Have you heard from God lately? Do you know that God speaks to you in your own language? In working with the former communist bloc countries of Eastern Europe for the last six decades to get local Bible translations into the hands of every person, we’ve witnessed a profound revelation among people who had never had Bibles before. The revelation that each of these transformed souls is hit with is: “God loves me. He sees me and loves me.”
The gypsies of Eastern Europe
This year, EEM partnered with Hungarian Gypsy Missions International and a Slovakian preacher who has worked diligently over the last 15 years to create the first-ever Bible translation for the local Romani dialect. While the term “Gypsy” is considered derogatory in the West, it is often used descriptively by this regional people group.
For the last 1,000 years, the Romani people have been widely oppressed and treated with extreme contempt in Europe. They have faced social ostracization, persecution, violence, murder and even sterilization. The widespread neglect, avoidance and mistreatment of the Romani continues today, reinforcing the idea that they are unwanted and forgotten.
But the God of the universe has not forsaken these precious people. He loves them, sees them and has a purpose for them.
This was revealed in one of the Romani communities visited by EEM this year, when they were able to read the Word of God for the first time in their own heart language. Men were emotional, holding up their Bibles in church, outpouring their hearts to God and to one another. Everyone was sharing about the things they were finally getting to learn for the very first time. One woman, with tears in her eyes, said this:
“I just realized … and it’s so humbling … I just realized that God speaks our language.”
In essence, what she was saying is that “God loves us — that He would stoop so low to speak our language.” It’s beautiful and tragic to hear. Just as Jesus died for you and me, He also gave his life for these beautiful people, tossed aside by the world, misunderstood, devalued and abused.
What an incredible revelation. We know that the Word of God is incomparable. It is alive, divinely inspired and sharper than any double-edged sword. It is utterly transformative. Perhaps this most-powerful piece of literature is one that, at times, we take for granted. Afterall, we have the Bible in our language, in our homes, on our phones and in every pew at church. We in the West are certainly not starved for the Word of God. Yet, there are many throughout the world who are.
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“So will my message be that goes out of my mouth — it won’t return to me empty. Instead, it will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).
Bibles in the language that speak to our heart
Like this woman and her people, we wouldn’t know the fullness of God’s heart for us if we weren’t able to read His Word in our own “heart language.” This is why it’s crucial that every soul has a Bible in their native tongue. This is why we must continue on in the Great Commission, namely through sharing the Gospel message found in God’s Word. This is why our ministry slogan is, “The Bible. We Want Everyone to Get it!” We don’t just want everyone to have it; we want everyone to get it. Get it into their hands, get it into their minds, and get it into their heart so that they can understand God’s purpose through it and therefore know their true identity in Christ.
What can we take away from this?
- Value the Bible. This holy, transformative text we behold is a precious gift, especially in the hands of people who have never before heard the Good News, as well as for those most persecuted for following Christ. Let us imagine if we were in these people’s shoes of never having had the Bible in our language or living in constant fear of being persecuted for harboring its message of hope. If this was us, the Bible would be our truest, most valuable treasure, and we would treat it as such.
- Pray for the Romani people that they would receive the Word of God, be transformed by its message and step into the Great Commission alongside us. Pray that Jesus would have His way among them, showing them how valued, loved and seen they are — despite the false narratives reinforced by the culture that surrounds them.
- Help spread the Word of God. We all bring something to the table, whether through evangelism, language skill sets, giving or teaching. Each of these roles, alongside countless others, presents opportunities to help share the Word of God with unreached people groups around the world. If you are bilingual, you have the opportunity to translate in mission work. If you are called to give to missions, consider giving to a ministry that works toward crafting accurate Bible translations and distribution, a cause that will not return void. Likewise, if you are compelled to the international mission field yourself, you can hand-deliver the Good News to those who have never received it.
Just as God speaks my language, He also speaks to others — to the Romani people, to the poor, to those who don’t know him yet. He speaks our language and loves each of us deeply — a truth so powerful and moving, that we couldn’t possibly keep it to ourselves.
“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17).
Bob Burckle is President of EEM (Eastern European Mission), which has been providing Bibles and Bible-based materials to the people of Eastern Europe since 1961, now reaching 32 countries in 25 languages. EEM distributed 1.95 million books in 2022 – all free of charge. See more at www.eem.org
