Abakaliki of Nigeria
The project goal for the Abakaliki language cluster is: 3 complete Bibles and 2 JESUS Films in 3 closely related languages, Izii, Ezaa, and Ikwo. Most speakers of these languages live within the SE Nigerian state of Ebonyi, one of the most agriculturally productive regions in the entire nation. Representatives from the three language groups agreed to work as a team with each other, with the various denominations in the area, the local people and missionaries from Bible translation organizations. The New Testaments in Izii, Ikwo and Ezaa were finished in 1980. In the late 1980s, the Nigerian translators began work on the Old Testaments for these languages. Today, they have printed test editions of the three complete Bibles. Much work still remains to be done, however, on checking these texts for accuracy and clarity, and on testing the translation with the audience.
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The Abakaliki Bible Cluster team, the Ikwo team has done the translator’s check of the prophetic books of Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Thank the Lord for the thorough work being done by the local Scripture reviewers.
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Pray that God will protect the teams from stress-related illness, other health issues and accidents as they strive to reach their goal of completing work on the three Bibles by September 30, 2009.
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The Izii team had to start over keyboarding one Old Testament book back into the computer because it suddenly just disappeared! Pray that the Abakaliki teams’ equipment will function properly so that they’ll not have to waste time redoing work they’ve already completed.