The image shows men attending a literacy class a number of years ago. It reminds us that people who cannot read are often not what we expect!
There are people in communities all over the world today whose lives are being transformed because they are learning to read the Word of God.
Literacy, as a discipline, falls within the core range of Bible Society activities because the ability to read with a certain degree of fluency, is a non-negotiable prerequisite to meaningful engagement with the translated Word. What is the point in diligently translating the Scriptures and publishing it with meticulous care if a significant number of people for whom we produce those precious Scriptures cannot read? This is why time and again, all around the world,
Bible Societies run programmes to set up literacy classes within linguistic groups while Bible translation is being carried out.
Cameroon is one place where literacy classes are changing lives. It is amazing how many people are being impacted. It is thought that around 40% of the population in Cameroon are unable to read with a higher concentration among women. This is particularly bad in rural areas where as many as 80% of the people in rural communities are unable to read or write in their everyday language. These people face enormous difficulties and disadvantages in their daily life.
Literacy classes are made up of all sorts of people: children who have given up school, possibly to help earn for their family; Missionaries and foreigners wishing to learn the local languages for better integration; Christians wishin
g to read the Bible; people who have never had the opportunity to learn before... there are many stories behind those attending the classes. Each person is learning to read in an environment where God's Word is being used and read and
many are responding to God's love in the process.
Bible Society literacy classes are about teaching people that they have value, that they can access new opportunities, but
the main goal is to lead people into a living faith in Christ Jesus as they begin to read his precious Word.
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