Kru of Cote d'Ivoire

In the past thirty years, linguists from around the world translated the New Testament into a handful of the 20 Kru languages spoken in Southwestern Côte d’Ivoire. However, in 2002, civil war erupted, and most expat missionaries left, bringing most translation work to an abrupt halt. Realizing that if the Bible were to finally be translated into their languages they would have to do it themselves, believers from four Kru languages formed a team. Because singing is such a popular medium for communicating truth, the translators will first complete the four Gospels in their languages and then put the Scriptures to music. Songs tell stories, and accompany all rituals: funerals, festivals, harvests and fieldwork. Songs are easy for this oral society to memorize.

  • The four language teams of the Kru Cluster (Godie, Bete Gagnoa, Bete Guiberoua and We Southern) are getting set up for the task of providing the four Gospels in their languages and eventually making them into songs. Pray for their continued enthusiasm.

  • All teams have had their computers set up and are working with a translation editing program and also with a program that allows translators to type in any language. This month at a seminar they’re also learning a program called Adapt-It that will use a related language as a basis for their translations. Praise the Lord for these great tools and pray that the teams will absorb all the teaching.

  • Rebel warfare in one of the language areas has been a nasty disruption. Pray for an end to the war and that the team members’ relatives can return safely to their fields and plantations.

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