Hannah traded this bag of beans for her very own copy of the Bible in her heart language. photo credit: Sarah Starrenburg

When 82-year-old Hannah walked into the celebration for the new Kiembu-Kimbeere translation of the Bible in Embu Town, Kenya, she was greeted by sights and sounds of joy. In the foothills of Mt. Kenya, choirs sang, children danced and hundreds gathered to commemorate the event.

On that sunny June day, Hannah celebrated too. She had walked six hours to attend the launch of the translation and receive a Bible in her heart language for the very first time.

Since Hannah came from a rural village, she didn’t have money to pay for the new Bible. But she brought what she had: a bag of beans. And at the end of the ceremony, Hannah traded her bag of beans for a copy of God’s Word, which she plans to share with the rest of her family.

Hannah is not the only beneficiary of the new translation. Half a million people speak Kiembu-Kimbeere. Now, after years of work and waiting, they will have access to God’s Word in a language they can understand. It is a gift worth more than all the money — and beans — in the world.