If you follow Wycliffe on Twitter or Facebook – and, really, why wouldn’t you? – you’ll see plenty of announcements about Bible translations, literacy projects and the occasional urgent need. Earlier this year, some of these prayer requests came from Ivory Coast, where a team was recording the Kouya JESUS Film.
Many thanks to those of you who, in the middle of updates from old school friends and other organisations, stopped and prayed for the team. The recording was successful and Didier, a Kouya speaker and one of the translators (now the director of Wycliffe’s work in Ivory Coast), shared these seven snippets that show how – even in its first weeks – the JESUS Film is making a splash:
- One person said, ‘ I never imagined that such a film could be recorded in Dema, in a village.’
- Many viewers said, ‘This is really good Kouya being spoken.’
- As for the Christians, they were very happy. Some non-Christians, in the beginning they came to mock, but as the film progressed, they grew very quiet. When Jesus said, ‘The first will be last,’ all the mockers shut up.
- Some said they used to go to church but stopped but that now, they will start going again.
- The morning after the first showing, the team had lots of visits, people wanting the film on CD or their phones.
- Christians phoned from many of the villages to express their thanks.
- Lots of people think there should be an official launch for the film once the DVDs are ready.
The Kouya JESUS Film has taken a lot of work: translation of the script (based on Luke’s Gospel), checking for accuracy and lip-syncing, the logistics and complications of a not-easy recording session (including buying and bringing in mattresses for sound proofing), not to mention the years of work that went into translating Luke. But, as Didier’s points show, now it’s going to be making an impact.
Want to know more about the JESUS Film – Watch this video about what happened at a showing in Ethiopia.