“Weet julle waar is Japan? Dis baie ver, anderkant die aarde, en van doer ver af kom Miwa,” het die 80-jarige Ouma Nellie Johnson onlangs aan 40 opgewonde gesiggies van Mbekweni verduidelik terwyl ‘n Japanese besoeker, Miwa Teauche, aan elkeen ‘n kleurvolle Kinderbybel in hul moedertaal, Xhosa, uitgedeel het.
Miwa is ’n lidmaat van die Reformed Church in Japan wat noue bande met die Suid-Afrikaanse sendingorganisasie Missie Japan het. Vrouelidmate van die gemeente op die eiland Shikoku, wat gehoor het van Christelike Lektuurfonds (CLF) se Kinderbybelprojek Een miljoen Bybels vir een miljoen kinders, het geld ingesamel vir bybelverspreiding onder Xhosa-sprekende kleuters.
Miwa was in Suid-Afrika om self die Xhosa-weergawe van die Kinderbybel, God se kinders, Verhale uit die Bybel, aan kleuters uit te deel. Hierdie besonderse publikasie is in Afrikaans, Engels, Sotho, Tswana, Xhosa en Zulu beskikbaar en is in samewerking met emeritus aartsbiskop Desmond Tutu saamgestel. Dit word deur CLF, ‘n nie-winsgewende organisasie wat vanuit Wellington bedryf word, versprei.
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“Danksy ’n groep-omgee Christenvroue in Japan kan Ouma Johnson nou elke dag vir die kleinspan uit die Kinderbybel leer van Jesus se liefde,” vertel Christelle Vorster, bedryfsbestuurder van CLF. “Die stories word kleurryk en meelewend oorvertel, en daarby kan elke kind boonop hul Kinderbybel huis toe neem waar nog meer mense die Woord kan lees.”
Ouma Johnson sê sy sien in die gebaar die hand van die Vader wat werk deur ander mense, selfs vanuit ‘n ver land, om na sy kinders om te sien.
Ouma Johnson, wat op 27 November 2010 haar 80ste verjaardag gevier het, vervul reeds 46 jaar lank haar roeping om kinders te versorg. Sy sien nog daagliks saam met haar dogter Joyce om na meer as 60 kinders by die Makhuluf Happy Toddlers crèche, wat onder die bedieningsarea van die welwillendheidsorganisasie Ma’s-vir-Wellington val.
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Die Japanese vroue se skenking dra by tot CLF se Een miljoen Bybels vir een miljoen kinders-projek, wat in Augustus vanjaar afgeskop het. Dit het ten doel om een miljoen Bybels aan kinders regoor die land te versprei.
“Dit is die bydraes van individue, oud en jonk, besighede, instansies en selfs ander niewinsgewende organisasies wat fondse soek om as deel van hulle projekte Bybels aan kinders te gee, wat aan ons projek vlerke gee,” vertel Christelle Voster.
- To date CLF has given away almost 15 000 Bibles. One million might still seem a long way off, but living by faith has kept this organisation going for 54 years and will see this project completed all in His time, says Vorster.
“It is very important to us that children not only learn the contents of the Bible, but also how to appropriate it to their daily lives,” says Vorster. “We envisage children that will know how to live their faith practically, with that establishing values and equipping the leaders of tomorrow morally.”
How does the project work?
“It is a simple concept of sharing – when you buy a Bible for your own child or a child near to your heart, at the same time sponsor a Bible for a child – be it a child you know, for instance a friend of your child, your domestic worker’s child or by entrusting your sponsorship to CLF to be delivered to a child or a school.”
With the Buy-a-Bible, sponsor-a-Bible- initiative, when you buy a Bible for R100, at the same time you will sponsor a Bible for another child in the language of his or her choice. Or you can donate a Bible to a school or schools of your choice. For R50 you can sponsor one Bible; for R200 you sponsor four Bibles – one each for a Grade 1 to 4 class. By sponsoring four Bibles you are reaching potentially 120 children. You can nominate a school of your choice or entrust your sponsorship to CLF to be delivered to schools.
If you simply would like to obtain a Bible for your own use, the cost is R69.95 each.
There are two Bibles being used in this project: Children of God Storybook Bible by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In Children of God Storybook Bible Tutu retells more than fifty of his most beloved stories from the Bible. The text is visually brought to life by leading international illustrators, giving this Bible global appeal. It is ideal for children aged four to 10.
“Come walk with me” is for a slightly older child. Forty stories are told in a lively way with a realistic full colour illustration with each story. Each story is completed with a “Let’s talk” section as well as a short prayer. It is much more than just stories from the Bible. It is written with the aim to be used in schools, churches and homes and is also suitable for catechism. The stories are ideal for ages 7 to 14 as well as beginner readers. It sells for R49.95. Any combination of two Bibles can be sponsored for R100.
Both Bibles are available in Afrikaans, English, Sotho, Xhosa, Zulu and Tswana. For more information visit www.clf.co.za, phone 021 873 6964 or send an e-mail to info@clf.co.za
