Simple Truths is where this all started. For those who don’t know the story, let me retell it briefly.

Beginning in 1999, I had started to travel to Vietnam to teach in a project connected to Canadian Baptist Seminary and South East Asia Training (SEATS). As a result of a week long class in which translation was moving from English to Vietnamese to a tribal language and back, I asked myself (and the powers that be), “How can we be certain that the students were understanding what we said, and further, that they were passing it along to their students (churches).”

The answer, “Why don’t we see if we can find out?” So, I returned and climbed on the back of a motorbike with a digital recorder and a set of questions. We made several stops over three days recording faith stories and then asking questions like, “Where did the world come from?” and “What does it mean to be made in God’s image?”

We transcribed (we meaning, someone other than me) and translated the material and, as a result, decided that a small catechism might be in order. Such a set of questions and answers could help the church train its new believers and also give some basic means of examining those who might aspire to ministry. Susan Moore and I developed the first draft. The English version was translated into Vietnamese and eventually into three additional tribal languages. As others came across the little book, they wondered if it might be helpful in their endeavours.

George Verwer of Operation Mobilisation (OM) decided that 10,000 of them ought to be distributed at the World Cup matches in South Africa – and so they were. Another 50,000 were distributed in India (Hindi translation). Eventually the book was translated into 14 languages with a few more being added every few years. Here is an example of one in the “translated but undistributed” category. If you don’t read Mandarin, this will be a simple visual. But please allow the visuals to remind you to pray for the 200,000 in distribution (in print or digital formats) and the work we will be doing in the days ahead.

問題1：是誰創造了你？

答案：上帝創造了你。創世紀 1:26-27; 創世紀 2:7; 使徒行傳 17:26