The Dinka Rek people can now read the Bible in their own language
After a year-long wait, the Dinka Rek people of southern Sudan have finally received 30,000 copies of the New Testament in their own language. An outdoor dedication ceremony was held on April 20, with a local governor and a representative from the State Legislative assembly attending, reports MNN.
The New Testaments had arrived in Wau, the central city of the region, after waiting for six months for clearance from customs. The authorities charged Wycliffe for the cost of storing the New Testaments while they were waiting for clearance. God provided the money to pay for the storage, and the New Testaments were released from customs.
There are about 500,000 speakers of Dinka Rek in southwestern Sudan. According to SIL International, they also use Sudanese Arabic, but they have never before had copies of the New Testament in their very own language.
In February, 1,000 copies of the New Testament reached an area where Dinka churches were experiencing a lot of growth. It was reported that "those who received the New Testaments understood them perfectly and were excited."