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BEMIDJI 鈥� The official website of Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses, , now includes many Indigenous languages considered at risk of dying out, such as Ojibwe.

With International Mother Language Day approaching on Feb. 21, Bemidji residents Jason and Rachel Raveling recently highlighted in a release how endangered languages like Ojibwe now have a home on the Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses website, along with more than 1,050 other languages

鈥淥jibwe is beautiful,鈥� Rachel Raveling said in the release. 鈥淚t sounds bubbly. There鈥檚 no harshness to it 鈥� it just flows.鈥�

According to the release, Rachel has been learning the language since 2017, when she and her husband, Jason Raveling, took an Ojibwe class taught by native speakers among Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses.

Jason, who has Ojibwe heritage, had begun learning the language earlier so he could have fun using it with the kids who rode the school bus he drove in Walker.

Before long, however, he was taking his studies more and more seriously and asking people he knew on the reservation for help with phrases and pronunciation, the release said.

COVID-19 has put a halt to getting in-person help from Ojibwe speakers, but the Ravelings continue to be very enthusiastic about the Ojibwe materials available on the website.

Jason recalled a pre-pandemic experience he had as he visited with a woman about the Bible and shared an Ojibwe video from his tablet.

鈥淪uddenly the husband appeared after the video played,鈥� he explained in the release. 鈥淗e kept repeating: 鈥楾hat鈥檚 amazing. That鈥檚 amazing. That is how we used to speak. I can鈥檛 believe you鈥檙e doing this.鈥� He was just amazed that someone鈥檚 going to the work to make the videos in Ojibwe.鈥�

鈥淭ranslating Indigenous languages is a labor of love for all those involved and for our organization,鈥� said Robert Hendriks, the U.S. spokesman of Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses. 鈥淭he work is challenging and time-consuming. But our goal isn鈥檛 to make a profit, it鈥檚 to provide the Bible鈥檚 comforting message clearly and accurately to as many people as possible.鈥�

"Sharing the Bible鈥檚 message of hope and comfort among those who live on the Leech Lake and Red Lake Nations has been a powerful experience for the Ravelings," the release said. "And knowing some Ojibwe has helped them feel closer to the people who speak it."

To access Bible-based videos and printed materials in Ojibwe and other Indigenous languages, visit and select the language of choice.