OTBP translation team
ACHIEVEMENTS
Our top 10 achievements over the last 15 years are testimonies of the Lord’s blessings and care upon us over many years. During these years it was also the continuous financial support of our sponsors and partners – locally and internationally – that made it possible.
1. After 14 years of hard work, we finished a new translation into Khoekhoegowab in 2018. This is a meaning-based translation serving about 150,000 speakers of the language in Namibia.
2. For the first time ever, the Dhimba people of both Namibia and Angola could experience the joy of having a New Testament in their hand in 2013.
3. We Published editions of revised both the Oshikwanyama and Oshindonga Bibles in 2007 and 2009 as a starting point to investigate the Bible needs of future generations.
4. Hereby, in 3 years’ time, we revised the Otjiherero Bible to have a more accurate and reliable text of the Bible available in 2017.
5. The launch of the first 85 Himba Bible passages on solar-driven audio devices in 2019 brought both joy and spiritual enlightenment to this nomadic people group in Namibia. The books Of Genesis, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, Hebrew, and 1&2 Timothy become available.
6. We also launched an audio recording of the Dhimba New Testament on solar-driven audio devices in 2018 to make the Bible accessible to those who cannot read or write, to make the written Bible more accessible.
7. An agreement with Gospel Recordings Network – an Australian-based partner – made it possible for us in 2018 to make the first 50 translated Bible Stories into !Kung and Ju|hoansi (two San Languages) available on the 5Fish-App in an oral format that speaks to the hearts of the Bushmen
8. In 2018 we printed and published two Books of the New Testament – Mark and John – in braille for Oshikwanyama blind people in Namibia.
9. Between 2017 and 2018 we translated the Children’s Bible Stories of the Bible -101 Bible Stories Every Child Should Know, by Dr. Connie Palm ( Gospel Publishing Mission) into 7 Namibian local languages. We also record the Oshikwanyama, Oshindonga, Otjiherero, and Khoekhoegowab Childrens Bibles to be available on Solar-Driven audio devices.
10. With the help of Wycliffe RSA, we added the Book of Genesis in 2022 to the current Thimbukushu New Testament after it was translated and printed.
CURRENT TRANSLATION PROJECTS
OSHIWAMBO BIBLE TRANSLATION PROJECT
To make sure that the Bible stays relevant and fresh for future generations, we have started in 2017 with new meaning-based translations into both Oshikwanyama and Oshindonga. This is a cross-border project with the Bible Society of Angola and is planned to finish in 2032.
Seven translators are working together as two teams under the guidance of an exegete and translation consultant. The project is situated in Ondangwa.
The entire New Testament is done; the Book of Mark is print-ready, together with 15 relevant and contextual Bible Studies recently printed and distributed to promote the two new translations.
HIMBA ORAL BIBLE TRANSLATION PROJECT
The translation team is now busy with the fourth 3-year phase of the project. Their growing Oral Bible consists of the Books of Genesis, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, Hebrew and 1&2 Timothy are available on a solar-driven audio device. The project represents an excellent example of real oral Bible translation; and is situated in the North-Western town of Opuwo, serving the Ovahimba who are mainly oral people.
The Himba language is directly related to Otjiherero, therefore, the revised Herero Bible Text serves as basis for the Himba Oral Bible Translation.
As passages are finished and become available, they are added to the rest already done on solar-driven audio devices. Furthermore, the audio files are also distributed in town and in villages by copying it to memory cards for people to use in their cell phones.
Life-changing impact stories are often shared by the receivers of solar-driven audio devices. A changed worldview about who God is, how the world works and how God works with this world, culminating in the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ, as Saviour, is regularly recorded.
SAN ORAL BIBLE STORY PROJECT
The SAN – or better known as the Bushmen people – are found in both Namibia and Botswana. No Scriptures were available to them up to the point of this Oral Bible Story Project. Currently, more than 190 Bible stories had been translated for the SAN into !Kung and Ju|hoansi languages. More Bible stories are added regularly to solar-driven audio devices and the 5Fish-App
The Bible stories are translated by the SAN, for the SAN – in an oral fashion to be in line with the SAN’s way of communicating stories.
THIMBUKUSHU TRANSLATION PROJECT
The Hambukushu people in Namibia and Botswana currently have a New Testament available in Thimbukushu. However, there is a lack of Old Testament Scriptures. The Hambukushu people are considered as the most unreached people group in Namibia. They want to understand God’s word more clearly.
This is a written translation project which has started in 2024. We aim to finish the Old Testament by 2030. The project is based in Rundu. Since it is a cross-border project into Botswana, 2 translators are from Namibia and 2 from Botswana.
SIGN LANGUAGE TRANSLATION PROJECT
For the first time ever, we have started with a Namibian Sign Language Bible for the DEAF. A translation team of 5 DEAF members are working on the translation of Bible passages which give a chronological overview of the Bible’s message.
This is a 6-year project and eventually the Namibian Sign Language Bible will be digitally available in a video format.
There is a dire need amongst the DEAF to understand the Word of God His will to have a proper spiritual life. This will only be possible by having their own Bible, in the language and format that speaks to them and their needs.
Thank you to various partners who helped us – and are still helping us – to achieve these milestones in Namibia: Seed Company, Wycliffe RSA, Lutheran Bible Translators, Gospel Recordings Network, Finninish and German Bible Societies and Wycliffe Global Alliance to name a few.
If Bible Translation is on your heart, please join hands with us.
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