Alex and Sybil Shaw are part of Global Recordings Network. GRN’s mission is: ‘In partnership with the church, to effectively communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ by means of culturally appropriate audio and audio-visual materials in every language.’
Presently they are conducting a series of meetings in South Australia to provide an update on the progress of their work and to renew their partnership with us.
As our meeting began Alex reminded us of Jesus’ healing of the paralytic in Mark 2. We recalled that God alone forgives sin, and that Jesus exercised that authority. The differing human figures demonstrated faith, doubt, need, amazement and joy. We appreciated the joy of sin forgiven, the power of God and Jesus’ patience and compassion.
Story telling is becoming an important part of Gospel communication. Many people in the world are oral communicators. This is due to a number of factors. Some peoples are not literate in written language. Some peoples have written languages, but little material is published in their tongues. Others, including many in the West, are literate (sometimes at high levels) but simply choose not to read. The recordings of biblical stories bring the Gospel to these varied groups in their own tongues so that the Holy Spirit may carry out His work of regeneration.
Sybil spoke of the challenges of providing recorded materials to the many different language groups that have no biblical material available to them. Her work also involves training people to read their own tongues, so that they can return to their own and speak the Gospel among them.
Hindrances to learning to read can be as basic as a lack of eyeglasses, or electricity for light. Age is a challenge for those wanting to learn to read as well. Returning to people that have been trained previously produces the fruit of seeing these folk spread materials and training to other language groups around them. People who are reticent about going to a church to hear the Bible will purchase a cassette tape and listen to the recording in private.
We were shown a gospel recording on a black vinyl record. Alex demonstrated a cardboard record player that produced remarkable sound. Then we saw a hand cranked audio cassette player. Finally we were shown an mp3 player that operates by a hand crank, which when wound for five minutes provided thirty minutes of playing. It holds fifty hours of recorded material. A one gigabite SD card can also be plugged into the mp3 player. It also can be plugged into other power sources. The mp3 unit is the middle one in the picture below.
Another development in Alex and Sybil’s work has been short term trips to Peru (Aventura Misionera Peru / Wokabout). Each Aventura Misionera Peru (3-6 weeks) enables recordings to be distributed among a number of people groups. The teams that accompanied the Shaws were able to assist in the work and gain cross-cultural experience in mission. The people along the Ucayali river were supplied with Scripture recordings and local pastors were challenged to work together to see the people’s need for God’s Word to be met.
Two powerpoint slide shows displayed the Aventura Misionera work. We were able to see the connection which the teams were able to make the local people. Their efforts were well received and appreciated. Though the conditions are challenging, the work looked very rewarding. It is also encouraging to see the local Christians who are being raised up to carry out this work.
As our time drew to a close Alex spoke of his desire to have people trained in story telling. He visited a native American Indian reserve and was told by a local pastor that the story of the Scriptures needs to be told in the languages of the people with respect to local protocols. This has been the aim the GRN all along.
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