The Weh translation team is aiming to finish translating the New Testament into Weh this year!
After 14 years of dedication, working to translate the New Testament into their own language through instability, conflict and – most recently – pandemic, the Weh translation team is nearing their goal. They hope to finish the translation in the coming months, and to hold a great celebration to launch it next year.
Scripture launch celebrations are often opportunities to get even more people excited about God’s word. That day will certainly not be the end of the journey – but it’s not the beginning, either. From the start, God has been changing people’s lives through this work. Here are just three areas where it is already making a difference:
Community life
Connecting with the community is a key priority for the Weh team. Meeting with local leaders and groups enables them to share their vision for Bible translation and build important links. During one meeting, Tem Ernest Ning, the secretary general of the Weh Cultural and Development Association (WECUDA) was greatly encouraged by a devotional on Luke 12:4-6 in the Weh language, saying: ‘Truly I tell you my brother, despite the fact that I am a trained pastor, I have never really understood these two verses until today, when I have heard them in my own language.’
After that, Tem began the custom of starting every WECUDA meeting with a devotion, sharing that blessing with others.
The Weh team has worked hard to increase the reach of Weh literacy classes, even finding ways to continue when they were displaced due to conflict. In partnership with local organisations, they are running classes in three cities, enabling more Weh people to have the chance to learn to read and write in their own language.
The team also reports that more than 2,000 people are participating in literacy classes via social media. Learning to read and write opens doors – and it means that when the New Testament is launched next year, people will able to read it, understand it, and use it to grow in relationship with Jesus.
In the past year, members of the team have also used their skills to translate information booklets about Covid-19. Mr Benjamin Geh, the president of a Weh community group, explained the differences these resources make: ‘I have been struggling with how to explain these preventive measures to my mother at home, and did not know how to put it; now you have relieved me from that worry.’
Trauma healing
Many people across Cameroon face the daily trauma of conflict. In response to this, the team has been running Bible-based trauma healing workshops for Weh people in their own language, giving them a safe space to share their experiences. These sessions aim to help people deal with the impact of trauma, looking to Scripture for examples of suffering and how God works through these situations.
These workshops can also be a source of practical help. Following one workshop in the capital city, Yaoundé, participants shared stories of how trauma healing had helped them. Among them was Lisa*, who lives with a disability and has been displaced from her home. Lisa had attended a previous workshop back in 2017, and told of how she had learnt about the need to keep certain basic items safe in case of war. This lesson meant that when her village was burnt to the ground while she was away, her vital documents were safe as she travelled with them. Lisa also leads a women’s group and has, along with many others, been sharing what she has learnt, increasing the reach of trauma healing.
Looking to the future
When a team nears the end of a Scripture translation project, obstacles often seem to increase, so prayer for God’s protection is vital. But as the finishing line approaches, the Weh team continues to ‘run the race marked out’ for them (Heb.12:1), looking forward to what the Lord will do with the work that he has begun.
Bryony is the Communications Officer for Wycliffe Bible Translators. www.wycliffe.org.uk
