Far, far away in the Sudan in the interior of Africa lives a young lad named Wana Panta. Some missionaries had gone down there to tell the natives about God’s great love in sending His Son, the Lord Jesus, to die on Calvary’s cross for sinners.
Some of the natives did not want to hear the message at all, but others, whose hearts the Lord opened, were glad to hear of the grace of trod which offers salvation to sinners. Among these was Wana Panta in a village named Doro. As yet, however, the Bible had never been translated into their larnguage and so the missionaries could not give them anything to read. Nevertheless they were working very hard translating it, but it was very slow work. If they could give them even one of the Gospels in their own language they knew it would be a blessing, for the Bible says, “The entrance of Thy words giveth light.” Psalm 119:130130The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. (Psalm 119:130).
Wana Parini was very much interested. Since this book which told these wonderful things was really God’s Word, he wanted to learn to read so he could see for himself. And so while the missionaries were working on the translation, he came over and learned to read. As he read he was like the Bereans of long ago—he believed too. He opened his heart to the Lord Jesus and the change that took place in his life showed that he was a “new creature in Christ Jesus.”
Most of our readers have the Bible in their own homes, hut I wonder if you have all searched it like Wana Panta, to see for yourself. If not, why not start today?
ML 01/29/1950