Guajajara Bible Translation complete!

It is the first weekend in October 2010. In Brazil, at the eastern margin of the Amazon region, the dusty towns of Arame, Grajau, and Barra do Corda host parades and public celebrations. The Guajajara (pronounced gwah-zha-zhara), Brazil's most numerous indigenous people (population 21,000), have just received the complete Bible in their own language. This day was preceded by 35 years of live-in, "relational" Bible translating. It represents the joint efforts of an international array of missionaries and translators from various organizations.

Only a few days before, at a lake 25 miles from Arame, 29 baptisms took place. CrossWorld missionary Bron reports:

By 3:30 p.m., there were over 150 Guajajara Indians and others gathered by the side of the lake. We sang praises to the Lord, read His Word, prayed, listened to testimonies from some of those who were being baptized and heard the Word shared by one of the Guajajara Christian leaders. After the baptism, about 80 of us shared around the Lord's table as we joined together in communion.

(from CrossWorld, 80 Years of Missions, 2011 Calendar)