Sango na Kisima

Translated by Sango Otieno and Crispinus OumaPrinting donated by Display Pack®

2nd Edition, January 2012© 2012 Love Inspired Outreach®

My name is Sango Otieno. I was born in the village of Sijoa. I would like to tell you how Jesus gave you the well. But first, I would like to tell you about my life and how I came to know Jesus.

Jina langu ni Sango Otieno. Nilizaliwa Kijiji cha Sijoa. Ningependa kuweleza vile Yesu aliwapa kisima. Lakini kwanza napenda kueleza vile nilimjua Yesu.

My parents were farmers. They raised chickens, sheep, goats, and cows. My siblings and I helped to look after the animals.

Pamoja na ndugu zangu tulisadia wazazi wetu kufuga kuku, kondoo, mbuzi na ngombe.

We also helped grow corn, beans, millet, ground nuts, sweet potatoes, and cassava.

Tulisaidia pia kulima, kupanda, kupalilia na kuvuna mahindi, maharagwe, mtama, njugu, viazi vitamu na mihogo.

We walked about two kilometers to fetch water from the Wakhungu River.

Kila siku tulitembea mwendo mrefu kuchota maji kwenye mto wa Wakhungu.

My parents did not know how to read or write, but they wanted us to be educated so we could have a better life than they did. They sold some of their farm animals to pay for us to go to school.

Ingawa wazazi wangu hawakujua kusoma na kuandika, walituhimiza kusoma kwa bidii. Waliuza baadhi ya mifugo wao kutulipia karo.

I attended Sijoa Primary School through the second grade. I played soccer, marbles, hop scotch, and jumped rope during break time.

Nilisoma katika shule ya msingi ya Sijoa mpaka darasa la pili. Nilipenda kucheza mpira, kuruka, na banta.

For the next five years, I attended Nangina Boys Primary School. I walked about six kilometers (one-way) to this school without shoes or a book bag. Mum gave me ten cents each day so I could buy a piece of sugarcane for lunch.

Nilisoma katika shule ya msingi ya Nangina kutoka darasa la tatu mpaka darasa la saba. Nilitembea mwendo mrefu bila viatu miaka mitano. Mama alinipa senti za kununua kipande cha miwa saa ya mchana.

I did well in all my studies, especially math. I was able to go on to high school, an opportunity that earned me a pair of shoes.

Nilifanya vizuri masomoni hasa kwa hesabu. Kufaulu mtihani ya darasa la saba, ilinipa nafasi kuhudhuria sekondari na pia zawadi ya viatu.

I joined a Christian Union Club. Most of the boys in this club talked about having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. I wanted to know Jesus, too.

Nilijiunga na chama cha Wakristo. Nilikutana na vijana wengi ambao walikuwa na furaha ya kumjua Yesu. Nilikuwa na hamu ya kumjua Yesu pia.

I asked my friends who Jesus Christ was. They said that He was God’s one and only Son. They told me I could read all about Jesus in the Bible (God’s words written down for us).

Nikawauliza “Jinsi gani ninaweza kumjua Yesu?” Walinisihi kusoma Biblia, kama njia ya kumjua Yesu.

As I read the Bible, I learned that I was a sinner and that everyone sins (does bad things).

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

I also learned that my sin required punishment from God.

For the wages of sin is death (spiritual separation from God). (Romans 6:23)

Kila niliposoma Bibilia nilitambua yakuwa mimi ni mwenye dhambi na kila mtu hufanya dhambi (mambo mabaya).

Kwa sababu wote wamefanya dhambi, na kupungukiwa na utukufu wa Mungu. Warumi (3:23)

Nilifahamu yakuwa dhambi zangu zinastahili adhabu.

Kwa maana mshara wa dhambi ni mauti, bali karama ya Mungu ni uzima wa milele katika Kristo Yesu Bwana wetu (Warumi 6:23)

I was thankful to discover that God loved me and sent His Son, Jesus, to earth as a man so that He could die for the bad things we all do.

...While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world, that we might live through Him. (1John 4:9)

Nilishukuru sana kutambua yakwamba Mungu alinipenda sana bali aka mtuma Mwana wake Yesu duniani kama mwanadamu kufa kwa ajili ya dhambi zetu.

… kwa kuwa Kristo alikufa kwa ajili yetu, tulipokuwa tungali wenye dhambi. (Warumi 5:8)

Katika hili pendo la Mungu lilionekana kwetu, kwamba Mungu amemtuma Mwanawe pekee ulimwenguni, ili tupate uzima kwa yeye. (Waraka Wa Kwanza Wa Yohana 4:9)

Jesus not only died, but rose from the dead on the third day and went to heaven. We celebrate this on Easter.

Tunasherehekea Pasaka kwa kuwa Yesu alifufuka kifoni siku ya tatu na akapaa mbinguni.

I was amazed to learn that just as Jesus rose from the dead we who believe in Him will also rise from the dead someday. We will have eternal life with Him in heaven.

Nilifahamu ya kwamba kufufuka kwa Yesu ni ahadi ya milele kwa yeyote mwenye ataamini. Tutaishi na yeye milele mbinguni.

All I had to do was believe and be saved!

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life... (John 3:36)

Kitendo cha pekee kwangu kilikuwa kuamini, ili niokoke.

Amwaminiye Yesu ana uzima wa milele … (Yohana Mtakatifu 3:36)

At age 14, I decided to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I said a prayer something like this, and so can you.

Jesus, you are my Lord and Savior! Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins so that I could be forgiven and have eternal life with you. Come into my life and take control

of me. I want to live for you.

Nilipokea Yesu kama Bwana na Mwokozi wangu nikiwa miaka kumi na minne. Hata wewe unaweza kumpokea Yesu ukiamini na kuomba ombi kama hiliYesu wewe ni Bwana na Mwokozi wangu. Asante kwa kufariki msalabani. Nisamehewe dhambi zangu. Napokea ahadi ya maisha ya milele.

Yesu wewe ni Bwana na Mwokozi wangu. Asante kwa kufariki msalabani. Nisamehewe dhambi zangu.

Napokea ahadi ya maisha ya milele.

Jesus, you are my Lord and Savior! Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins so that I could be

forgiven and have eternal life with you. Come into my life and take control of me. I want to live for you.

By God’s grace, I was able to finish high school and graduate from college. Furthering my education enabled me to teach college students. I am now a professor teaching statistics (math) at a university in the USA.

Kwa neema ya Mungu nilifaulu mtihani wa sekondari na chuo na hivi sasa nafunza hesabu katika chuo kikuu katika nchini Marekani.

God shows His love to me in many ways, such as giving me clean water. God wanted to give you clean water, too. His love inspired believers in the USA to give you the water well on His behalf.

Mungu hunionyesha mapenzi yake kwa njia nyingi, kwa mfano kwa kunipa maji safi. Mungu alitaka hata wewe unyewe maji safi. Upendo wake uliwavutia waumini kutoka nchi ya Merekani kuwapa maji safi kwa ajili yake.

I hope that every time you come to the well you will be reminded that God loves you.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Natumaini ya kwamba kila mara kisimani hiki kitakukumbusha mapenzi ya Mungu kwako wewe.

Kwa maana jinsi hii Mungu aliupenda ulimwengu, hata akamtoa Mwanawe pekee, ili kila mtu amwaminiye asipotee, bali awe na uzima wa milele (Yohana Mtakatifu 3:16)

The well is a wonderful gift from God. However, His greatest gift was sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to pay for your sins. Today, no matter how old you are or what you have, you can receive His free gift of eternal life by accepting Him as your Lord and Savior. Jesus has His arms wide open waiting for you.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father (God), except through me.” (John 14:6)

Kisima ni baraka kutoka kwa Mungu. Lakini baraka kubwa zaidi ni Yesu Mwana wake wa pekee aliyekufa msalabani kwa ajili ya dhambi zako. Tazama leo hata wewe unaweza kupokea zawadi ya bure ya maisha ya milele ukimkubali Yesu Kristo kama Bwana na Mwokozi wako. Yesu anangoja wewe na mikono yake wazi.

Yesu akajibu, “Mimi ndimi njia, na kweli, na uzima, mtu haji kwa Baba, ila kwa njia ya mimi” (Yohana Mtakatifu 14:6)

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.

Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

(John 4:13 & 14)

Yesu akajibu akawambia “Kila anywaye maji haya ataona kiu tena; walakini ye yote atakayekunywa maji yale nitakayompa

mimi hataona kiu milele; bali yale maji nitakayompa yatakuwa ndani yake chemchemi ya maji, yakibubujikia uzima wa milele”

(Yohana Mtakatifu 4:13-14)

Sango has a PhD in statistics and is a professor

at Grand Valley State University in Allendale

Michigan. He lives in Allendale with his wife

Karen and their three children;

Tumaini, Rehema, and Amani

Sango Otieno