Watch as Thousands of Papuan Natives Celebrate For Receiving The Bible in their Own Language

Julie Oosterhouse : Dec 30, 2014
Mission Network News

"This is a party! This is a day of celebration. And, man, it's fun to be a part of that." -David Holsten

(Indonesia)—[MNN] An exciting celebration took place earlier this month, one that called for a feast of over 200 pigs with song and dance and presents. (Photo via MNN)

Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) reports that the Hupla translation of the Bible is now complete, and they recently distributed copies to the Hupla people in Papua, Indonesia.

Mike Brown of MAF says, "We're here to celebrate the finishing of the complete Bible in the Hupla language. So this is it! This is exciting stuff for us. We've been partnering with the missionaries that have been working to translate this thing for years and years and years. So it's just great to be able to come and join them in the celebration."

This project has been in the works since 1980, though MAF has been involved in the community even before then.

And if it wasn't enough to distribute newly-printed Bibles, there were 29 baptism as well.

David Holsten of MAF says, "This is a party! This is a day of celebration. And, man, it's fun to be a part of that."

He explains that the Hupla have had the New Testament for a while now: "What really makes this dedication today unique is that it completes the story: it's the Old Testament. I get excited thinking about what it's going to be like for them to see God's story of salvation that begins in Genesis."

See an uplifting video of the celebration, click here.

Holsten sees it as a great win for those who have been serving in Papua for a long time.