MAF delivers 100s of audio Bibles to people who can’t read in PNG

MAF delivers 100s of solar-powered audio Bibles in PNG every year (credit: Joy Suarkia)

Only 63.4% of Papua New Guinea’s population can read and write, according to PNG’s ‘The National’, with illiteracy rates even higher in remote, rural areas. In a bid to make the Bible more accessible, MAF’s been supplying and transporting hundreds of solar-powered audio Bibles to isolated communities in northern PNG, so that villagers can listen to God’s word in their own language at the press of a button

In October – in partnership with the Fellowship of National Bible Churches (FNBC) – MAF Papua New Guinea flew hundreds of solar-powered audio Bibles supplied by MAF Technologies PNG to a number of isolated communities in PNG’s Morobe Province.

Given that PNG has the lowest literacy rate in the whole of the Pacific (source: PNG’s ‘The National’), many remote villagers are not able to read the Bible, which is a barrier to accessing God’s word.

Morobe Province is home to isolated mountain & jungle communities (credit: Kowara Bell)

Thanks to the MAF/FNBC partnership, the residents of Nandani, Okainawa and Yavaipo in the Menyamya and Bulolo Districts are now able to listen to scripture in their mother tongue at the touch of a button.

Over 170 people turn to Christ

To accompany the audio Bibles, MAF partner and pastor, Robert Hane from FNBC, runs a Bible study programme entitled ‘Planim Pos’, so that a) recipients can acquire a deeper understanding of God’s teachings and b) their reading and writing skills can improve at the same time.

170+ people are baptised due to audio Bibles & ‘Planim Pos’ initiative (credit:Kowara Bell)

As a result of this initiative, more than 170 gave their lives to Christ last month and were baptised. Michael* was one of them:

‘I used to smoke drugs with others and hang around the streets. I would even sell them. I thought that the drugs would save me and that I would never change, so I just continued to do what I was doing.

‘I was involved in a lot of bad things that the Lord doesn’t like, but when I heard God’s teachings, I received the Lord. I left everything behind and now I am baptised and follow the Lord Jesus.’

Michael* benefits from the Bibles delivered by MAF & the ‘Planim Pos’ programme

*Not his real name.

Even the families of those who receive the Bibles and attend the study programme are positively impacted by the whole experience, rejuvenating wider communities.

Planim Pos facilitator, Pastor Robert Hane from FNBC, is delighted by the response:

‘The hunger for God’s word in remote communities gives me the energy to carry audio Bibles to the rural areas.

‘This technology has been instrumental in assisting the participants to comprehend the word of God, and I am truly grateful to MAF for their ongoing support.’

Technology as a source of comfort

In February this year, MAF supplied and delivered a number of solar-powered audio Bibles to Lae – another remote area of Morobe Province.

MAF partner Elajah Rapada from Bethany Baptist Mission earmarked the bereaved to receive them first.

Widow Salome finds great comfort in her audio Bible (credit: Nicholas Jowapo)

Widows like Salome, who lost her husband over four years ago, have found the audio Bibles incredibly comforting.

When her husband died, life became very difficult, but when she was introduced to the audio Bible, Salome’s approach to life changed for the better:

‘When I turn on the audio Bible, my problems and worries seem to fade away because I am reassured that the Lord Jesus is my life. I forget all my burdens. I know that Jesus is the reason for everything else in my life including my home and children.’

Listening to the audio Bible reassures Salome that she is never alone, and that God – through His word – reminds her that He is her greatest comforter and companion whenever she is faced with grief and the challenges of living life without her husband:

‘Praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.’ (2 Corinth Ch. 1, vs. 3-4).

Remote communities are transformed when they listen to the Bible (credit: Mandy Glass)

Literacy is key to development and spiritual growth

In addition to accessing God’s word which transforms lives, improving literacy is key to resolving many social issues and contributes to the wider development of an area.

Elajah Rapada (far right) says audio Bibles offer many benefits (credit: Elajah Rapada)

Elajah believes that solar-power audio Bibles reap many benefits:

‘They help people to grow spiritually and spread the Gospel, whilst also learning to read and write.’

In November 2022, MAF gave Sine an audio Bible for the first time.

Sine loves his new solar-powered audio Bible (credit: Joy Suarkia)

Sine has been attending church for many years but has not been able to read the word of God due to illiteracy.

Now, Sine is finally able to understand scriptures for himself in his own language.

Nicholas Jowapo from MAF Technologies PNG shows Sine how to work his new audio Bible:

Blessing the blind

In August 2021, Jane*- a blind widow who lives in the remote village of Sitiman in Morobe Province – received an audio Bible for the first time.

For years, Jane has relied on her relatives to take care of her and dreamt of owning an audio Bible herself for a long time.

When she finally received one, she cried with joy and thanked God for answering her prayers.

A solar-powered audio Bible means the world to Jane* (credit: MAF PNG)

Finally, she can access the Bible herself, simply by listening to it.

*Not her real name.

In the same month, in the remote village of Inemptamin, MAF was again able to bless two blind deacons with audio Bibles.

They were thankful for the opportunity to be encouraged by God’s word, now accessible at their fingertips, which they would in turn, use to encourage others.

‘How can they believe if they haven’t head?’

‘How can they believe if they haven’t head?’ asks MAF’s Caine Ruruk (credit: Joy Suarkia)

Caine Ruruk is a learning facilitator at MAF Technologies PNG, which supplies hundreds of solar-powered audio Bibles across rural PNG every year.

God’s purpose is always at the heart of Caine’s work when he distributes them:

‘God’s important purpose is for all of mankind to know His love and grace, and to call on Him to be saved.

‘But how can they call if they don’t believe? How can they believe if they haven’t heard and how can they hear if the Good News hasn’t been preached to them?

‘To have access to the Bible is to have access to Jesus.’

Caine Ruruk, learning facilitator at MAF Technologies PNG

Philip enjoys his solar-powered audio Bible (credit: Gerhard Stamm)

Read how MAF is improving literacy in Papua New Guinea’s female prisons