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Nawila

Old Testament

Country

East Africa

Language(s)

 

Nawila

Speakers

21,000

A small church is growing, especially among women, in this marginalized community. Believers courageously attending New Testament Bible studies and discipleship programs while they wait for the Old Testament stories to be translated to fully grasp the truth of God’s Word.

Thank you! This project has been fully funded for the year!




Funds to meet this year's goals

the Need
Misunderstood and mistreated by the larger surrounding people groups, the Nawila people live in an isolated community accessible only by a few dirt roads. Most people practice ancestor worship mixed with one of the world’s major religions. There is strong social pressure to follow these traditions. Those who leave the traditional religion are mistreated and ostracized. Since 2003, OneBook’s partner in East Africa has been facilitating the development of the Nawila language, teaching literacy, and translating the Bible. The Nawila project staff have also collaborated with other organizations to meet the critical health needs of the community. The Nawila New Testament was dedicated in 2018. Now, evangelists in the community equipped with mother-tongue Scripture and God’s Word are guiding Nawila people to God, teaching them to become disciples of Jesus, and encouraging them in their faith. But Nawila speakers still do not know the whole truth! The Old Testament contains stories and people that are familiar to the Nawila people. Having these available, will connect God’s ancient promises to the truth of Jesus. Therefore, access to the entire Bible in the language they understand is essential to create lasting change in the Nawila community.
The Project

To meet the needs of their people, the small project team, trained by our national partner in East Africa, has made the commitment to:


  • Implement The Bible Translator’s Assistant (TBTA) technology to assist in translating the Old Testament.

  • Engage the community with Scripture through numerous activities including Bible studies and discipleship programs and by distributing both the mother-tongue New Testament in audio format and the “JESUS” film to as many Nawila villages as possible.

  • Continue partnering with churches in the region who are sponsoring literacy classes and offer certification, expanding the reach of these classes.

  • Empower women in the community to earn an income by facilitating table banking groups.

Translation Progress

Drafted

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47

Community-Checked

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38

Quality-Checked

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37

Discovering the Truth
Kuki said that ever since she became a Christian, she repented daily, asking God to remove the curse from her life. A pastor had wrongly taught her that women were cursed by God. Then Kuki attended a discipleship training program organized by the Nawila project team to teach believers how to study God’s Word. She read about the fall of man in Genesis chapter three. As she studied the passage drafted in her language under the guidance of the team, she discovered that God not only cursed the woman, but also the snake and the ground. Kuki also understood that redemption would come through the seed of a woman. Later, she read in the Gospel of Luke that Jesus healed the woman with the flow of blood. Through that story, God opened her eyes. Kuki knew that Jesus had redeemed her from the curse!
The Word Brings Reconcilitation
When Rehema became a Christian a year ago, her family excommunicated her. They wanted nothing to do with her and refused to allow her to visit any of her relatives. Since her family treated her unfairly, she didn’t bother showing them any kindness. However, Rehema joined a group of Christian women who met regularly to read the Nawila New Testament. One day she read Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Instantly she realized her responsibility as a believer to reconcile with her family, rather than expecting them to reconcile with her. She started visiting with her siblings and other relatives when she saw them in public places. This surprised her family. Even though they had humiliated her in front of everyone, she remained calm and respectful. The change in Rehema’s life was obvious. Gradually her family began to show her some respect. Now Rehema is invited to family gatherings and even allowed opportunities to speak. She recites Romans 12:18 to them in their mother tongue and, most of the time, they listen. She knows that God is revealing Himself to her relatives, just as He did to her.

NEW

Lesson after Lesson
Medi was born with a neurological disorder and a physical anomaly that hindered his ability to walk. Unable to see past their son’s limitations, Medi’s parents pulled him out of school as soon as he’d finished the minimum mandatory education. All too often, this left him frustrated and disappointed at his lack of opportunity. However, when Medi was in his late teens, the Nawila literacy program offered him a new way forward. Medi attended literacy classes every week. Learning alongside all the other students, he was motivated to tackle lesson after lesson. His dedication paid off and he progressed through the highest levels. When the opportunity came to receive a literacy certificate enabling him to register for national exams, his mother was hesitant to let him register. She just couldn’t believe that her son might advance his studies. Medi was heartbroken. The project leader decided to visit Medi’s mother and request she allow him to advance in his studies. God guided their conversation, and the project leader confided that she also had a child with special needs. Connecting over this shared experience, Medi’s mother started to see his full potential. The next day, Medi and the project leader returned to the registration office with his documents and the full support of his mother, looking forward to an even brighter future.

"The project has brought a lot of positive changes to the community. We have realized the majority of the community leaders are those who went through literacy classes. Therefore, literacy is key to the Nawila community."

Nawila Team Leader

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