Source: International Mission Board, May 12, 2021
[Jay and Kathy] Shafto are reaching seven people groups in the Congo Basin without Scripture through the Kikwit Oral Bible Storying Project. Among these people groups are the Ngongo. There are approximately 200,000 Ngongo language speakers and no written Bible in their language. The Kikwit Oral Bible Storying Project is a two-to-three-year project with the end goal of equipping believers with the ability to share Bible stories in their heart language.
The Shaftos and their partners in the Congo Basin will host three to four workshops each year for the Kikwit Project. Each workshop is two weeks long and ends with believers from each specific people group professionally recording the 35-40 Bible stories they learned in their heart language. The believers then share these stories with others.
Orality is key in sharing the gospel, said the Shaftos. They have witnessed the impact of people in the Congo Basin hearing the gospel in story form in their own language.
“While there are churches in the Ngongo region, many of the Ngongo haven’t heard the gospel in their own language,” said Jay. “We are seeing phenomenal results within the Ngongo churches and among the Ngongo simply because they are able to hear the gospel in their own language and context.”
The full story includes a short video.
From another part of Africa, read about a Ugandan pastor killed after leading 14 people to Christ following a public debate on Islam and Christianity (Morning Star News).