My story – By Miriam Numamurdird
Miriam Numamurdird is the first local Christian leader in the Northern Territory to participate in a unique pilot program. An ADM Mercy & Justice Grant is providing Miriam with a two-year paid traineeship in Bible translation & leadership development. She is working in partnership with Rev. Kate Beer, CMS Ministry Development Officer for the Diocese. Hear Miriam’s story…
My story
Well, in 2009, I changed my life [understood to mean ‘to follow Jesus’]. My husband and I went fishing one Saturday and caught a lot of fish and turtle. While I was fishing, I heard a voice in my ear singing. I told my husband that I could hear Randall’s voice singing in my ear [1]. It was so amazing to me.
Then we were walking back to our house and I was still hearing Randall singing that song in my ear.
When we got back home we were sitting around the fire at home and I was still hearing it. People were having Christian fellowship (singing and prayer time) outside [my neighbour] Hanna’s house. Well, my kids went to fellowship to dance to the action songs. Well, I got up and I walked with my kids. I told them I would wait for them at their grandmother’s house. But I didn’t go there, I went to fellowship!
And Sunday night, I decided to give my life [to Jesus], there and then.
In 2010, I went to Nungalinya College [2] to do some study. I did the Foundation course [in English literacy and numeracy] and in 2013-2015 I did the Certificate III in Theology. In 2016-2017 I did the Certificate IV in Theology.
I graduated and I finished all the study I was doing. In 2017, I called Kate Beer in the Diocesan Office for help. I wanted to hold Bible studies throughout the Easter week. It was the first time for my husband and I to have Easter in my community of Urapunga.
On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, we had Bible studies about Easter. People came and we sat talking together and everyone liked [the studies]. Those people were really hungry for God’s word! But on Thursday, we followed the story of Jesus’ death and the last supper Jesus had with his disciples. We went hunting and caught barramundi and a buffalo and cooked it all for dinner for everyone. They enjoyed it and they were singing and doing action songs and everyone was really happy.
We did it [again] last year in 2018. And this year a lot of people asked about coming to us at St Philip’s Urapunga [for Easter]. We welcome all people who come and have Easter with us. You are welcome!
1. Randall Carew is a Roper Valley singer/songwriter of the Rembarrnga and Ngalakan people.
2. An Indigenous Christian College in Darwin.
Miriam’s story in her native language Kriol:
Wal, langa 2009, aibin tjenjim main laif. Mi en main husband minbala bin go, imbin Satedei wikend minbala bin go langa riba fishing en minbala bin gajim big mob fish en shot nek tertel. Brom deya aibin stat irrim det bois langa main irriwoll singsingbat. Aibin dalim main husben mi irrimbat Randall bois singsingbat langa main irriwoll. Imbin brabli amazingwan blanga main.
En brom deya minbala bin wokwokbat bek langa kemp en aibin kipgon irrim det song wen Randall bin singsingbat langa main irriwoll.
Wen minbala bin la kemp minbala jidan langa fiya en aibin stil lisen wen aibin langa kemp. Olabat bin abumbat feloship langa Hanna kemp autsaid. Wal, main biginini mob bin go langa feloship blanga ekshan. Wal, aibin gidap en wok garra main biginini. Aibin dalim olabat ai garra wait blanga yumob langa yumob abuji kemp. Bat najing. Ai nomo bin langa olabat abuji kemp, aibin go garram olabat langa feloship!
En Sandei nait aibin jinggibat blaga gibit main laif deya na.
Langa 2010, aibin go langa Nungalinya koledj blanga dum stadi. Aibin dum faundashan, en 2013-2015 aibin dum sertifikit 3 thioloji, en 2016-2017 aibin dum sertifikit 4 thioloji.
Aibin gradyait en aibin binij deya na ol detlot stadi weya aibin dum. 2017, aibin kol en askim Kate Beer langa diocese ofis blanga album mi. Dumaji, aibin wandi abum Baibul stadi thru langa det ista wik. Imbin fes taim blanga mi en main husben bla abum ista deya langa Urapunga, main komyuniti.
Wal Mandei en Tyusdei en Wensdei melabat bin abum stadi blanga det ista na.
Pipul bin kaman en melabat bin jidan gija en toktokgija en ebriwan bin laigim. Det mob bin hanggriwan blanga det wed nomo lilbit. Bat Thesdei melabat bin bulurrum det stori blanga Jisas wen dei bin kilim im dead en det laswan sapa na, Jisas bin abum garram im wekinmenmob. En blanga tharran na melabat bin dum. Melabat bin go hanting en mela bin gaji barramundi en bulogi, en kukimbat supa blanga holot. Dei bin rili gudbinji, en ebriwan bin singsingbat en gudbinji.
Melabat bin dum las yiya, 2018. En bigmob pipul bin askim blanga kaman disyia langa melabat deya la Urapunga — St Filip tjetj. Melabat welkam ola pipul blanga kaman en abum ista garram melabat. Yumob welkam na!