Why Would an IW Make a Dictionary? Part 2

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Third, you might wonder why Global Interaction and intercultural workers like Wendy and I would spend so much time undertaking a project like this. We believe that God is interested in every aspect of the Yawo’s life. Jesus, when He talked about His ministry on earth, talked about it in holistic terms. We read in Luke 4:18-19 that Jesus saw His ministry to people in word, sign and deed and through Jesus, God is reconciling, renewing and transforming all things to himself. At Global Interaction, we believe that God calls us to join Him in His mission to the world and that we should also work holistically in the same manner as Jesus.

Obviously, a dictionary on its own is not enough to reconcile, renew or even transform the Yawo. In fact, fully meeting the education, health and economic needs of the Yawo would still not be enough for them to experience true shalom. For this to take place the Yawo also need to encounter Jesus who is reconciling, transforming and renewing all things. For such encounters to take place it usually requires people who can communicate with the Yawo meaningfully in their own language, which is why we are constructing the second side of this dictionary. The Ciyawo into English side will help explain the most important and frequently used Ciyawo words to intercultural workers who are working with them.

The first side of our dictionary, the English into Ciyawo side is complete, has been circulated, and is being used. We could not have achieved this without the vital financial contributions, encouragement and prayers of Australian Baptists. At the public launch of the dictionary, Global Interaction donated 500 copies on your behalf to the Malawian Ministry of Education. The Australian government donated a further 200 copies through the embassy in Zimbabwe.

The second side of the dictionary, the Ciyawo into English side, is nearing completion. Through this effort intercultural workers will have access to a tool that will help them learn more of the Yawo language so that they are better able to understand and speak to the Yawo meaningfully. Yawo wisdom tells us that we cannot complete this project alone, or even the larger work of seeing people reconciled and transformed. It requires all of us working together.

We celebrate that this long-term project is nearing completion. To learn more, visit: www.globalinteraction.org.au/Projects/Dictionary​

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