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Learning to read in Cameroon
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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.
Praying for Literacy in Cameroon
Pray for the churches in Cameroon - that more will partner with the literacy programme, sharing the vision of the Bible Society to see people released from illiteracy.
Pray for wisdom and guidance from God in the ongoing process of selecting, training and releasing teachers.
Ask God to help those who work on developing and creating training manuals and literacy materials in various languages.
Pray that the programme will be a great success, that it will continue to grow in strength and that it will bring many into new life in Christ.
Week 9: 29 November 2016




Hearing & Believing
Rebecca, a Bafut language speaker living in Cameroon, had not learnt to read until she was already about 60.
However, she became an exception to the general rule that people over the age of about 40 don't want to bother with learning to read. A great motivation for her was a deep desire to read the Bible for herself and therefore, she made the efforts that learning to read requires. Reading the Bible and engaging with its message has made a fundamental difference to her.

A few years ago, Rebecca suffered an accident and broke her ankle badly. The break did not heal properly and therefore she has to lean on her stick while walking. She said that if she had not been able to study the word of God she would have died. Why? Because, reading the Bible gave her hope. She realised that God was there in her suffering and that he could help her. Rebecca was not alone; God cared for her. And that made all the difference! Thanks to literacy, Rebecca was able to engage with Scripture in a way that transformed her life. She discovered hope for the future for herself.
 

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Rebecca gives God the glory for helping her through a difficult time in her life. She had learned to read and stood strong on the Word of God. There she found true hope in Christ.
Bible Society NI, 27 Howard Street, Belfast, BT1 6NB
TEL: 028 9032 6577  -  www.bsni.co.uk
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