Our aim is to have the Bible translated and accessible in all Namibian languages. Since 2012 the Bible Society of Namibia partnered with Seed Company (among others) to translate and record an Oral Bible into various SAN dialects in both Namibia and Botswana. After the 2nd Phase of 3 years, we were ready to dedicate about 35 Bible Stories in the Ju/’hoansi dialect and 170 Bible Stories in the Naro dialect on solar-driven audio devices and memory cards.
We celebrated the Oral Bible for the SAN during 8 dedications between 1 and 6 September 2022: 4 dedications were hosted in Namibia near the town of Gobabis; the other 4 dedications were hosted in Botswana near the town of Ghanzi and Shakawe. The SAN communities received about 300 sponsored solar-driven audio devices and about 50 memory cards containing Bible stories with the help of Mega Voice And Gospel Recording Networks. Among the guests were representatives from Seed Company, the main sponsor of this project, the Bible Society of Namibia, the translation teams, reviewers, community leaders, churches, and community members.
The SAN people who received the Oral Bibles showed gratitude, and their eagerness to have more of the Word of God. Luckily, the project did not end here; the translation process has already moved forward into its 3rd Phase; besides Ju/’hoansi spoken around Gobabis, the Ju/’hoansi spoken in Tsumkwe (Namibia) and in Shakawe (Botswana), as well as Haillom spoken around Tsinstabis will be covered. After the next 3 years, we would like to see these SAN groups have 190 Bible stories available.
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