Congratulations to Canada’s local indigenous Bible translators and the Canadian Bible Society!
OneBook is absolutely convinced that local indigenous translation teams are the best way to complete Bible translation projects. We celebrate with the Canadian Bible Society and the Inuit translation team as they have completed the first indigenous led Bible translation in Canada.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/05/13/inuit-language-bible-finished-after-34-year-project/
On Thursday, April 12, two weeks before the second round of presidential elections, elements of the Guinean Armed forces arrested the interim prime minister and one of the leading candidates. A couple of days later, together with some opposition parties they declared the parliament and government dissolved. The main parties and their candidates have condemned this undemocratic move. Tomorrow the UN Security Council will meet and discuss the sending of a potential intervention force. None of our staff was harmed in the coup-d’état but the situation is tense in the country. All missionaries working in conjunction with the Evangelical Church of Guinea-Bissau, including expatriate translation project staff will evacuate tomorrow April 19 to Ziguinchore, Senegal, where they will wait out further developments . Our hope is that they will be able return to their work and ministry soon. Some of the translation projects located in rural areas are able to continue their work.
Please pray for a peacefull und democratic settlement to this situation. Pray also for the Christians in Governement and Army that they mare able to be peacemakers and light in these dark days.
It was only 58 years ago that the first church in Nepal was planted. Not by western missionaries, but by Nepalis who had encountered Christ while living in India, and then travelled home to share their new found faith in Jesus. In the midst of the only Buddhist nation on the planet a small seed had been planted.
Christians have been actively persecuted. The church has been an underground movement. Many leaders have been imprisoned.
Yet, today the church is blossoming. Over 1.5 million people have become Christians – almost 5% of the population. This fast growing church is filled with joy, with singing and wonderful worship.
There are very few national seminaries. Most pastors are lay pastors. And for almost half of the 30 million Nepalis the bible is not available in their mother tongue, the language of the heart.
OneBook has been actively funding bible translation, literacy and scripture use programs in Nepal since our inception. At our partners request we do not share people or language group names to protect the lives of our translators and the young church.
Today was a wonderful day of celebration. In fact, a double celebration.
For one people group they received the very first printed copies of the Gospel of Luke. The whole team of translators, pastors, literacy teachers and supporters were singing and dancing with joy. Their songs were verses of scriptures they had set to traditional Nepali music.
Then, before a group of 100 they had the first public reading of scripture in this mother tongue – the story of the death of Jesus as payment for our sin from Luke.
Then the second group of translators received the New Testament in their language! What joy as they saw the fruition of 6 years of intensive translation work. Then they too had the first public reading of scripture in their mother tongue – the resurrection story from the Book of Mark ending with the words “he is Risen”.
This people group has faced intense persecution including church burnings in the past year. In the next 2 months as mountain passes open up in the spring, bibles will be carried up to these people who have been waiting so long.
Our partners words rang in our ears as we finished a celebration dinner sitting on plastic chairs in a church courtyard. “Thank you Canadians for standing with us…thank you for being our partners…thank you for loving Nepal”
Wayne Johnson – on the road in Nepal
+45 C. I think it was the hottest I have ever experienced. And it was dry, so dry. Dry and dusty.
We had arrived in the village of Arilo, South Sudan, in the homeland of the Tennet people. Our short stay (four days and three nights) was certainly very warm, but it was not simply the climate. Our hearts were also warmed by the people we met. We came away with many strong impressions: the deep commitment of the pastors and Bible translators to give their own people the Scriptures in their mother tongue; the women’s dancing during the lively church service; the squeaking of the pump as women and girls filled their jerry-cans with water for the long trek home each morning and evening; the faces of new friends (old and young); feasts of maize-meal and roasted goat; and listening to Tennet songs and stories outside in the evening darkness, under a small new moon.
Perhaps the highlight was sitting in on the first checking session of the newly-translated Gospel of Matthew in the Tennet language. About a dozen men (mostly pastors, elders, and school teachers) gathered to listen to the Scripture read aloud—a short section at a time—and to discuss it. The goal: to ensure it communicated the true meaning accurately, completely, and naturally, in the Tennet language. The verse, “I will make you fishers of men,” caused much lively discussion and laughter from these inland people who raise cattle and goats in a very arid climate, and never go fishing! But they thoughtfully considered the true meaning from all angles, and then very carefully crafted just the right wording in Tennet. It was hard and deliberate work!
When we boarded the MAF plane yesterday to fly back to Juba, the pilot handed us each a small, cold bottle of water from a cooler bag. Amazing sensation in our dry, dusty hands. Jerry downed his in one glorious swallow. But I just held mine against my cheek first. Doubt I’ll ever think of cold water in quite the same way again. . .
Praying that God’s Word here in Arilo will be just that: “a cup of cold water” to thirsty souls. Already the Tennet Church is alive and well. But they need more of that life-giving water of the Word—in the language of their hearts.
Jerry and Kathy—in South Sudan
The newly-approved Aringa alphabet, complete with clear tone marks, places learning to read their mother tongue well within anyone’s reach—men, women, or children. This skill provides access to a wealth of information, including God’s Word translated into Aringa. The New Testament should be completed this year.
It began with a slight quiver at the corner of his mouth.
A minute later, his broad shoulders started to shake. He chuckled aloud, his solemn expression dissolving in a wide, white smile. Elbows on his desk, he covered his face with his hands and gave way to laughter. How could he remain serious when he was being entertained with a brand new story, read aloud to him in his own language—right in his own office!
It was simply a courtesy call.
Knowing how important it was to keep the local government officials abreast of developments in the Aringa Bible translation and Literacy project, Barnabas (leader of the project) and Isaac (Director of Here is Life, the Ugandan partner organization with OneBook, Canada) had just presented this Chairman of the Yumbe District in northern Uganda with copies of Aringa storybooks and primers. Barnabas then stood and politely offered to read him one of the stories. The Chairman was very impressed.
“I know several languages, but yet I cannot read my own language—Aringa,” he confessed regretfully. “I think it will be very difficult for me to learn.”
“I am here for you, at your service,” replied Barnabas. “Call me at any time, and I will come and help you learn.”
Hearing that even women and young children are now learning to read Aringa easily using the literacy materials produced by the project, he was very encouraged.
“Other cultures are encroaching from all sides,” the Chairman said. “We need to preserve the Aringa culture, and that is only possible through the language. Development is not development without the language. Without the language, you are lost! You are lost.”
-Jerry and Kathy, off the road in Uganda
Hello from Aringa
This week, we are in a small guest house in rural Uganda. The generator runs for awhile each evening, so we are able to catch up with typing reports. Internet? Well, that will have to wait until we visit the project office tomorrow. We’re told if we stand outside under the big mango tree, we just might be able to make a connection and send this e-mail. . .
We are in the heart of the Aringa homeland, close to the South Sudan border. Here the Aringa Bible translation and literacy project is forging ahead, with completion of the last four epistles of the New Testament set for this year. The Church here is in the minority, and knows persecution firsthand. But believers seem firm in their faith, and give quiet, solid encouragement to one another. We have listened to stories of exile, personal loss, and dangers faced. This is impressive; would we be as committed to Jesus, if we were in their place?
This morning we left early to drive way off the beaten track to Kei Mountain, just a few kilometers from Sudan. At the end of the rocky red road, we found a small but thriving church family. They welcomed us with smiles, fresh flowers in the thatch above the door, a delicious meal, and an amazing program in their community hall. After a Bible study, the young people did a hilarious skit of the story of the prodigal son—he even pawned his shoes, shirt, and trousers to find more money for his fickle girlfriend when his money ran out. The crowd loved it! It was obvious they understood the parable completely, and took its meaning to heart. The women’s literacy class (including a few grandmothers) then trooped in with eager faces. Encouraging to see, as these homemakers have a strong influence on the next generation. Jerry commended them in his official thank-you-and-goodbye-speech as “honorary visitor,” and they beamed with pleasure.
As we left, we were told, “Give our greetings to your church in Canada. Tell them we are praying for them, and please ask them to pray for us!”
Jerry & Kathy – on the road in Uganda
Checkers with bottle caps in Musoma
Been in Tanzania less than a week, and are loving the incredible variety of faces, fabrics, and flowers everywhere. Here by Lake Victoria, there is a lovely evening breeze.
Church this morning was full of music and dancing. When Pastor Kateti switched from Swahili to the local mother tongue, the entire congregation erupted in cheering and delighted laughter, and leaned in closer to catch every word. The air was electric. What a response!
This is what we came to experience in projects in Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan. Today was just a start. But it makes me really wonder: I’ve had God’s Word in MY heart language my whole life. Do I lean in close to savour every taste? Or do I take this amazing treasure for granted, like breakfast tea and toast?
Later, enjoyed beans and rice, with a tall, cool bottle of Stoney Tangewezi at an outdoor cafe. Then a wander through the market to choose a sample basket to take home. The next two days will be full of meetings with the Bible translation teams from eight different languages here in the Mara Region.
Hope we can finally sleep through the night tonight . . .
Jerry and Kathy, on the road in Tanzania
I love celebrations… and this was a special one. Our friends at CABTAL, (Cameroonian Association of Bible Translation and Literacy) was celebrating 25 years of Bible translation this past weekend.
People came from all over Cameroon and around the world. To celebrate God’s faithfulness. To share in the joy. To look to the future.
CABTAL celebrated completing 10 New Testaments and teaching thousands and thousands to read and write in their mother tongue. They are working actively on 26 more languages right now. At OneBook, we have the privilege of funding 16 of them!
Most astonishing to me is that they have formal requests from over 20 more people groups, all signed by both pastors and civic leaders asking that CABTAL give them a written form of their language and the Word of God in it!
During the day reflections were made about their history. I found out that the predecseor of OneBook and Global PartnerLink – “Partner with Nationals” – was set up as a divison of Wycliffe Canada by Karl Grebe over 20 years ago specifically to fund language development by the the infant organization CABTAL. Karl is still involved today. Wow! Canadians were there right at the start.
CABTAL is committed to over 90 more languages in their country – all starting in the next 14 years. That is a big plan and a big appetite.
We know they can do it. And we will be there beside them to help them make it happen.
During the celebration there was a handover of leadership. Their former Director, Dr. Michel Kenmonge is a leader in setting best practice standards in the Bible Translation movement. Efi Tembon, CABTAL’s new Director is a fireball of energy and vision. He is a great team builder and has a proven passion and ability to engage others in the task.
At OneBook we have had Michel on our board. He has been a treasure. Now Efi has taken on his mantle of leadership as Michel has moved onto Africa-wide responsibilities, and Efi has joined our OneBook Board.
As a celebration… this was a winner… as an organization that has a future in transforming a society and building the Kingdom of God… I am so thankful that we as Canadians can be part of their success.
Wayne Johnson
President, OneBook
The Yumplatok New Testament will be published in 2012, the culmination of nearly 25 years of hard work. Soon, this woman and her family will be able to read—and clearly understand—God’s Word in their mother tongue, the language that speaks to their hearts.
Yumplatok is spoken by more than 23,000 people in the Torres Strait Islands, north of Australia. This will be an historic year for them: the New Testament will be published in their own language for the first time!
A man named Moses recently helped to check the Scripture translation at a consultant workshop for the Yumplatok New Testament. This checking ensures the translation is accurate, complete, and easily understood. Moses had been suggested as a potential helper only at the last minute, so did not really know what to expect. It was an eye-opening experience for him, as he heard God’s Word in his own language for the very first time.
“When I read the Bible in English, it is as though I have been reading in black and white,” he says. “But now, when I read in my own language, I can see a whole lot of colours that I never knew existed!”
Moses has offered to help organize the special dedication event for the Yumplatok Bible to be held this year. He’s eager to help other Yumplatok speakers also see “a whole lot of colours” for the first time, as they discover the beauty of God’s love letter to them in the language of their heart.
Efi Tembon (incoming director of the Cameroon Association of Bible Translation and Literacy) shows a sample alphabet chart to explain the development of literacy and Bible translation in previously-unwritten languages in Cameroon.
When the deadline for his trip to Africa was looming and his necessary visa for Cameroon was still not in hand, program manager Martin Engeler sent an S.O.S. from Calgary to Wayne Johnson in Ontario.
On his way to Ottawa for other meetings, Wayne drove to the Cameroon High Commission in Ottawa to collect the visa personally, where he just “happened” to meet the High Commissioner himself. This man is of the Awing people in Cameroon, where OneBook has recently begun funding a project for literacy and Bible translation. Wayne was more than happy to explain the connection.
The result: an invitation to come and share more about the exciting projects in Cameroon. Wayne immediately accepted! Two weeks ago Efi Tembon, incoming director of the Cameroon Association of Bible Translation and Literacy (CABTAL), and Wayne were able to report firsthand on the work being done in his home country, not just with the staff at the high Commission, but also 20 other Ottawa-area donors and MP’s.
OneBook’s presentation was warmly received. The Assistant High Commissioner, of the Kenyang people, had always hoped to see the Scriptures in his own language. Efi was delighted to explain that the Kenyang New Testament was recently completed, also through OneBook’s investment. The former High Commissioner to Canada, who is from the Oku language group, is now Cameroon’s Prime Minister. The Oku Bible translation and literacy project is now in its third year. When he learned of the development being done in his own mother tongue, through the partnership of CABTAL, OneBook, and the sponsorship of individual Canadians, he was thrilled!
As a result of all of these happy “coincidences,” OneBook has a standing invitation to visit and share our work at the Cameroon High Commission. Perhaps the most heart-warming of all was this note received a few days later:
“We thank you for the interest in making it possible for everyone to read and understand the word of God in his/her mother tongue in Cameroon. I know by God’s grace, the work will be completed one day. May the Lord Almighty be your strength. I equally want to thank you for my copy of the New Testament in Kenyang—my native language. Have a Blessed day.”
(signed)
Assistant High Commissioner
Cameroonian High Commission, Ottawa
