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Ruth, of course, has been back to Ika a few times fairly recently, a
couple of times first of all with Esther Nordman (I'm sure you knew her as
Esther Gross), with whom she worked trying to get a modern, more
colloquial Igala Bible translation off the ground. Then finally in March
2010, when she visited Igalaland on her way back from a three-month
teaching assignment at the Theological College of Northern Nigeria (TCNN)
in Jos. She stayed for one night at Ika, lovingly cared for by your sister
Lois. She was so very pleased she made that visit, as she was able to be
with your mother (Phyllis Dibble) one last time before she was called home
to be with Jesus.
Ruth writes, "As far as I know the Igala New Testament has been translated
in first draft but still needs more work. One of those who has been
involved, Isaac Ogohi, a church elder, is now studying at TCNN, where I
spent three months in 2010. So he is not involved at the moment. Esther
Nordman has been working on literacy materials from her home in the US but
hasn't visited Nigeria for quite a while. However, Caroline, Esther's
mother, died fairly recently in the US but wants to be buried at Anyigba,
so Esther and the rest of the family will be going out for that some time
in June, but I haven't heard anything about actual dates. I've written to
her recently but have had no reply just yet."
While Ruth was in Jos some bad violence broke out quite near to TCNN, and
one of the students there was shot dead. Houses were torched and gunfire
could be heard. The SIL personnel were packed and standing by to dash to
the airport at one point, but in the end Ruth stayed on until the end of
the term. Then she went south to Igala before returning to Abuja and the
UK.
Ruth and I are now in our mid-seventies, but keep fairly busy. Ruth has
written a book about her childhood, and is currently writing a novel based
loosely on what she experienced in Jos two yeas ago. I still preach, and
also work voluntarily for a Christian charity called Open Ears, which
ministers to people, like myself, with impaired hearing. |
