I am surrounded by light when I get off the small plane Cesna 1979 and step on the runway after a five hour flight. This unknown light gives me a deeper understanding on how God watches the Earth. The Nadëb group is one of the nations or ethnos God desires to redeem so they may be part of His people –as mentioned in Matthew 28, Acts 2 and Revelation 7--–, much more than just 350 people… Today, a young and gentle chief called Eduardo welcomes us. In the 60’s, a white man decided to release the Nadëb people from foreign oppression and took them to the land that now belongs to them. In the 70’s, a foreign couple took the first steps in the long road the Nadëb have walked with SIL Brazil in order to translate God’s Word. Another team kept walking in this road, until Rodolfo and Beatrice Senn –an Argentinian man and a Swiss woman– took over the missionary work that has reached a port of victory and celebration. I remember well my solitary long walks by the runway” –says Rodolfo–. “How am I going to do it, I wondered? I found it difficult, very difficult to learn the language. My children were young and there were many things to do. But we knew if God had been leading us till here, He was going to be faithful to complete His good work”. And this (Nadëb) is certainly a complex language. Phonetics is so wide that its six vowels multiply into glottalized, nasalized and pharyngealized sounds, not to mention the extended variants. To all this must be added the very particular syntax and semantics. Nadëb people call God P’op hagää Doo which literally means ‘The one who dwells on high’. Beatrice –who took over the development of a local school in the Nadëb language–, also tells us: “Older people made a great effort, although they did not have skill enough to learn to read fluently”. Obviously, the Nadëb language did not have a written system. Therefore, the Senns witnessed the hard –but possible process– to develop a phonetic system, a literacy method, a literacy campaign and a bilingual education program in this small village made up of some 130 people. “The legendary chief Joaquín made a significant contribution to translation process” –says Rodol- fo–. “He helped me to learn the language. He gave me his trust and friendship”. Joaquín formed his team of leaders, from which Eduardo arose as the new chief of Rozado, a beautiful village that borders the Uneixú River, a small branch of the Black River, which is a tributary of the Amazon River. Rozado was the scene of the transformation –throughout almost five decades– of Nadëb people. Mrs. Francisca –a leader of the community– lived the worst moment of her life when her daugh- ter Socorro (just 12 years old) was diagnosed as having uterus cancer. Francisca and Socorro were very desperate and discouraged while they waited for the day of the risky surgery. “One night, I stayed alone in the hospital because my mom had gone to eat out” –says Socorro–. “Then, a voice whispered in my ear and said: ‘Don’t worry. Everything is in my hands’”. She remembered that when she opened her eyes…no one was in her hospital room. “I went into the corridor and I saw no one, not even a nurse”. For this reason, she knew the Lord Jesus was giving her faith to make it through. “Then, a man who gave Bibles in the hospital gave me one and told me: ‘Read it. God wants to help you’. And I started reading the portion that says: If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest” –remembers Socorro, who is now married and has four children–. “Doctors said I would never be able to have children”, she says with a smile on her face. The dramatic episode that resulted in a healing miracle unleashed the faith of the Nadëb people. “They prayed with us, even though they did not know Jesus yet. But when we get off from the light aircraft with the young Socorro healed, the community accepted Jesus, headed by chief Joaquín. I remember Socorro embraced her brother… we wept tears of joy” –says Rodolfo, who can’t help but be moved–. “From then on, we witnessed the forming of the native church with its own leadership and a deep-rooted teaching of God’s Word”. Today, this same young woman called Socorro translates the Old Testament in her own language. As in many other parts of the world, the church and the school grew hand-in-hand. Rodolfo and their Nadëb assistants translated long hours every day. Mr. Joaquín and the team of leaders led church in worship, baptism, teaching and doctrine. Meanwhile, Beatrice formed a Nadëb team of teachers and designed the classes and the materials by levels, shifts and ages. Gabriela –a visitor from Argentina– remembers the day when she got involved in a womens’ meeting at the Nadëb church. “Beatrice handed out a card for each woman. When they started reading, I realized those were new Bible versicles that Rodolfo and Mr. Joaquín had just translat- ed to Nadëb language. They looked like water drops falling into thirsty mouths”. It was 2006, and the process of the New Testament translation was about 54% along. Likewise, the Nadëb people had published the story of Creation and the book of Jonah. “Then, we realized the deep transformation the community was having, as a result of a Gospel that took root deeper and deeper with the roots of the Good Seed. Nadëb group from the Brazilian Amazon finally receives the New Testament in their mother tongue. They show a genuine transformation at individual and community levels. Struggling uphill to make ends meet All things work together for good to them that love God Article and Photos by Leo Vartanian.