The Massachusetts Bay Colony passed a school law in 1647 known as the Old Deluder Satan Law. One of America’s first education acts, its purpose wasto see people become literate so they would be able to read the Bible for themselves and avoid spiritual deception. The law read, in part:

Reading this reminded me how important it is to read the Word daily and absorb more and more of its truth, so I will not be deluded by the enemy. Today, many among the Lama of Togo do not yet know how to read. Lama literacy coordinator Gaston Nfa and his coworker Albert are working hard to teach the Lama to read their mother tongue. The Lama literacy program made significant progress in 2011, due to receiving much-needed funding, and the young men were able to expand their work into another area of Togo where Lama speakers have migrated. This community of about 200,000 live in many villages and towns across Togo, and even in neighboring Benin and Ghana. Gaston and Albert hope to open ten new literacy classes this season. They are encouraging people to commit to these classes, and are also looking for suitable people to become teachers. They will be holding a training course for literacy teachers January 4–13. Here’s evidence of the fruit of their work, a wonderful testimony from a now-literate woman...

I am Angele Akonda, a member of the Assemblies of God Church in Adjaite. I attended church, but I did not trust the pastors. I wondered if they weren’t just preaching their own ideas and if their sermon choices were connected to their own personal needs or whatever they happened to learn about us, the members of their congregation. I sometimes rejected what they said. But as soon as I learned to read in Lama and could then read God’s Word myself, I was convinced that they and the Sunday school teachers were teaching the truth. When I read and meditate on God’s Word, I understand it just like they do. Today I can edify and encourage others, based on the verses I read. You who are called to help us learn to read, teach us so we can feed ourselves on God’s Word! I am proud of myself now. I no longer have the “illiterate-woman complex.”

Friends, your partnership with us is helping many Lama like Angele grow in Christ through literary skills. Thank you!

The Lama translators—Anam Medjamna, Pastor Adji Arakou, and Joseph Gnelosse—have completed their revision of the twelve Minor Prophets, and a consultant will check some of their work in early January. Pastor Arakou is now translating Chronicles and will serve as a trainer in two Scripture-use courses for pastors and churches in January. Joseph is translating Ezekiel. Pray for him as he perseveres with this long, difficult book.

Anam, a university graduate in English, is often called upon to coach Hebrew to other Bible translators in Togo, so the courses he took in Israel in 2003 and 2007 are bearing fruit widely. He is preparing to teach an introductory course in Hebrew to translators in March.

After many years, this team still needs a place to work together! The local Lama association was recently able to put a down payment toward the purchase of a property with a mostly finished building to use as a translation center.

Neal

Neal continues to assist translators, mostly one-on-one, with computer needs. Due to some internal restructuring in JAARS and SIL, he has a new supervisor, based in Africa, and a new job title: international language technical consultant.

In late October he taught a course in Paratext, the premier software for Bible translation, to four men. Two were translation consultants who will in turn teach the software to others. The third man is translating into a dialect of the language Jesus spoke—Aramaic. He has the New Testament done and is starting the Old Testament. The fourth man is translating into an Arabic dialect.

Carol

I have thoroughly enjoyed serving as editor of Rev. 7 since its inception in spring 2006 and have overseen 24 issues, through January 2012. For about a year now I have been watching, praying and discussing with JAARS leadership about who might be my successor.

In March 2011, Virginia Vinton attended the writing course I taught at JAARS, and I was excited to “discover” a gifted writer. She has twelve years’ experience living in Mozambique with her translation-consultant husband, Jim. They have two young daughters. She agreed to take on the editorship and is taking the lead for the April 2012 issue. Recently she emailed me, saying, “Thank you again for giving me this opportunity. I am enjoying it so much.”

I am so thankful for this change, as it takes the stressful edge off my editing work. I will mentor, advise, and edit for Virginia over the next issues of Rev. 7. And I will continue to edit, write, and teach writing at JAARS.

I am also editing about 40 stories that are part of an ethnodoxology manual being assembled by a multi-mission team that includes SIL International. It is to be published by William Carey Publishers next fall and introduced at Intervarsity’s Student Mission Conference in December 2012. The Lord has recently sent three men who are writing mission- or Christian-themed books to me for advice, so I feel encouraged and confirmed in my assignment.

Thank YOU!

With grateful thanks for your partnership and prayers,
Neal and Carol Brinneman