Growth in Nigeria

00:00
Kierian Ayuga
So that’s what we want to see. We want to see God’s word, especially the minority languages of Nigeria. We believe that if people have God’s word in their language, then their lives will be transformed. 

00:22
Rich Rudowske
Welcome to the essentially translatable podcast brought to you by Lutheran Bible translators. I’m Richard Dusky. 

00:27
Emily Wilson
And I’m Emily Wilson. 

00:29
Rich Rudowske
We are winding down the celebration of the 500th anniversary of Luther’s New Testament translation this year and lots of great events. Just got to spend the week at Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne. It’s a lot of fun with the students and sharing the vision of the impact of Luther’s translation both back then and then even today. How lots of different approaches to the Bible and attitudes about the Bible are still influenced from Luther’s New Testament translation. 

00:55
Emily Wilson
Right. And we want to encourage you too, of like, it’s not too late to celebrate. The party is going through the end of the year. Even though this was the celebration of Luther’s September Testament, the vision is for all of 2022. So we want to encourage you guys. A nice way to celebrate is Bible translation Sunday. If you haven’t heard of it yet, it is an awesome toolkit that church leaders can use in their own congregation contexts. And it’s a sermon and a Bible study and children’s materials and service elements and all that good stuff. And it’s great to be able to cast that vision in our 500th anniversary year of Martin Luther’s New Testament translation. So if you want to cast a vision in your congregation, want to encourage you to look at slash BTS. 

01:51
Emily Wilson
You’ll be able to get there also just by going on our lbt.org and it should be right at the top there. Bible translation Sunday. But why is it all important? Why is it all important is we want to share with you stories from our context. So Reverend Kirian Ayuga had the opportunity to interview him. Reverend Kirian is in his doctoral studies, but he has dedicated his life to Bible translation in nigerian languages. So just really was very blessed to be able to chime in with him. And so he also serves as a lecturer at theological College of Northern Nigeria, working with multiple language communities, training up people to become Bible translation advisors in their own context and beyond. 

02:45
Kierian Ayuga
Yep. 

02:46
Rich Rudowske
So enjoy as we listen in on Emily and Kirian’s conversation. 

02:54
Emily Wilson
So today we are with Reverend Kirian Ayuga. Welcome to the podcast. 

02:59
Kierian Ayuga
Thank you so very much, Emily. 

03:02
Emily Wilson
It’s great for you to be here. So want to introduce you to our listeners. Can you share a little bit about your story and how you became involved in Bible translation ministry. 

03:13
Kierian Ayuga
Well, my name is Kyurean Epang Ayuga. I’m a pastor with the Lutheran Church of Nigeria. My father was a Bible translator, having worked on the translation of the bookie Bible for a number of years with two of his colleagues under the consultancy of Reverend Dr. P. C. Bronze. So the entire Bible, a complete Bible, was dedicated 37 years ago. Well, I grew up being familiar with Bible translation, and, well, I saw my father involved in the work and I respect my father a lot. I still do. And I thought, well, if my father is involved in Bible translation, that must be something important. As a young man, that was my thought then, as a young man in the secondary school, my father and some of his friends organized classes for us to teach us how to read bookie language. 

04:22
Kierian Ayuga
But I wasn’t directly involved in Bible translation at that point, except that think. In 1989, I was involved in the translation and typing of the key order of service with my father and Reverend Dr. David Herbert. Then from there, I went to the lutheran seminary to be trained as a pastor. And one of the courses we did was a Bible translation, an introductory course, translation principles, yes, that was taught by Reverend Dr. Paul C. Browns. That really made an impact on me. I really enjoyed every bit of that course. So when I graduated and went to the field for some years, returned to the seminary to be trained as a pastor, I was asked by the seminary rector to teach that course to the junior students. So for one year, even as a student, I taught Bible translation. 

05:24
Kierian Ayuga
Then when I graduated from the seminary, I was sent to Bokhi as the district pastor. While there, I worked with Edward Rupert, Mr. Edward Rupert. He was sent to work on scripture engagement. So we worked together for some years, attended some courses in Joss, scripture engagement courses in Jos with him, I returned to Bokhi and started organizing scripture engagement workshops to help my people. It was then I wrote a small pamphlet to help Bokie people know how to read bookie because I discovered that the Bible was not being used because many people did not know how to read bookie. So I wrote a small pamphlet reading bookie without tears to help in that area. Some years later, I was admitted at theological College of Northern Nigerian Linguistics and Bible Translation Department. 

06:31
Kierian Ayuga
In fact, while there, I was invited to help check translations in some languages in the northern part of the country. So that was my direct involvement in Bible translation, checking translation, because while in the seminary, I enjoyed Greek New Testament. So far, I have worked with about at least eight languages in Nigeria checking their translation. So that was how I. I got involved in Bible translation. Wow. 

07:09
Emily Wilson
Eight or nine languages that you’ve worked in. That is amazing. Most people, when I was just at a youth gathering, and many people in the United States don’t realize how diverse the linguistic nature is around the world. And for our listeners, a lot of them maybe are unfamiliar with Nigeria. So what is the count right now for number of languages in Nigeria, and how do they differ? What are some of the characteristics? 

07:42
Kierian Ayuga
Okay, well, Nigeria, although this is debatable, but we know that there are at least 500 languages in Nigeria. So there are over 500 languages in Nigeria. Some of them are corny to linguist, some of them are Niger Congo languages, some of them are chadik, especially in the northern part of the country. Most of the languages there are achadic. In the southern part of the country where I come from, the languages are more of the Niger Congo family. They behave differently. And actually, for now, about 240 of these languages do not have even one verse in their language. 

08:35
Emily Wilson
Yes, that’s devastating. 

08:38
Kierian Ayuga
Not even a verse of scripture in their language. 240 of this. Then the order. There are some who have the New Testament, others have the complete Bible. Like bookie, we are fortunate to have the complete Bible. Others have just the gospel of Luke. So there is actually a lot of work that needs to be done in Nigeria to count to zero. And I think that’s what we need. We need to count to zero, no matter how long it will take us. 

09:13
Emily Wilson
I had the privilege. In 2018, I traveled to Nigeria and attended one of the Luke partnership workshops. And just the enthusiasm, the encouragement to be able to see so many different languages represented in a single room and to have that vision of God’s word in their own language. And so can you share a little bit? Because your father was committed to Boki being able to have the full Bible, and then you had that commitment of, all right, let’s use it, let’s engage with it, let’s read in our language. So can you share a little bit of what it was like for him in that process to have God’s word in his own language? There’s over 500 languages in Nigeria, but his language, your language, what was it like when he was able to have that sweet sound of God’s word in his own language? 

10:16
Kierian Ayuga
For both my father and for me, too, that was a thing of, I would say, pride, because at the time that the bookie Bible was dedicated, it was the 15th of the over 500 languages in Nigeria to have a complete Bible. Bible translation. 

10:41
Emily Wilson
Wow. 

10:42
Kierian Ayuga
Yes. So that was really gracious of God to have given Boki people that kind of gift. I wouldn’t say we are the best, because I know even at that time, there were many missionaries sent around in Nigeria, especially sent by the lutheran church Missouri Synod. But only Mokibai was fortunate in that area. So that really made an impact on me and my father. And for my father, the Muki Bible is everything. Even he reads it daily. There are sometimes he will read and find something that is not very clear about. He translated it, but he thinks because I received more training, he would always call me and ask, okay, it looks like this was how we translated this, but I’ve read it now. It doesn’t really make sense. What do you think about it? 

11:47
Kierian Ayuga
And in fact, for me, even in the secondary school, I would be reading the bookie. I was reading the Bible and my friends would gather around just to listen to me because they couldn’t read. So they were just surprised. And then I was still young, I could read the bookie Bible very fluently. So they will come around just to listen to me read. Yeah. So again, I think it’s a gracious thing, gracious gift that God gave to us in Bukhi. And we feel God is closer to us. He speaks really. There is one proverb we have in Boki which says Kelala Karala. That is, if the matter is a serious. It is a serious matter. You don’t speak English. That’s what we say in Boki. If it is a serious matter, you don’t speak English. Yes. 

12:52
Emily Wilson
And the Bible is a serious matter. 

12:54
Kierian Ayuga
It’s a serious matter, yes. So any Bokiman who sees a Bible or anything in Bokhi, he understands, they understand that this is a serious matter. It’s not something you speak English. Wow. 

13:15
Emily Wilson
That is so powerful to be able to have that proverb. And then this is God’s word, this is a serious matter to be able to read and to know that God speaks. Boki, when you had your friends gather around you, and as you’re reading from the Bible, what was their reaction? Because were many of them already Christ followers that they had heard from scripture, but maybe not in their own language, what was their reaction? 

13:52
Kierian Ayuga
Well, I can’t say, since I wasn’t really investigating intentionally, their reaction, but I could tell that it was quite different from listening to someone read the Bible in English. Yes. They felt a message closer to them, and in fact, it became practice. Once we dismissed from school, they will be asking me so when next are we coming to listen to you read? So I knew that interest was there. They really enjoyed it and I enjoyed it too. 

14:33
Emily Wilson
That’s wonderful. Being able to bring people in that it’s just hearing in their own language that was enough to attract people in and that you think about it, there’s very often it’s a Bible study and we’re going to rereading the Bible and how often I see in the US we take it for granted. It’s just there. And so, oh, does it fit with your schedule or not? And that these students who had been in school, they had a plan to be able to hear you, to be able to read in a language that spoke to their heart. That’s wonderful. That’s wonderful. So as far as the diversity in Nigeria, linguistically diverse, but it’s also religiously diverse. And how has Bible translation been impacting people in communities that are christian but also non christian, how does that change people? 

15:41
Kierian Ayuga
Okay, yeah, Nigeria is predominantly christian and muslim. Some people say it’s 50, but we also have adherence of the traditional religion. Now it is not always easy to penetrate the muslim community, but what I have discovered teaching at TCNN is that Bible translation paves the way for the gospel to penetrate muslim communities. Because for example, the students we train at TCNN, there is a course, the tech which is language development planning. Because to do Bible translation, you must first develop the language in new media. So you develop the orthography and things and related things. So when they go out to muslim communities, especially they are not going out with Bible translation in the forefront. 

16:54
Kierian Ayuga
So they go as language developers, they establish relationship with the communities, with stakeholders in the communities, and by the time they begin Bible translation, they have already made friends in these communities. So it’s not just like you are going to a community, this is the Bible for you. You are not a Christian. You must listen to the word of God and repent. No. So that’s one thing I have seen. Bible translation really helps the gospel message to penetrate muslim communities in very effective ways. 

17:36
Emily Wilson
That’s amazing. To be able to know that, of course we want people to have the gospel and to be able to know and believe in Jesus Christ as their savior, but to be able to say, let’s start with building relationships with people so that it is clear that we care and we love them and that we’re celebrating their language and their culture and to rest in that and then work in through Bible translation and sharing that gift and how. There’s a lot to be said about just sharing our faith with people that leading with relationship rather than. Here’s the word, repent. Now, being able to build those. 

18:33
Kierian Ayuga
Sure, sure. 

18:35
Emily Wilson
That’s wonderful. So you’ve mentioned that you are a lecturer at theological College of northern Nigeria, which is. Can you share a little bit about your role in the linguistics and Bible translation department? 

18:52
Kierian Ayuga
Okay, well, for now I’m just a lecturer. A teacher. I was a student in that department from 2009 to 2013. I graduated, and when I graduated, I was invited by the faculty to continue with my masters there at TCNN so as to remain there and teach in the translation department. But at that time, I’d already been admitted at the University of the Free State in South Africa. Yes. So I told them, thank you. If the Lord wills, I will come back to TCNN, but I think I need to go to South Africa first. So I went to South Africa at the same time I was working as translation advisor to a language group in Cross River State, Otukwang. Yes. So while at Otukwang, after three years, I was invited to TCNN to teach. 

20:04
Kierian Ayuga
Already I knew they were going to do that because they had mentioned it before I even left. So I went back to TCNN after a lot of communications between the Lutheran Church of Nigeria and the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria, because maybe, you know, the Lutheran Church of Nigeria is not one of the proprietors. So we had to pass through the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria to be able to teach at TCNN. So that’s where I’m teaching now. And the linguistics and Bible Translation department, the primary focus, I would say one would see it in the motto of the department. If you come to our department, you see a signpost and it is clearly written there, God’s word in your language. So that’s what we want to see. We want to see God’s word in especially the minority languages of Nigeria. 

21:09
Kierian Ayuga
And the vision is to transform local communities through the training of men and women. We believe that if people have God’s word in their language, then their lives will be transformed. 

21:24
Emily Wilson
Absolutely. 

21:25
Kierian Ayuga
So basically, that’s what the department is doing, preparing men and women to help minority language communities, especially in Nigeria, access God’s word in their language so that their lives will be transformed to the glory of God. Of course, there are many courses that we teach there, but that’s the focus. We teach phonetics, we teach phonology, we teach discourse. But all those are geared towards that same motto, making God’s word accessible in the language or the hard language of minority language communities in Nigeria. 

22:09
Emily Wilson
That is wonderful. So the program, how long has that been around and how many students have passed through the program? I mean, you’re one of them and you’re clearly working in God’s mission. And you said seven or eight language communities that you’ve already worked with. Right. So how long has that program been around and where have the touch points been within Nigeria? 

22:34
Kierian Ayuga
Okay. Yeah. The department was established in 2005 by Dr. Crozia, David Crozia. In fact, he started the department in his garage. 

22:48
Emily Wilson
Oh, wow. 

22:48
Kierian Ayuga
He was a lecturer. Yes, he started the department in his garage. So the first students were in the garage. Yes. But from the garage, through SIL and other stakeholders, they were able to build something, Nadif, that we now use, that we now know as a Bible translation department. Yes. So from 2005 to date, it’s still growing. 

23:33
Emily Wilson
Yes. 

23:34
Kierian Ayuga
Especially in the area of staffing. We have serious challenges in that area and I’m glad that I’m able to contribute my quarter with the support of LBT so as to reduce that staffing challenge. So far, I didn’t really look at the record, but I know that more than 100. 

24:03
Emily Wilson
Wow. 

24:04
Kierian Ayuga
We’ve had more than 100, between 100 and 150 students trained in that department from at least 60 language communities since I started teaching in 2015. I have taught students from at least 2020 languages. 

24:27
Emily Wilson
That is amazing. Is it challenging so much diversity in language? Is it sometimes challenging to bring all of the coursework together? Or does it feel like all of the people from different language communities that they sharpen one another and they’re able to bring examples from their different language communities as you’re talking about the topics? 

24:51
Kierian Ayuga
Yes. We have students from the north, students from the central part of Nigeria, from the south, from the west. Of course, in the department we focus on principles that they need to know, principles they can apply in different contexts. In fact, in class there are times you hear examples from different language communities. We’ve had students even from Ghana. 

25:22
Emily Wilson
Wow. 

25:23
Kierian Ayuga
We had a student from Ghana, Samson Sansa, I think that’s his name. Yes. There was a time we’re talking about Jesus knocking at the door. The young man said, wow. In his culture, it wouldn’t make sense to say Jesus knocks at the door, because in their culture, if you hear a knock at the door, that must be a thief. So just a knock at the door would portray Jesus as a thief, as a bandit, dear? No, it wouldn’t work. So in their culture, you cough, you stand by the door and so, wow. So what do we write? Do you say Jesus stands by the door and coughs. And that brings to mind the challenges sometimes, because languages are not mirror images of each other, it’s not always easy to get 100% equivalence. 

26:41
Kierian Ayuga
So you navigate through and yeah, you aim for perfection, but sometimes you can gain perfection. But at least we stop at excellence if we can. 

26:58
Emily Wilson
Absolutely. I love how that sharpens one another, right. As different language communities come together and they translate God’s word and how we learn about culture, but we also learn about the unique way that God has shared with his people of who he is. And that just because there is that knocking imagery of this is still something that people are able to do, like standing at the door and coughing, that it is still that accessibility of Jesus coming to his people and that he’s present with his people, that physical nature and how he is at work. That’s awesome. I love it. I’m now going to read that passage with different eyes and ears now. I love it. And you’re very clearly passionate about God’s word going forth. And you’re continuing in your studies right now you’re in this phd program for narrative discourse analysis. 

28:14
Emily Wilson
I had to read that and make sure that I was getting that term right. So most of our listeners, myself included, were unfamiliar with this field of study. So can you share a little bit? What does that involve? 

28:28
Kierian Ayuga
Okay, well, discuss analysis. People look at it from different angles, they define it in different ways. But for me, what I have discovered is it is looking at language above the sentence. You are looking at language above the sentence. You are looking at text, the whole story as it is told. There is in this course analysis what people say that the whole constrains the parts and the parts explain the whole. Yes. So the way the story is told, the whole story constrains how the parts are supposed to be and these parts explain the whole story. So you are not only looking at sentence structure or phrase structure, you are looking at the structure of the whole story and how it contributes and how the language is used. So that’s what I am studying. Discourse analysis was developed in the 1970s. 

30:03
Kierian Ayuga
The complete Bible in Boki was dedicated in 1985. So when the Bokie Bible was done, not much of this course analysis was actually done. And again, like I said earlier, the bookie Bible is about 37 years old. Quiz means it is due for revision. So I hope that the research I’m doing, my studies here at the Free University of Amsterdam, will beneficial to Bukit people when the time comes to do a revision of the Bible. Yes, I think my work will really be of her. The point is to study stories, narrative. Narrative texts, that they are agent oriented, and contingent. Temporal succession. That is, there is someone doing something, or there are people doing something, and what they are doing is in a sequence. This is done. Another is done. Yes. So it is temporal. Yes. 

31:25
Kierian Ayuga
So what I am studying is I’m looking at how Boki stories are told and learning the structure of Bokhi stories, and then looking at the Hebrew text, and asking myself questions, okay. Having known how Boki stories are structured, what is the best way to translate the hebrew text in a way that will make sense to Bokhi people? From my knowledge of Bokhi narrative text. And that’s why I’ve already collected stories in Bokhi that I’m already studying. So that’s basically what my research is about. And again, it is to make sure that the message of the Bible is clear to my Boki people. It is accurate, and it is natural and beautiful, because if it is not, people will not use it, and then there will be no efficiency. Of course, I tell my students it is possible to achieve effectiveness without efficiency. 

32:37
Kierian Ayuga
You can get the Bible out, but if it is not being used, it is not efficient because there’s a waste of resources. So I feel that my research is going to prevent that, and there are a few other things that need to be reviewed. Of course, 37 years, the language has changed in several different ways. There are many other things that have changed in Boki that my research is going to take care of. 

33:10
Emily Wilson
I love how you have really just pinpointed the conflict, the tension of effective versus efficient, and being able to have God’s word in their hands, but engaging with it. That is what we’re really looking for, is for people to be transformed by God’s word because it is accurate, because it is clear, because it’s natural and beautiful to read, that it’s not just enough to have a book, but to be able to engage in God’s word. And that is wonderful. To be able to have that heart and that vision, and then to bring it back into this legacy of your language community and celebrating and continuing that work with the revision of the Boki, that is amazing. I’m so encouraged and inspired by that. And I know that your studies, they’re underway. 

34:16
Emily Wilson
What is it that you have been encouraged by in your studies so far or challenged by? I know that it’s kind of been a whirlwind. Right. You’re far from home right now. So what is it that has been encouraging or challenging? 

34:33
Kierian Ayuga
Well, I think you’ve already said the very first challenge. Being very far from home. Not easy. 

34:41
Emily Wilson
No. You have a beautiful family. 

34:47
Kierian Ayuga
Yeah. So that has not been easy. Actually, this is the first time in our marriage that we are going to stay apart for this length of time. But I know that God is going to keep us and his grace is, always will be sufficient for us. But that’s the first challenge. But it’s been a privilege meeting people here at the university who are doing similar things, not in the same subject, but in other subjects, and seeing how they navigate through their challenges. Oh tells me, oh, you are not alone in this. Yes. Just coming to the Netherlands for the first time, that in itself, it’s challenging the culture, the way things are done, very different. Even how to get to take a tram or a metro or a train. Those were things I was reading in books. We don’t have those in Nigeria. 

35:59
Kierian Ayuga
Even how to purchase a card that will help you. You don’t pay. You know what to do. So sometimes it’s really, oh, looks like I’m very stupid here. 

36:15
Emily Wilson
I know it is. So when you go from place to place and it’s like, okay, everything that I know, every default that I have is not right here. 

36:30
Kierian Ayuga
But people around, they know exactly what to do, but you don’t. So you are the stupid person. In fact, the very first week was not. Was not easy. But I am getting used to it now, and that’s good. 

36:49
Emily Wilson
I was going to say there’s a bravery of stepping out and being able to say, like, okay, I know this is where I need to go to complete my studies and to branch out, but all the bare barriers that will. 

37:15
Kierian Ayuga
It. I had the privilege of meeting some people in Leiden, where I attended Leiden summer school. So that was really helpful, getting the knowledge that I need to be able to use the essential software that will help me in the analysis of the bookie text. So that was a good. Yeah. I’m also enjoying studying the Hebrew with a professor. He is in Denmark. Yes. It looks like I’m doing very well in the course. He’s very happy, and he’s already proposing that he would like me to teach the course in other african countries with him. Of course, he doesn’t know that I’m already very busy. But if the Lord wills, that’s maybe one other thing that might add to what I’m already doing. 

38:25
Kierian Ayuga
In fact, I told my supervisor that even if I quit at this point, I know that I am going out with something. I have already learned a lot. That to me, it’s important because what I’ve already learned are things that I can share with others. So it’s not about the title doctor, although if the Lord will, that might come. But what is important is I’m learning skills, I’m learning attitude. I am gaining knowledge that I can share with others. 

39:02
Emily Wilson
I love that heart of. I’m learning to share, to be able that it’s not about us as individuals of gaining status or anything like that, but being able to say, how can I build up the body of Christ? It’s amazing. 

39:19
Kierian Ayuga
Sure. Sure. So that’s what is important. 

39:24
Emily Wilson
Well, how can we be praying for you, Reverend Kirian? How is it that I know we’ll definitely be praying for your studies and from your distance from home, but how else can we be praying for you and your ministry? 

39:40
Kierian Ayuga
Well, I think for now, is to pray that what I am learning here will be something or things that will help to build the body of Christ. I wish I could come here with my family, but that’s not possible for now. But I wish that were possible. Yeah, I think I’ve mentioned it before, but I would really appreciate prayers, especially for the Bible translation department. That department is so vitally important that if the staffing need continues, it might not be very good for the body of Christ. So I would like people to pray that God will continue to provide the manpower that we need in the department, linguistics and Bible translation department at TCNN. Jos, we will definitely know that SIl is doing a lot in terms of other resources to keep the department going. 

40:58
Kierian Ayuga
But if God would open other doors for others to also join, I think that will be tremendous. 

41:08
Emily Wilson
We will definitely be praying for that. That God would bring people to theological college of northern Nigeria, that his word would go forth in Nigeria, and it sounds like other parts of the continent of Africa as well. That as people are learning and engaging in Bible translation and linguistics, that he would be given glory and that more people would come to know who he is in their own language. So I want to thank you for joining us on the podcast. Thank you very much for your heart, for God’s word, and for sharing that with people around the world and continued blessings on your studies in studying for the narrative discourse analysis and your doctoral studies. God’s blessings, Reverend Kirian. 

42:02
Kierian Ayuga
Thank you so very much, Emily. Thank you. 

42:09
Rich Rudowske
Yeah, the thing I love about listening to Kirian, his story, just the. The background that his father was one of the Bible translators on the Boki Bible, his language. And that was one of the first. Well, he said it was the 15th out of more than 500 languages to have the Bible in their language. And then just as he grew the passion that he had for seeing that Bokhi Bible would be used, it kind of had a small usage at first. And as he understood more about what the translation was and the potential that he just really found a passion to say, okay, what’s it take to really get the community involved here? And that’s led him to lots of different exploration. I love the literacy book. Reading Bokie without tears is like the translation of the title of it that made me laugh. 

42:50
Rich Rudowske
But, yeah, just a gentle soul and gentle spirit that the Lord has used in so many ways, I guess, such a gift to his community and with the mind and the passion that God. 

43:03
Emily Wilson
Has given him, it’s very true. And that his heart is to equip people to go forth and for people to teach one another, like the teachers, that the students become teachers themselves, and that it’s just a ripple effect outward. Even with the students at Theological College of Northern Nigeria, that it’s not just in Nigeria, but even people from other contexts, studying and learning and growing and going out into the continent of Africa and translating God’s word in their own language. And that’s why he does what he does is so that God’s word can be in the hands and hearts of all people. So we’re so appreciative for Reverend Kieran to take the time to sit with us and share his story. And if you’re interested in learning more about his ministry, we encourage you to go to. Go lbt.org Ayuga. 

44:06
Rich Rudowske
And Ayuga is spelled Ayugha, right? Go lbt.org Ayuga. And we mentioned at the beginning of the episode that as we’re winding down the celebration of the 500th anniversary this year, lots of opportunities to be involved, like Bible translation Sunday. And again, I hope this story and Kirian’s experience that you heard with his conversation with Emily just reminds us that we are heirs of the reformation. And the reformation continues in our congregations and in the ends of the earth, places wherever God’s word is still prompting people to say, I get it. I’ve been given a great gift, and I want to find a way to share that with others. I want to share the joy and the peace of God that I have with others. So out in Nigeria, they’re also heirs of the reformation. 

44:49
Rich Rudowske
And we have the opportunity to join together in that story, to be praying for them, to learn from them, and to grow with them. Thank you for listening to the essentially translatable podcast brought to you by Lutheran Bible translators. You can find past episodes of the podcast@lbt.org slash podcast or subscribe on audible, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 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 designed by Caleb Rotewald and Sarah Rudowski. Music written and performed by Rob Weit. I’m Rich Radowski. So long for now.