Adrienne is a mother tongue translator, in the team that translates portions of the Bible into the Masikoro language. She grew up in the midst of a religion based on ancestral worship but after becoming a Christian, she devoted her life to prayer. She was illiterate until she became saved, and then had such a desire to read the Word of God that she taught herself to read. She experienced God’s calling on her life and saw that God equips even those who society counted as worthless.

Adrienne came into this work as a prayer partner but it soon became obvious that she would make a great translator. She is a very passionate and lively woman of God. It has been said about her that you don’t have to speak her language to understand what she is talking about, because she is so animated. Her whole body and every muscle in her face gives life to whatever story she is telling.

She is proud of her language and uses it on every occasion she can, despite often being mocked when using her language in church. There are many people with the opinion that the official Malagasy language is the correct language to use when serving God. Through Bible translation Adrienne has come to the realisation that her language has equal value to other languages; and that God loves all languages. She now knows that all humans are free to come to God the creator in whatever tongue they speak. The following is based on a testimony from Adrienne after a trip to a village north of Toliara, where she and other colleagues attended the opening of a new church. This was a big event with many people participating with speeches and preaching.

‘Recently we took many copies of the Christmas lectionary to Anataka. The Masikoro people were so excited and happy. We ran out of books in no time. We sent for more books and they vanished as fast as the first lot. I felt overwhelmed. Everybody liked what they read and everybody wanted their own copy! Even those who aren’t Masikoro wanted a copy! I gave away my own copy, so now I don’t have one anymore.  One of the pastors there started preaching in Masikoro and I was silently praying that he would keep going. “Please don’t stop! Dear Jesus, they understand everything he is saying!” I was blown away. And I thought to myself: “If we had the whole Bible finished in Masikoro, not a single one of these people would use the Malagasy Ofisialy version again. They would choose to read it in Masikoro, their own language.”

The pastor preached and preached and then suddenly came to a stop. You could hear the whole crowd sigh, wanting him to keep going. Many others were going to speak as well, but I was silently hoping we could listen only to this pastor the whole time. There are actually many pastors who can speak Masikoro, and use that when they preach. I even heard them say mahavelo bevata. That is our expression for thank you. Mahavelo literally means gives life and bevata means a lot. When I use this expression in my church, people mock me and put me down in their words. But today, even the governor’s wife got up and used that Masikoro saying in front of everyone! My heart overflows with thankfulness! Now I know that the work we are doing has not been in vain.'