Nungalinya College

Classes are back & so is chapel

Nungalinya is a training college for Indigenous Christians that offers a range of courses including literacy, music, theology and translation – each using God's word to equip Indigenous leaders. Each class runs as a series of 2-4 week live-in intensives, with up to 60 students at the college at any time. Most students come in from remote communities, so the college was unable to have classes for several months, but classes are now back on. Our office is on the Nungalinya campus, so I get to join the students for chapel each morning, which is always a great encouragement.

A drama of Paul's conversion.

Morris, from Maningrida, sharing from Acts 16:16-34, when the prison doors opened, but Paul and Silas didn't escape. Morris reminded us that bad things do happen to Christians, and our response should be to pray, and remember that people who believe in the Lord Jesus, will be saved.

Some of the translation class performing Djesuy nhuna nhäŋgala (Jesus knows and sees you). You might notice that not everyone is singing, as they don't all speak Gupapuyŋu, but they learnt the dance. See below for the words in Gupapuyŋu and English.

It was especially lovely to see the translation diploma students on campus, many of whom are already Bible translators. I am learning to build relationships by sitting in silence, and I enjoyed helping with resetting passwords, giving someone a lift to post some things home, and helping with the translation of some COVID posters.

Give thanks for Nungalinya college and the training it provides to so many Indigenous Christians.

Pray that students will share what they learn with their communities, and that God will continue to raise up more Christian leaders.