July 6

Genesis 42:6 and 8-13, Heidi and David Coombs, Cruz Landa of the Quechua people in Peru,

Stories That Don’t Tire The Head

Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground . . . Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. Then he remembered his dreams about them and said to them, You are spies! You have come to see where our land is unprotected?

No, my lord, they answered. Your servants have come to buy food. We are all the sons of one man. Your servants are honest men, not spies.

No! he said to them. You have come to see where our land is unprotected? But they replied, Your servants were twelve brothers, the sons of one man, who lives in the land of Canaan. The youngest is now with our father, and one is no more.

Genesis 42:6 and 8-13

The story of Joseph and his brothers is a simple story to follow. It is simple, that is, if it is told in one’s own language, but very difficult, like other Bible stories, if it is told in a language that is not well-known. This was true for the Quechua people in Peru. Heidi and David Coombs worked closely with Cruz Landa, their language helper, in translating Bible stories for the people, so that they can understand and enjoy them.

Reading Bible stories in the Quechua language was a delight for Cruz because it allowed him to better understand how he ought to live the Christian life. But most of the Quechua believers did not benefit from God’s Word in their own language.

On one occasion when he was attending a baptismal service in a nearby town, he became acutely aware that the people were not fully understanding the meaning of what was being spoken and read in Spanish. He was troubled by the persistence of the churches to continue the use of a “foreign” language. As usual, he had brought along his Quechua Bible story books, and he offered to read from them. He began reading the story of Joseph and his brothers, which was one of the more lengthy Bible stories.

Halfway through, Cruz hesitated, wondering aloud if he should continue on, promising that he would complete the story later. But the people insisted he go on. “‘Our heads aren’t tired! We want to hear to the end.’

“So Cruz went on. Soon he arrived at the part where Joseph’s brothers, not recognizing him as the ruler of Egypt said to him, ‘Our brother died many years ago.’ The crowd burst into laughter. They loved the irony. And when Cruz finished, no one wanted him to leave. He stayed until the next day, teaching Quechua choruses to the people and reading more Scripture.”

For them it was a pleasure not to have to strain to understand, and to be able to catch the more subtle aspects of the stories that had been lost when read in a language that was not their own. ⁶