Last Saturday I was serving with a ministry reaching Muslims from Middle East. People came to eat the free dinner which was cooked according to their taste. Then the adults went to the chapel where the Christian service was held. A passage from the Bible was read in English, Urdu and Farsi. I read it in English and continued to take pictures in the back of the room. Something happened that I haven’t seen before. When the Urdu and Farsi speakers finished reading the Bible in perspective language people from the perspective groups begun clapping their hands and saying expressions in their own language. How beautiful!
I like English language and although it is not my mother language I’m comfortable with it. But in that meeting I was reminded how important is to read the word of God in the heart language- that people can understand not only listen. Specially when they are in the beginning of their life in Canada. Specially when they are women who most of their daily interactions are with their kids and other women of the same language group.
I was thinking that even when these group of people might be invited in a church service and be kind to stay all the time, they will not get well the message of the Gospel because is in another language, more barriers to go through. I was reminded when Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and when people shouting wanted to stone him. He lifted his hand asking permission to speak and spoke in Hebrew. Immediately silence came when they heard him speaking in Hebrew. Paul could speak at least in Aramaic and Greek, or Latin but he spoke to his enemies in a language they respected.
It is so important to be intentional to reach people in their heart and one of those ways is to speak to them in their mother language. Let’s be intentional, creative and welcoming to make space for everyone.