Creole Bible Coming

August 12, 1999 - Come October this year, Saint Lucians will join the rest of the Caribbean in the singing of praises to their Almighty in their mother tongue – Creole. An initiative, by the Bible Society of the Eastern Caribbean.

The translation of the Creole Bible is the first major translation of the scriptures in the English Speaking Caribbean. During a Press Conference at the Government Information Service, Wednesday, Manager of the Bible Society of the Eastern Caribbean, Owen Williams emphasised the importance of worship in the creole language.

According to Williams, the translation of the scriptures into the mother tongue of a people is critical to the effective communication of the message of the bible to the heart. "When I came to Saint Lucia for the first time in 1992, I went to a church where people were singing in English. I requested of the religious minister that he allow the congregation to sing the same in creole – people eyes lit up, their smiles were more enthusiastic – I have never heard singing like that in Saint Lucia before." This Williams says is testimony that the creole does make a difference, it speaks to the heart.

The shipment of an initial five thousand copies of the Creole Bible will arrive in Saint Lucia for a massive official dedication ceremony on Sunday October 10, 1999.

The translation of the Bible was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Bible Society of the Eastern Caribbean, the Folk Research Centre and the National Research and Development Foundation.

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