10 Jan 2008 |
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Wọnu shook her head and sang the carol chorus; “Glooooooooria in excelsies Deo.” Wọle: That’s Latin isn’t it? What is the English/Yoruba translation of that? Ọlaọmọ: Glory to God in the highest. “Ogo f’Ọlọrun to ga julọ.” I responded. Patrick: I would have said Ogo giga julọ f’Ọlọrun. Wọnu: I think you’re both right. “The meaning differs. One is glory to the highest God, the other is highest glory to God.” Ọlaọmọ: Wordings matter, that’s why there are so many translations of the bible. Wọnu: As long as we get the basic meaning, that’s no problem. The bottom line is giving glory to God. Wọle: You’ve both displayed an example of translation issues. Do we translate word for word or meaning for meaning? Yorubas in Diaspora don’t have the resources or desire to make Yoruba an international language. “I think we do. We just need to re-divert our focus and funds.” Ọlaọmọ: As they say, the longest journey begins with the first step. Patrick: One of those hurdles you cross in language interpretation and translation is getting the proper equipment for transcribing and the correct transcript. We need a Yoruba computer keyboard with all the alphabets coded. “I was able to download a Yoruba font online, but it shows up differently on other computers unless the viewers also download the font.” Wọnu: Contemporary Yoruba teaching materials are needed. I’m not exposing my son to those awful Yoruba films in the name of language and culture. Ọlaọmọ: We need more Christian media as well as pure education teaching aids. The song in the background was comfort ye my people. Patrick referred to it and said; “I know a comfort ye joke. There was a gospel revival somewhere in rural Yorubaland and the preacher had an interpreter. As the preacher was preaching, he cried, “Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people”. The interpreter, not knowing what to say, cried, Comfort yi, (this Comfort) Comfort yi, enia mi ni (is my person).” We all laughed. “There are programs that translate English to other languages in text and audio format, that’s what we really need for Yoruba.” Wọle: We could form a Yoruba Christian Men for that. After all, Yoruba alphabets were created so that people could read the bible. Ọlaọmọ: Now that’s an idea. Where are the computer geeks? “I hope they rise up to the challenge.” Ọlaọmọ: It is good to be hopeful, but faith, which is action in what one believes, is better. I am going to call my contacts in Nigeria next year. Wọnu: What’s the Yoruba word for intuition? None of us knew. Wọnu: What of conscience? “Ẹri ọkan.” I replied. Wọnu: Fellowship is idapọ, I know. What’s emotion? Patrick: Ifẹ inu. Wọle: Isn’t that inner love? Patrick: It can mean that too. Wọnu: Mind is ọkan right? Ọlaọmọ: Yes. It’s also for heart. Why all these questions? Wọnu: I’m trying to find words for the three parts of humans. Since we’re spirits with souls living in bodies, and the spirit consists of conscience, intuition and fellowship, the soul; mind, will, and emotions, and body; flesh, bones and blood, it seems appropriate to know the Yoruba terms. Wọle: That’s my prophetes, full of revelation, you see why I married her! “Ọkọ’yawo, kare. I think the will is ifẹ inu or ẹdun ọkan. Flesh is ẹran ara, bones are egungun and blood is ẹjẹ. Ọlaọmọ: We need a Yoruba bible school. That will solve the issue. Wọle: That is a dream that only God can make true. Patrick: Let’s walk in faith, nothing is impossible with our God. Wọnu: Honey, have you heard of Divine Appointment? They ministered here a few minutes ago. I wish you had been here. They were very good. We should invite them to church sometime. Ọlaọmọ: Derbrah, tell Wọle about the Yoruba service thing. “I explained to Wọle and he responded; “I can organize it as long as I don’t have to be the one to preach. I have never preached a Yoruba sermon in my life.” Ọlaọmọ: Shame on you. Wọle: Apostolos, please have mercy on the poor poimen. God has not sent me to any one who only understood Yoruba. Patrick: Is it that He has not sent you or He could not send you. “Or worse, you refused to go because you disapproved yourself.” Wọle: I don’t know. I’ve always preached in English. Wọnu: I’ve preached in Yoruba before. I’m better than you. Ha, ha, tee hee. Ọlaọmọ: Only once. Wọnu: It still counts. “For many years I disqualified myself from preaching in Yoruba until God encouraged me. Now I don’t just preach in Yoruba, I’m translating! God is awesome!” Ọlaọmọ: We all start somewhere, so Wọle, this could be your first. Wọle: No way. That is not my strength. Wọnu: Let’s first organize one. If there’s no one to preach in Yoruba, we’ll read the scriptures and go home. We all laughed. Ọlaade woke up and Wọnu picked him up. He began to root. Ọlaọmọ: Wọle, it’s your turn to breastfeed. We all laughed. “So Wọle, you’ve never attempted to breastfeed Ọlaade. I think you should.” Wọle: Derbrah, me kẹ? Where do you see men breastfeeding? It’s women’s job. “Research shows that men can do it too.” Wọle: That research did not include me. There’s nothing on me for the baby. “If you put the baby to breast you will be stimulated.” Wọnu: Looking as serious as she could stated; “So honey, let’s try it, here, take.” She placed Ọlaade in Wọle’s arms. The shocking look on Wọle’s face would have been alarming if it were not so funny. Wọle: Baby please, let’s discuss this at home. This is bedroom talk. Wọnu: This is the age of equal rights. Wasn’t that what you said this morning? We can both breastfeed the baby. Give it a try. Use the blanket to cover yourself. At this point, I burst out laughing. Ọlaọmọ, Patrick and Wọnu joined me. Wọle just shook his head and played with his son. “Wọle, do you really mind if Wọnu breastfeeds in public without a blanket.” Wọle: No, she’s just breastfeeding. Ọlaọmọ: Really Wọle, I’m impressed. You mean the fact that other men may see your property does not bother you. Wọle: They can see but they cannot touch. Patrick: I mind o. My wife must use a blanket or go to the car. What’s underneath her clothes are for my eyes only. Ọlaọmọ: So that’s how you are. That means you must wear t-shirts at the beach, swimming trunks alone is exposure. Ọlaade at this point began to fuss. Wọnu: Bami gbe nkan mi (Give me my property). She received Ọlaade and nursed him. “Time for some more omi-iye.” Patrick: Is that what you call breastmilk? Wọle: Yes o. The fluid healed my eyes. It reminds me of our Lord’s invitation in John 7. Ọlaọmọ: When He was talking about the Holy Spirit eh? Wọle: Yes, rivers of living water. “I remember the Samaritan woman at the well.” I responded. “I wrote a poem titled, Water of life, that’s for my next meeting.” Wọnu: The lady said, Sir, give me this water so that I don’t have to come to the well. She did not like chores, my kind of woman. Ọlaọmọ: And she had a way with the men, she had had five husbands. Patrick: That is a strange sight in Yorubaland. It’s easier to see one man who has had or still has five women than one woman. “Mama Jade, the owner of this place, has had 6 husbands.” Patrick: That is an exception. Wọnu: She’s getting married again next year. Wọle: She too has a way with men. Ọlaade finished eating and rested in his mother’s arms. Wọle asked for him and I inquired, “So why don’t you like the name Solomon?” Wọle: The reasons are numerous. Ọlaọmọ: Baba Sọlo, ẹ ku şẹ o. Wọle: One reason is the way it sounds. Wọnu: He’s not telling you the real reason, Wọle, tell Derbrah. Wọle: My granddad named me, but he was a good dad. My dad was an evil dad, he’s not going to name my son. Patrick: Good decision but don’t let it turn to strife. Wọle: When it comes to my dad, lack of fellowship is peace, fellowship means stress, we never agree. Wọnu: Two cannot walk together except they agree. Wọle: Don’t get me wrong, it would be nice if we could agree but we have different standards by which we live. It’s too late for him to vie for the honor of a good father, he squandered his chance by leaving me for fifteen years. “Trust God for wisdom on how to relate to your biological father. When all is said and done, God is your Spiritual Father and your relationship with Him is stronger than that with your physical dad. What you should not allow is for the pain of the past to affect the joy of your future.” Wọnu: Derbrah, thank you. Wọle: There’s something I need to figure out and I’m waiting on the Lord. “Usually these things have soulish and spiritual roots.” I responded. “It took me 28 years to figure out the root of evil in my family. I have some resources that could help, I’ll send them to you. Also, Juli, a good pastor friend in Nigeria, can assist. I’ll ask her to send you some resources. If you want, she may do e-counseling with you. This area is her specialty.” Wọnu: Please write her email address. I will get in touch with her. I glanced at my watch and realized it was time to go. “Sorry, I have to leave you for my poetry meeting. Wọle, …” I started, giving him my car keys, “please open my trunk and take out the gift I have for Ọlaade.” Wọle: Thanks Derbrah. We’ll exchange. I have something for my boys too.” When Wọle returned, we all held hands and prayed. I hugged my friends good-bye and as I turned to leave, I saw Ariel coming into the restaurant. I presumed the lady beside him was Mosunmọla. Ọlaọmọ looked at me and said, “Derbrah let me call you later regarding Ariel’s key. Somehow, I believe I won’t need to bother your friend.” “Sure.” Derbrah writes courtesy of Agape for All Ministries. Author retains copyright.
Author’s ending note: The love God has for humans is not dependent on our goodness or evilness. It is dependent on His nature and His nature is love; mercy, justice and righteousness. In this New Year, I hope that everyone reading this (who is not yet a Christian) will receive God’s amazing love. You become a Christian by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Romans, 10: 9-10, 13 John 1: 12, 3: 3, 5, 16, and I Peter 1:23). To do so now, pray the following prayer; Creator of heaven and earth and all therein, I believe that You love me. I believe that You sent Jesus Christ to die for my sins, I believe that You raised Jesus from the dead, I confess that Jesus is now the Lord of my life. Thank You Father because according to Your word, I am now saved, in Jesus name, Amen. I wish everyone a happy 2008, this is a year to celebrate. Jadesọla’s restaurant is a drama ministry of the Yoruba Christian Women (YCW), an international faith-based non-governmental, not-for-profit organization. Similarity of names and stories are coincidental. Feel free to copy for non-commercial use. Commercial use requires permission. For more information on YCW write Jesutoyin Ajikẹ-King (toyinking@yahoo.com).
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