MWR : Low German alive, even on the radio

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Oct. 19, 2009 issue

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Low German alive, even on the radio

By Melanie Zuercher Bethel College

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NORTH NEWTON, Kan. — Carl Zacharias is a man on a mission, one he says God has been preparing him for all his life.

Carl Zacharias, host of a Low German radio program, left, talks with Harold Thieszen, center, who does medical translation for Low German speakers, and Willmar Harder, who is teaching his sons to speak Low German. — Photo by Melanie Zuercher

The Reinland, Man., man’s full-time job is trying to connect with Low German-speaking people — most, if not all, of them Mennonite — around the world.

He records a half-hour weekly radio program — Zachries Fetalt (Zacharias Speaks) — that airs in Belize, Bolivia, Canada, Mexico, Paraguay and the United States (including in western Kansas) and is available to anyone anywhere via the Internet.

Zacharias came to Bethel College Oct. 3 to participate in the Low German program that was part of the college’s annual Fall Festival. He spoke to an attentive audience of south central Kansas Low German speakers about his calling.

Zacharias was born in Winkler, Man. When he was 8, some Colony Mennonites in Paraguay invited his parents, Frank and MaryAnne Zacharias, to come as missionary teachers. These were progressive families, Zacharias notes, who wanted their children to have more education.

After three years in Paraguay, Frank and MaryAnne answered a similar call from Mennonites in Belize, where they lived and taught for four years. As a result of this experience, Zacharias says, “I feel so much at home with Low German-speaking people.”

Zacharias finished high school in Winkler and went back to Belize for a while, before eventually completing his degree in agriculture at the University of Manitoba, during which time he and his wife, Esther, were married.

The couple moved to Belize, where Esther taught elementary school and Carl managed a credit union. They spent two terms, 1990-94 and 2000-03, with Mennonite Central Committee in Bolivia, also working with Low German people.

From 2003 until January 2008, Zacharias worked as a real-estate agent in Canada and then decided to step out in faith and do his Low German work full-time, not knowing where the funding would come from.

“My focus is on Low German-speaking people around the world, informing them, inspiring them, encouraging them and making them laugh,” he said.

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Comments

great article-yes-the low german needs preserved. I am interested in the online connection.rk

- rk (oct 22 at 10:32 a.m.)
I would like to have the link to listen on internet. LOve the language but struggle to speak it. LIL

- Lil Bartel (oct 24 at 3:15 p.m.)
Keep it up

- David Loewen (feb 19 at 4:02 p.m.)
Hi Carl, my wife and I thoroughly enjoy your program that is broadcast on CIAM radio up here in northern Alberta. Growing up in low German speaking homes we always find it much more detailed to read or listen to scriptures or sermons or even funny stories such as your “Fritz and Fronz” (we even named our pet Canada Geese after them). While going camping this past week we heard the song “you are my sun shine” in German with alternative lyrics and we would love to be able to learn this song so that we can pass on the laughter that we experienced while it was playing on air, could you send us the lyrics? Keep up the great work, and may God Bless you!

Willy Schellenberg

- Willy Schellenberg (aug 25 at 12:29 a.m.)
Great show Carl!

We were wondering if you could send us the lyrics for your song "hillbilly cowgirl".

I'm thinking thats what you called it on Thursday, September 30, 2010, show.

May God bless your messages.

- Dave&Tina (oct 3 at 11:02 p.m.)
Zacharias. wo kann ich euer program im internet finden, gott mit euch

- abraham dyck (oct 6 at 10:19 p.m.)
We are thinking and praying for you. May God be with you through all the pain

- Peter&Sara Dyck (sep 24 at 1:54 a.m.)

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