Nkoya speakers of Zambia

 Nan and I are excited to pray with you about the potential of helping see an Nkoya JESUS film funded and produced as part of Mission 865.  Mission 865 is the initiative here at the JESUS Film Project to complete all languages spoken by at least 50,000 people.  These next 865 languages represent some of the most unreached and remote people in the world.  But much as Jesus related the parable of the Lost Sheep, these speakers of Nkoya have not escaped His notice.
 
When it comes to making a new JESUS film translation, one of the greatest challenges is completing the translation of the script.  As we do smaller and smaller people groups, this challenge increases.  The reason for this is that these people groups are more remote, there is less likelihood that they even have a written language (an oral language with no formal alphabet) and they usually have no portions of scripture in their language.

That is why we have had a partnerships with groups like Wycliffe Bible translators and SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics) for many years.  The basis of the JESUS film script was the gospel of Luke, so once this book of the Bible has been translated into the local language we are MUCH closer to what is needed for the JESUS film script.

In the case of the Nkoya language, The Seed Company (a division of Wycliffe) has been working in this area of Zambia for a while.  I had heard previously that the gospels of Luke and Mark were translated into Nkoya, but this report indicates a New Testament is complete and there is interest in working on an Old Testament translation.  The regions where Nkoya is spoken in Zambia are outlined in red.  Apparently Nkoya language materials have been burned and many Nkoya forced to speak Lozi - which is an example of why these people struggle to maintain their identity and language - and why a Bible translation in their language (and a JESUS film translation) are needed so greatly.

 I'll update this blog entry with the final website link for this project as we give you updates, pictures and videos related to this project - as they become available.  For now -
  • Please pray for the translators as they work from the Gospel of Luke in Nkoya to make a JESUS film script translation.  
  • Pray that they make good progress in preparation for the next script review in March of 2014.

Comments

  1. Unknown8:28 AM

    Is the Jesus Film Project for the Nkoya language being "officially" funded, or has it been put on hold?

    ReplyDelete
  2. irvnnan10:46 AM

    Yes, the language was fully funded earlier in the year! Not only that but an extra gift for $2000 was given that will go toward some of the initial distribution work that will take place among the Nkoya speakers once the translation is done.

    The script is done, but they can't record right now because it is the rainy season in Zambia. The tentative plan at this point is to record the JESUS film in Nkoya on or after April of next year - Lord willing.

    ReplyDelete

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