Brief History: Rick Chiesa visited EHBC last July and showed the missions teams a generic Proclaimer. In August of last year the EHBC Senegal Team contacted Rick to see if we could get Proclaimers in the Serer language because most of the villagers in Ndiadiane can not read.
At the same time Greg Fisher (from Hosanna – Faith Comes By Hearing FCBH) was in Dakar Senegal asking for the rights to another language spoken in Senegal from the Senegalese Bible Society. As an aside it took 3 years to get the meeting. At the conclusion of the meeting Greg asked if there were any other languages that are available. The Bible Society person offered Serer and using a blank contract the rights to Serer were granted.
When Greg returned from Senegal Rick called him asked about the rights to Serer and was told the story that at the same time he was being asked by EHBC for a proclaimer he (Greg) was being given the rights to Serer. According to FCBH the process for getting recording rights to a language typically takes 2 to 3 years.
Proclaimers are delivered!
Tuesday of this week we were handed 2 working proclaimers in the Serer language! What is typically a 3 to 4 year process, because of all the approvals and production, has been completed in 1 year. We have seen the amazing hand of God again. Many thanks go to Rick Chiesa (Wycliffe Biblke Translators) and Greg Fisher (Faith Comes by Hearing (FCBH)). FCBH manages the recording and production of the Proclaimers.
The next step is to produce 100 proclaimers and train 100 Listening group leaders (READ groups) from many Serer speaking villages. The training is done by Christians from Ghana under supervision from FCBH. Our short term goal is to have Pastor Mbaye and one or two of the village women from Ndiadiane trained to lead listening groups. These trained leaders can then lead groups in Ndiadiane and neighboring villages.
A listening group (READ group) has a handful to over 80 listeners using the Proclaimer. The group leader is trained to have about a 30 minute listening session followed by a 30 minute open discussion with the group. When this process is followed FCBH sees a 40 to 50% rate of church plants. For example when this project is underway it is expected that 40 to 50 churches will be planted in villages in Senegal.
Our friends in Ndiadiane have been asking for a way to hear to Word of God because most can not read. The travel team later this year will bring proclaimers to the village. As one person has already said “there will be great dancing and pounding on the drums” when they hear the Word.
