GUATEMALA, September 6, 2007 — Bible dedications in the mountains of Guatemala are always an adventure. The Chuj San Mateo Bible was no exception.
At 3.00am, with the dull sound of the engine lulling us gently back to sleep, we left Camojá, Huehuetenango, in western Guatemala. An hour later, approaching the bridge which would take us over to Nentón, we could clearly see the shapes of other vehicles and the bustle of people who were waiting in the early morning cold for us to join the convoy of vehicles heading for San Mateo Ixtatán.
PHOTO: Alice Mitchell
Bringing boxes of Bibles down the side of the amphitheatre in San Mateo Ixtatan, Guatemala, for the dedication of the Chuj San Mateo Bible in July 2007.
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There was an overwhelming reason for all this activity: to attend the community’s dedication ceremony of the Bible in Chuj. Never mind that we had started out yesterday and had already been on the road for more than 12 hours, our exhaustion was nothing compared to our joy and enthusiasm for the event to come.
One vehicle was carrying David and Elena Ekstrom, a missionary couple and long-time friends of the Bible Society who have devoted their lives to Guatemala, and have been heavily involved in translating the Scriptures into at least three indigenous languages – including Chuj of San Mateo Ixtatán. In other vehicles were Dr Bill Mitchell, UBS Americas Area Translation Coordinator, the Rev Cornelio Midence, Executive Secretary of the Bible Society of Guatemala (BSG), Pablo González, his colleague in El Salvador, Victor Hugo Hernández, President of the Board of the BSG, and all the members of the board.
With determination and great enthusiasm, the staff of the BSG made sure that everything was going according to plan. And likewise representatives from the Mayan Association of Bible Translations of Guatemala, friends and members of communities around San Mateo Ixtatán joined the busy procession.
By the time the sun came out, the convoy of about 58 vehicles was already almost a kilometre long and they advanced uphill in one body. The surface of the unmade-up road had been made looser by the rain and the constant pressure of the passing vehicles. The vehicles were now beginning to get stuck but brothers from the churches, indifferent to getting muddy, armed themselves with ropes and planks set about solving the problems so that the procession could continue.
Between one incident and another we had already missed four hours of the planned programme. But, in the words of the saying, Man proposes, God disposes and it seems that when the Lord orders us to stop, there is a reason for it: on this occasion it seemed to be so that we could admire the countryside which was overwhelmingly beautiful. The Creator really has placed his hand on these lands; its mountains and valleys were covered by a tablecloth woven with green.
Following the winding road as it snaked towards San Mateo Ixtatán, we finally came in sight of the town. It could only be by a miracle that that we arrived at this historic moment amid such blessings. Not only were we safe, having been free of punctures and all other breakdowns, but nothing had gone wrong. We had not even experienced the usual altitude sickness. God’s loving hand hadbeen with us all the way. And at dawn, we saw a beautiful rainbow, beginning at the peak of a mountain and going all the way down to a valley several hundred feet below, his reminder to us of his covenant.
The local people (‘los mateanos’) are extremely friendly, hospitable people and they and all their neighbours had come out to greet us everywhere in the town.
One couldn’t help admiring the picturesque streets and the elaborate traditional costumes – especially the güipiles (the handmade blouses that form the top half of the women’s costume) which they wear with great grace and dignity. We made our way down on foot to the beautiful spot where the Literature Committee and the organisers had got the service of dedication ready. With its terraces in the rock face, covered in greenery, where those attending the service were sitting, the place seemed at first to be a naturally-formed theatre. But then we were told that that the remains of Mayan buildings lay underneath us, and it was not difficult to imagine that we were sitting in some sort of stadium hewn – or built – by that ancient civilisation.
Two flags – the Guatemalan flag and the Christian flag – were carried past the crowd to the tune of La Granadera, the anthem of the Organization of Central American States. Later, Guatemala's national anthem is sung and two 'mateano' brothers carried the Holy Scriptures to the front with great reverence and gently opened them.
The dedication service was deeply moving and we gave thanks to God because, finally, translating the Bible into San Mateo Ixtatán Chuj had ceased to be a mere project, and become a beautiful reality.
“Today we are witnessing a unique and historic moment,” said Cornelio Midence. “We are dedicating the Bible written in the language that you love and understand. This Bible is not ours, it belongs to the Lord and we dedicate it to him, that it may transform the lives of families, of adults and of children...”
Dr Bill Mitchell expressed satisfaction and gratitude that this work was concluded at last, David Ekstrom addressed the assembly in perfect Chuj and Miguel Martín Sebastián, the preacher for the occasion, announced triumphantly, “Today, for the first time, we are giving a reading to the Book of Exodus in our own language!”
The members of the Organising Committee handed over copies of the Bible, according recognition to the individuals and organisations who in one way or another played a part in the process of translating and publishing it.
The ceremony came to an end and several distribution points were quickly set up to give copies of the Bible to the church representatives present. Crowds of people gathered at each, all eager to have their own copy. They didn’t mind at all the heavy rain that was now falling, though normally it would have emptied the streets; the hunger and thirst of the mateanos for God’s Word was much greater.
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