. The first challenge was the language. The language of. Because as we know that it was only a spoken language, it was not a written language. So it was challenging. I didn’t even know how to write it. I didn’t even know how to read it. But through practice and my eagerness to learn Chalarati, I was able to face those challenges. 

11:29
Rich Rudowske
Yeah. So in a language that’s never been written down before, how do you write it down? What do you do to learn that? 

11:37
Pontsho Mosweu
Okay. Our language, as I said, it is not a written language. It was a spoken language. But there were some expect that Dr. Manaka and others who are working in the university, they tried their effort to put an autograph of Shakara Hari. So the first orthography of Shakarahadi, though there was some words that had agree with them that way. At that time, when I was taking this project, we need to look at them and change them. At that time to time when we started the project, we had to change some of the orthography. We have to make some correction where it was possible. 

12:24
Rich Rudowske
Okay. So as you do this type of work, you become an expert in your language and then you go around and talk to people about their own language and you become sort of an ambassador for it. So when you go around to different villages and talk about the work of the translation, how do people receive you? 

12:43
Pontsho Mosweu
The first interesting work that I will never forget is that when I. It was 2012, when I was still on this project, we recorded the Christmas story in Chakalakan. So it was our first try to see whether we will work to people. So you produce cds and you just read to people. I didn’t even know that you were given it to people. 

13:21
Rich Rudowske
Okay. 

13:21
Pontsho Mosweu
So when I came back from the holidays, I heard many people. We heard you speaking in the CGS. Look how our Shakalaji, it was now spoken. It can be written, it can be all those sort of story. And people were very excited. I remember one man, he’s the headman at the Hapayana. That man came to me. I said I had the Shakalahari CD and I heard the voice, but it was very nice. And I remember again, other time were at Budibe and one of my colleague was. One of my colleagues was reading the Shakala Khadi. And the man who was sitting there, she was nearly to cry because he was the first to hear shakala had been written. Being read in the Bible. 

14:21
Rich Rudowske
Yeah. So when you get that chance to let people hear for the first time from the Bible, what’s your favorite story about that? Somebody that’s hearing it for the first time? 

14:30
Pontsho Mosweu
Yeah. Like I said, that’s the one from. He was very excited, that man. He said, we are going there. I didn’t know that Shekhalahad can be even put written and be written even in the pyramid. When I was first hear the recording, it was very beautiful. It was sound nice in my ears. Yeah. 

15:03
Rich Rudowske
So now that you’re coming close to the completion of the New Testament, what are some of the challenges that you still face to get it finished and published? 

15:12
Pontsho Mosweu
The challenges? 

15:13
Rich Rudowske
Yeah. 

15:16
Pontsho Mosweu
I think one challenge that we all know the global challenge is Covid. That is the challenge that we faced because I think by now maybe we could talk now holding our Shakalakad Bible in our hands, but due to the COVID and due to we couldn’t do other things, we have to go for the lockdowns, we have to do other things and we have to adapt to the new normal. And those things also affected the process. Other challenge is the literacy. As you know that some people only speak Kalahati, but they could not read it and write it. As we know that even now, some people have their own way of writing Shakalahat. So that will be the challenges. 

16:19
Pontsho Mosweu
When they see the shakalahat that we have written in the Bible, they will say, no, that is not the way how us write it or how. Because every person has its own, his or her own way of writing Chakalaka. 

16:39
Rich Rudowske
So you mentioned the late Dean Lakutlani, who was there at the beginning of the project back in 2010, and he said, it has always been my dream, even when I was in theological college, that one day my own people, the Bakalahari, could have the scriptures in their own language. So for me, this is a golden opportunity to do that. So when you think about some of those founding fathers, like Dim Lakutlani or Marudi Karikhatta and others who have gone on now to be with the Lord, but the project is getting close to publishing the New Testament. How does it feel to be part of making that dream come true? 

17:14
Pontsho Mosweu
Those founding fathers has played a huge role in this project. Their aim was to hold Bible into their language, into their hands. And you remember the story in the Bible when Simone, when Baby Jesus was brought to Simon for the first time, Simon was very happy and he said, I have received the salvation, the God’s salvation, which was prepared in the sight of all people. I think those forefathers also, they have received that salvation that was prepared before all people. They have received what they have, though they are not in our life. But I think the generation after them, they will receive that light and they will continue to walk on that light. Their patience, their perseverance, their eagerness in this project is a very creative watch. 

18:30
Rich Rudowske
Yeah, for sure. So when you think about the launch event, which will come sometime in the near future, hopefully, have you thought about what it will be? How do you picture it? 

18:43
Pontsho Mosweu
Sometime when I’m alone, I can just shut my eyes and say, hey, I imagine a huge crowd coming from all over Botswana, from Shakawe, from Hugundi up to Maung, coming here to witness the shakar and to testify to people that this is the reality. 

19:16
Rich Rudowske
Yeah, it’s going to be good. 

19:19
Pontsho Mosweu
Yeah. 

19:20
Rich Rudowske
So as we think about your ongoing work and ministry, how can the folks listening to this program be praying for you? 

19:26
Pontsho Mosweu
I think this work is not easy as people think. We sacrifice our time. We sacrifice everything. And it is hard because now you are doing the work that at the end of the day, it’s not yours. It’s for benefit of all people. It’s benefit for the people of God. It has to bring people closer to God. So as you know that women, as human beings, we have some weakness. Sometimes you get tired, sometimes you get angry. Sometimes you say, I forgive up. I can quit this job. I don’t want to be doing it again. But they can pray for me, that I should always be there because this is the calling from God. I think God call us for this job. He called us to do his work and take his work to people. So God is using us in this project. 

20:42
Pontsho Mosweu
So they should always pray for us such that we can. Even when we face those, sometimes we are far from our families, sometimes we are far from our kids, so that God will strengthen us and carry on his mission. 

21:02
Rich Rudowske
Okay. Yeah. It’s a privilege to pray for you and to be working with you. So thank you for your time today with us and God’s blessings. 

21:12
Pontsho Mosweu
Thank you. 

21:21
Emily Wilson
So that was an awesome interview with Ponzo, and I just love her just being real about all along the way. It was not an overnight, like, oh, you know, I applied and then voila, I am suddenly on the team and it’s going so great. There have been so many steps along the way of, like, here I’m going to submit my application and that a couple of years passed before actually culminating and the team coming together and you reaching out and Covid, there’s so many elements that it’s beyond the control of just a team member and Honso saying, please pray for me. That the commitment to the program, but also that God’s word might be in the people, their language. Shikalahari speakers are hungry for God’s word and just that persistence, just that perseverance. I loved hearing that. 

22:28
Rich Rudowske
Yeah. 

22:28
Rich Rudowske
Listening in again. Also, it was really meaningful to hear. Just put it out there explicitly that this is work we do and we do it for other people. It’s not just something that is for myself and to benefit myself. And so that comes with a different set of challenges and a certain level of commitment that she certainly has shown through the project and its life. 

22:50
Emily Wilson
Yeah. And so we just want to encourage you all to keep Shakalahari Bible translation program, like all of those efforts, into your prayers. And if you’re interested in learning more about the program, you can go to lbt.org and you’ll find an opportunity to see the programs and you’ll find Shakalahari in that list. So do want to encourage you all. Find the program. Pray for us, pray for the team. And we love you guys. 

23:21
Speaker 5
Thank you for listening to the essentially translatable podcast brought to you by Lutheran Bible translators. Look for past episodes@lbt.org Slash podcast or on your favorite podcast platform. Follow lutheran Bible translators’social media channels on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Or go to lbt.org to find out how you can get involved in the Bible translation movement and put God’s word in their hands. The essentially translatable podcast was produced and edited by Andrew Olson. Our executive producer is Emily Wilson. Podcast artwork was created by Caleb Rotewald and Sarah Lyons. Music written and performed by Rob White. I’m Rich Radowski. So long for now.