Jehovah’s Witnesses Launch Sami Language Bible Outreach in Lapland

Jehovah’s Witnesses have undertaken efforts to share the Bible message with the Sami people, a indigenous group living in Lapland. These initiatives began in the fall of 2015 with the translation of Bible literature and videos into the Sami language. In 2016 and 2017, the organization conducted special operations in Lapland, a remote region known for its Northern reindeer herds, to distribute the translated materials.

During the May 2017 operation, over 200 Witnesses from Finland, Norway, and Sweden volunteered to visit the many small villages spread across thousands of square miles of Lapland. Some volunteers had learned basic Sami phrases, which impressed the local residents. Dennis, a volunteer who preached in Kriegsnay, noted that the locals appreciated the Witnesses’ efforts to speak their language and felt they were genuinely interested in them.

The Sami people have a deep connection to nature and the living world, making the Bible’s promise of an earthly paradise particularly meaningful. When a Sami woman began studying the Bible with the help of the brochure *God Has Good News for You!*, she expressed surprise that her priest had never mentioned this concept.

Many Sami individuals expressed appreciation for the visits of Jehovah’s Witnesses. A grocery store owner praised two Witnesses, calling their work “an important activity that contributes to society.” He offered to provide them with supplies without payment.

During the operation, Jehovah’s Witnesses showed the Sami people 180 videos and distributed over 500 publications. Many sought to receive materials in their language. Additionally, 14 members of the Sami community began studying the Bible with the help of Witnesses.

Some Sami individuals praised the quality of the translations. Nila Tapiola, a school teacher and member of the Sami parliament, noted that the publications were “easy to read and have a good linguistic structure.” A Sami person from northern Finland remarked that the translations were “the work of professionals.”

In Kriegsnay, on the border between Finland and Norway, a Sami woman was impressed by the quality of the translation in the brochure *God Has Good News for You!* and requested permission to use it in school to teach the Sami language.

Source: Read the original report (translated from Hebrew)