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12/24/2009

Two parables in Badwe'e for dubbing

We are again at the forefront of developments that will have impact far beyond our projects.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA MINISTRIES has produced parables that are delightfully acted out and much more able to convey the meaning of the parables. The BIBLE STORIES VIDEO PROJECT (BSVP) is one that caught our interest. We are now working with the biblical texts in Badwe'e, adding to them the explanations that give the Badwe'e audience the fuller information that he needs to understand the text. We are hoping that this video can be shown soon in Badwe'e and that it will enliven their understanding of the Christian faith.
It is available for purchase in its English version here.

A paper on the verb "to be" in Nzime and Badwe'e

On Dec. 21 I finished my paper on the verb "to be" and its related copulas in Nzime and in Badwe'e. Our linguistic consultant Steve Anderson has now read it and pointed out areas to improve it. The goal is to publish it on the SIL branch website.
That will enable anyone with an interest to have a deep knowledge of this intriguing aspect of the language.

12/18/2009

Roman Catholics Launch the Use of Badwe'e in Worship

The Roman Catholic church has several orders of worship for use in a chapel when there is no priest present. One is for Sundays, another is for funerals, and another is for everyday use. In the past, these were all equally unintelligible, mumbled at a monotonal pitch in a foreign language.
When we came back after our 4-month absence, a surprise awaited us: the Roman Catholic parish in the Badwe'e area of Minduru had requested that we assist them in preparing an order of worship in Badwe'e. We are now done with that task and it will be going back to them soon for revision.

January Ekoalea at Seminary

Our coworker, January Ekoalea, is at seminary now, learning more about biblical languages and all the other subjects. He aspires to graduate in three years with a BA in theology.
One of the joys he has discovered is that Badwe'e believers in Yaounde are eager to see him enter the ministry! They are helping him however they can. Other seminary students have said that they have never seen this kind of spontaneous love before.

Presbyterians Launch a New Program, Because of the Badwe'e Scriptures

When does a Bible translation team know that their work has passed into the realm of "successful" translation projects? Much research done on this topic concludes that a Bible translation is a longterm success when the Church accords to the translation a special place in the institution's life.
We were quite pleased when January Ekoalea passed on the welcome news that the Presbyterian Church has chosen to anchor the Badwe'e translation in the life of the church. The way they have chosen to do this is by using Badwe'e as one of a handful of languages in which they promote the texts on which everyone should preach and teach. Pastor Abeng, a speaker of the neighboring Bikele language, has chosen Badwe'e to play this special role in the southeast of Cameroon.
The decision was made at the highest levels before being communicated downward. At each level the Spirit led the church to say "Yes!" to the new role of Badwe'e Scriptures.
What they are now doing is entrusting to our translation team in Somalomo the work of adapting this preaching calendar and guide. We have encouraged Ferdinand to work with January's son, Diphath, giving him a small budget to facilitate this extra activity.
What Scriptures do to the church is known to you all: First it is the imperishable seed that falls into the heart prepared by the Holy Spirit. It comes to life and fulfills all the potential that is locked inside it. Then it leads the new believer into an ongoing work of repentance and growth. Finally, it restores in the new believer the image of God and gives him the mind of Christ. His hope of full and final transformation is nourished by the promises of God's Word.
So now the one, big protestant church found throughout the Badwe'e area is committed to asking its pastors and lay-preachers to read its texts and preach on them. The language of the people will become the language of the pulpit. The translation will be rooted in the life and calendar of the church. Join us in praising the Lord for his gracious providence!

12/14/2009

A valued friend died!

Rev. Olivier

12/11/2009

The Roman Catholic Order of Worship

Many Roman Catholic faithful have wanted their worship to be meaningful in the sense that it was translated into Badwe'e and Nzime clearly. Now some of their priests are coming to our Cameroonian coworkers to get help in the translation of these orders of worship. Two of them have written them out by hand! The Nzime order of worship is now in use and the Badwe'e will be done soon.

One of my jobs this week has been to correct errors of all sorts in the Nzime document and then to produce a Badwe'e one based on it. These will have a guaranteed wide usage.

I have learned how they talk about making the sign of the cross. They use the verb "slap/stick on": -bIr, where the vowel "I" is at low tone and inbetween the vowels "i" and "e". The verb is used in the context of building a mud house, whereby someone grabs a handful of wet mud and slaps it onto the wall, where it sticks. The sign of the cross is done in somewhat the same way in their thinking.

12/06/2009

Beginning a New Phase of the Njyem Work

From Jan. 13 to Feb 5 I worked with a speaker of Njyem, Colette NKOM. We were limited to spending the mornings together. We have made significant progress on the adaptation of the Scriptures from Badwe'e, finishing Mark's Gospel in first draft. Rufine ADJOWA, her older sister, participated with us on the reading of the first 4 chapters.
The Badwe'e Bible portions include the New Testament, Genesis, Ruth, and Jonah.
I am doing this in the expectation that it will be an offering to the Lord Jesus which he will accept and bless as a means of bringing new life to the Njyem.
Other than doing the first draft of Mark's Gospel, we have adapted the AIDS book ("Kande's Story") into Njyem. We also transcribed natural texts and analyzed them. For us to have an adequate knowledge of the unique features of the Njyem language, we must do this analysis.

Last updated: Feb. 8

11/30/2009

The Presbyterians Ask for a Sunday School Guide in Badwe'e

January Ekoalea has written that the Presbyterians that supervise the work among the Badwe'e have decided that the book of daily prayers should be in Badwe'e. It is also the Sunday School guide that is used widely in the EPC. This book is the product of the Department of Christian Education, produced at the headquarters in Yaounde. The work will begin in January, with January's son Diphath Messia providing the translation services. The printing costs will be borne by the EPC Executive Secretary.

11/21/2009

Making New Paths for Expressing the Christian Gospel

A Christian would not want to say in praise of God:
"I repented of my sin, placed my faith in Christ, who redeemed me. And now God has forgiven me. I am saved!" The experience of salvation includes all of this. It is a mystery repeated time and time again as countless millions hear the Gospel and believe. Some also read it in their language, but most hear and believe based on an oral explanation of who Jesus is and what he did on the cross for those he came to save.
The Nzime had ways of saying this, but no awareness of them. The words in bold characters were very difficult to translate when we arrived in 1976:
"I repented of my sin, placed my faith in Christ, who redeemed me. And now God has forgiven me. I am saved!"
Imagine removing them! "I ...of my ..., ... in Christ, who ... me. And now God has ... me. I am ...!"
What is left of your testimony if you cannot say these key ideas of the Gospel?
"Repent": It was a term that was frequently rendered as "turn heart". This conveys half of the meaning, but leaves out the important aspect-- turning away from something. The solution was to add this missing element by saying "show:back to evil and turn heart".
"Sin": In common use, Nzime people neutralized "bad things/evil" and "sin". The latter term was little known and little used. We discovered it during the revision process and have been restoring it to prominence. Passive knowledge of the word has become active knowledge. It is syom in Nzime, syem in Badwe'e.
"Place faith in": This as undifferentiated from "believe/trust as speaking the truth". The way we ended up finding the right way to convey the meaning of this idea was through a study of oral literature. In Nzime, they render it "lean your back" against Jesus. In Badwe'e, they talk about "leaning the drying rack of your hopes" against him.
"redeem" : This was rendered by a word borrowed from Bulu. In Badwe'e, they use a different expression: "to remove from being in hock without any further risk". This employs the use of an ideophone that indicates that what was expected to be difficult, i.e. redeeming the item in hock, was actually easy.
"forgive" : This is indicated by the use of the expression "remove the tokens of evil deeds that are bent out against us". This is used when the sins forgiven are not publicly proclaimed. They are recognized and made note of by the offended party, who mentally "bends a finger" that assists him in keeping a record of the wrongs committed.

11/20/2009

The Presbyterians in Cameroon Asking for the Catechism

When we got our last email from Francois Medjo, he said that the Presbyterian churches in the area around Lomie are now asking for the proposed catechism in Nzime, Badwe'e and Njyem. They also asked that it be available in French. We are very encouraged by this sign that they are committing to use this document throughout their area. This catechism is entitled "I Belong to God", and it was developed by Dr Harold Kallemeyn.
Please pray for the correction of the text and for its publication. We will need extra funds for this, which is not an expense that the church can bear.

11/09/2009

Miracles

Miracles are something done by God for the salvation or joy of people he is saving. They point to His ability to do in an unusual manner many of those things that he would otherwise do in an ordinary manner. They must include a salvific element in them to qualify. There are, therefore, no secular miracles or humanist miracles. Miracles point us to God's intimate involvement in human affairs. They clearly show his earnestness and pleasure in saving the lost.
In this light, I would point to two miracles we have witnessed since following Christ in engaging the Njyem people.
  1. The solution of the phonological problem.
    I was not a speaker of Njyem in Feb. 2004 when we came to the USA, nor did I understand it. I had one tape of dialogue that I had neither understood nor transcribed. I was unaware of the tonal system and not aware of the existence of "polar tone rules". I came to understand the tape and the amazing tone rules by listening to the hitherto meaningless tape. This was miraculous!
  2. The meeting with the Njyem community
    I knew the name of a Njyem speaker in the city of Yaounde who was to host a meeting at his home. I had never seen his home or the neighborhood in which he lived. I went to the neighborhood to make contact with that man, resolving to ask strangers until I found him. The first person I talked to about this man was the man himself! That was miraculous! (See also http://khbeavon.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-i-met-njyem-in-ekunu.html)

What these miracles mean to me is that God is preparing to do a mighty work among the Njyem, drawing many to himself.

11/04/2009

La traduction des mots-clé bibliques

Introduction
On appel « mot clé biblique » tout mot qui se trouve dans les textes bibliques avec un sens particulier. On peut citer, à titre d'exemples les mots-clé biblique suivants : baptême, prophète, évangile, ciel, péché, ange, diable, synagogue, temple, prêtre, Sadducéen, Pharisien, Pâques, sacrifice, holocauste et arche. Un mot-clé biblique peut être compris par un auditoire chrétien grâce uniquement à l'enseignement. En l'absence de cet enseignement, on n'arrive pas à en comprendre le sens.
Traduire un mot-clé biblique fait nécessairement partie du travail de la traduction biblique. Il exige du traducteur qu'il soit un bon étudiant des langues bibliques, mais aussi de la culture de la langue-cible. Il peut se trouver confronté à des problèmes que les églises et les missionnaires n'ont jamais résolus. Il lui faut être aussi un bon linguiste, quelqu'un qui sait qu'on ne traduit pas seulement un nom par un nom ou un verbe par un verbe. Il faut souvent rompre avec ces habitudes pour qu'on traduise un sens par un sens, sans se limiter par les catégories grammaticales des textes source et cible.
Traduire un mot clé biblique est aussi une activité communautaire, dans laquelle beaucoup se sentent interpellés. Tous passionnés, ils s'expriment avec énergie et conviction, jusqu'au moment où la communauté impose son approbation à des solutions aux problèmes des traductions des termes-clé discutés.
Le comportement de la communauté n'est pas toujours immédiat. Les nouvelles tournures et expressions seront acquises progressivement, jouant une fréquence de plus en plus à remarquer dans les églises.
Pour chaque changement de terme-clé biblique, il y a quatre étapes à parcourir : (1) Identifier et définir le mot clé biblique, (2) Comparer le sens du terme-clé avec la traduction traditionnelle, (3) Trouver les solutions au cas où elles s'avèrent nécessaires, et (4) Tester et contrôler l'influence du nouveau terme.
Je passe en revue de six termes-clé examinés pendant la traduction du Nouveau Testament en Koonzime, une langue bantoue parlée au Cameroun. Le Nouveau Testament est intitulé Kálar Nzyěm: Ejwán é Sáá, « le livre de Dieu: nouvelle réconciliation ». Il est publié par The Bible League en 1998. Le traducteur principal était feu Mbongo Joseph. Les animateurs étaient Keith et Marie Beavon, et le conseiller exégétique était, pour l'essentiel, Mona Perrin, qui était épaulée par Don Hekman.
L'accueil réservé à cette traduction pendant les premières dix années de son existence n'est pas celui qu'on aurait voulu. On en parlera davantage au cours de cette analyse et surtout à la fin de celle-ci.
Cas 1 : Se repentir v. Changer de comportement
I. Identifier et définir le mot clé biblique
La repentance μετάνοια est composée de deux actes psychologiques, dont le seul témoin est Dieu, qui voit le cœur. Le premier acte est regretter le mal qu'on a fait. Le second acte est changer de comportement ou d'orientation. On ne souhaite plus revenir aux mêmes pratiques qu'on avait adoptées avant. Il faut parler du regret qu'on ressent pour le péché avant de parler de la nouvelle disposition morale.
Il ne faut jamais se passer de parler du regret du mal. On peut changer de comportement en laissant le bien pour faire le mal. Un médecin change son comportement lorsqu'il cesse de soigner les malades et commence à les empoisonner.
« Se repentir » a pour synonymes « se convertir » et « changer de vie ».
II. Comparer le sens du terme-clé avec la traduction traditionnelle
D'abord, on avait parlé surtout de esyɛɛla míléme « changer les cœurs » en koonzime. La faiblesse de cette traduction est la même faiblesse qu'on observe dans beaucoup de traductions françaises qui se limitent à dire « changer de comportement » ou une phrase pareille. Ces traductions laissent implicite l'idée qu'on a regretté un comportement négatif avant de le changer en comportement positif.
III. Trouver les solutions
On trouvait plusieures options pour parler du regret pour le péché. On proposait d'abord le mot emprunté du bulu, ejʉbɑ « regretter », qui s'ajouterait à l'expression esyɛɛla míléme « changer les cœurs ». Mais les autres s'y sont opposés en disant qu'il ne fallait pas favoriser les emprunts alors qu'on avait les expressions en koonzime. Dans le cas présent, ils proposaient l'expression etúmo koo li ebébe « tourner le dos avec (le mal) ». Parfois, l'objet de la préposition lí « à » est un nominal plus spécifique que ebébe « mal ». Dans ces cas, il faut consulter les commentaires et le contexte pour savoir comment compléter la phrase. Les deux aspects de « se repentir » se trouvent dans une même phrase, comme en (1).
(1) Mí túmo koo le mebébe mâm, le ejwira léme.
j'ai tourné dos avec maux mes et me suis changé coeur
« Je me suis converti. »
IV. Tester et contrôler l'influence du nouveau terme
La traduction du terme-clé biblique « tourner le dos avec (le mal) » était claire et com­pré­hensible aux Koonzime, qui l'ont immédiatement intégrée dans leur langage religieux. L'em­prunt, ejʉbɑ « regretter », garde sa place dans le discours quotidien, pour l'essentiel.
Cas 2 : Pardonner v. Supporter
I. Identifier et définir le mot clé biblique
« Pardonner » χαρίζομαι / ἀφίημι est un acte gracieux. Une personne considère l'of­fense d'un coupable, et sans le pénaliser, il le rétabli dans l'état originaire d'une personne juste. Il fait le libre choix de ne rien lui demander comme sanction, il ne parle plus de la faute, et il le traite comme un ami. La personne recommence sa vie d'autrefois. Il ne se redoute pas d'être coupable ou d'être exposé à la condamnation ou à la honte. Il est libre de toute crainte. La re­la­tion entre lui et la personne offensée est restaurée.
« Pardonner » a pour synonymes « gracier », « absoudre » et « affranchir d'une dette ».
« Supporter » ἀνέχομαι est un acte gracieux comme « pardonner », mais la personne qui sup­porte le mal fait par l'autre se réserve le droit de passer aux sanctions, le temps opportun arrivé. Il suffit qu'il soit « dépassé » par un acte mauvais du coupable pour qu'il le frappe des sanctions méritées.
« Supporter » a pour synonymes « patienter » et « prolonger la patience ».
Dieu a usé de patience pour les pécheurs au temps de Noé. Il les a supportés avant de les exterminer. «Par cet Esprit, il est aussi allé prêcher aux esprits en prison, qui avaient été rebelles autrefois, lorsque la patience de Dieu se prolongeait, aux jours où Noé construisait l'arche dans laquelle un petit nombre de personnes, c'est-à-dire huit, furent sauvées à travers l'eau.» 1 Pierre 3.19-20a différence entre le pardon des péchés et le fait de supporter le péché est nette. Un passage biblique parle des deux et nous oblige à trouver deux manières de les représenter: « Supportez-vous les uns les autres, et si l’un de vous a quelque chose à reprocher à un autre, pardonnez-vous mu­tu­elle­ment ; le Seigneur vous a pardonné : vous aussi, pardonnez-vous de la même ma­nière. » Colossiens 3.13
II. Comparer le sens du terme-clé avec la traduction traditionnelle
Les églises sur le territoire des Koonzime parlaient du « supporter » avec facilité, car il y avait un verbe qui exprimait le sens correctement: edúhwo. « Pardonner » était traduit de quatre manières:
A.) Les catholiques empruntaient de l'ewondo le mot ejam, qui pouvait donner le sens « préparer à manger ».
B.) Les protestants empruntaient du bulu le mot edu, qui pouvait donner le sens « baptiser ».
C.) Certains empruntaient le mot ehebe du pidgin, un mot qui provenait du mot anglais « help ».
D.) Les autres employaient edúhwo, qui veut dire « supporter ».
Aucune de ces propositions n'était satisfaisante. Les mots empruntés ne communiquaient pas la bonne signification, puisque les écoles des missionnaires qui étaient les supports de la connaissance du bulu et de l'ewondo cessaient d'enseigner les langues camerounaises en 1958. Personne ne témoignait avoir un amour plus grand pour Dieu ou une paix permanente suite au pardon reçu de Dieu (cf. Luc 7. 36-50). On s'attendait à de terribles sanctions venant de Dieu pour les péchés du passé.
III. Trouver les solutions
Les traducteurs de la Bible en Koonzime trouvèrent une expression déjà faite qui se trouvait dans la vie Koonzime: bɑɑ « signe d'un acte ». On en parle lorsqu'on établit la paix dans une relation conflictuelle. Au lieu de se venger du tort, la personne offensée arrive au point d'être énervée. Il retrouve son ex-ami. Il ramasse des pierres et s'assoit devant son adversaire et lui énumère tous les actes qu'il avait commis. Chaque acte est énuméré et une pierre est posée par terre en guise de symbole de l'acte. L'ancien ami ou parent reconnait que l'autre est en train de chercher à restaurer la paix et il tend à s'expliquer, s'excusant là où il le peut. Enfin, arrivé à la fin de son effort pour se défendre, le coupable prie son ex-ami offensé d'enlever les symboles des actes mauvais qu'il vient de compter contre lui. S'il accepte, il sait qu'il ne doit plus recommencer à se plaindre des actes concernés. Ces actes offensants ont été « pardonnés ».
Deux manières de traduire « pardonner » méritent être mentionnées. Si l'on a d'abord confronté le coupable de la manière ouverte décrite ci-dessus, il faut préciser qu'on a « enlevé les signes des actes qu'on a comptés contre le coupable ». Cette expression se trouve en exemple (2). Si, par contre, la personne offensée pardonne au coupable alors qu'il n'a jamais exprimé ouvertement son mécontentement, il utilise le verbe « plier » à la place de « compter », comme en (3). Il est évident pour le lecteur Koonzime, que la personne offensée avait enregistré mentalement le fait qu'un péché ou qu'une offense lui a été fait. Il avait « plié » un doigt intérieurement. (Ce « doigt plié » tient la place d'un aide-mémoire.) Il passe au pardon avant de dire au coupable qu'il lui a fait un tort.
(2) Mí pɛʼ ɡó bibɑɑ bí ébébe mê láá
j̀'ai enlevé toi signes des actes de mal que j'ai (passé récent) comptés
ɡó bí.
toi lesdits
« Je t'ai pardonné. »
(3) Mí pɛʼ ɡó bibɑɑ bí ébébe mê niʼé
j̀'ai enlevé toi signes des actes de mal que j'ai (passé récent) pliés
ɡó bí.
toi lesdits
« Je t'ai pardonné. »
IV. Tester et contrôler l'influence du nouveau terme
Nous avons testé la compréhension des Koonzime par rapport au nouveau terme. Personne ne disait que c'était une expression d'une autre dénomination. Personne ne disait qu'il était inconnu ou emprunté. Chacun affirmait que la logique exige que si les signes des mauvais actes sont enlevés par la personne offensée, les signes ne seront plus remis et les actes ne seront plus mentionnés. Chacun disait que c'était préférable de voir les signes des mauvais actes enlevés plutôt que d'entendre que la personne offensée garde (ou « supporte ») toujours en mémoire les actes mauvais.
Récemment, un pasteur venu d'une autre région exercer son ministère parmi les Koonzime nous a spontanément témoigné de l'impact de l'expression pour « pardonner ». Il disait qu'il assistait à la réconciliation entre deux personnes. Il était si touché qu'il s'est fait le devoir d'apprendre le koonzime pour pouvoir aider les personnes offensées. En attendant qu'il l'apprenne, il cherchera toujours à être assisté par son collègue Koonzime dans le ministère.
Cas 3 : Mettre sa confiance en v. Accepter
I. Identifier et définir le mot clé biblique
« Croire » πιστεύω a deux sens. Le premier est être convaincu que quelque chose est vrai. Ce sens de « croire » a pour synonymes « accepter » et « accepter/admettre comme étant vrai ».
Le second sens de πιστεύω est de se confier à une personne qui est considérée comme divine ou capable d'exercer des pouvoirs surnaturels. Ce sens de πιστεύω a pour synonymes « se confier à », « mettre sa confiance en » et « croire en ».
Les deux sens se trouvent dans le verset suivant : « Celui qui croit en moi vivra, quand même il serait mort; et quiconque vit et croit en moi ne mourra jamais. Crois-tu cela? » Jean 11. 25-26
II. Comparer le sens du terme-clé avec la traduction traditionnelle
Les églises sur le territoire des Koonzime parlaient sans problème du premier sens de πιστεύω, car il y avait un verbe, ekɑm, qui exprimait le sens d'« accepter ». Le deuxième sens de πιστεύω était traduit de deux manières:
A.) Les protestants empruntaient du bulu le mot emɛm.
B.) Les autres employaient ekɑm, qui veut dire « accepter comme vrai ».
Aucune de ces propositions ne rendait le deuxième sens. Le mot emprunté ne donnait pas bien la signification et tendait à signifier « faire une affirmation de foi publique ». On se limitait à dire, au sujet de Dieu, qu'il était crédible, alors qu'on voulait dire qu'il était connu comme puissant pour sauver et que le fidèle le prenait donc comme son Sauveur.
III. Trouver les solutions
Toujours à la recherche des expressions pour « se confier à », les traducteurs éprouvaient de la joie d'en trouver une dans un conte Koonzime : ejyêʼ koo e Nzyěm « faire reposer le dos avec Dieu ». Cette expression ne semblait pas être entrée dans le langage religieux, mais elle s'y présente maintenant. Elle se trouve en (4).
(4) Mí jyêʼ koo e Nzyěm.
j'ai fait reposer dos avec Dieu
« J'ai mis ma confiance en Dieu. »
Il nous arrivait de faire l'adaptation du Nouveau Testament en badwe'e, un dialecte du koonzime. Nous avions dû changer ce terme-clé pour le besoin des lecteurs Badwe'e. Pour eux, l'expression ne devait pas parler du dos incliné contre Dieu. Leur expression était celle des chasseurs qui boucanaient de la viande sur les tables sous lesquelles on allumait un feu. Le feu desséchait la viande et la gardait contre la pourriture. Le chasseur met sa confiance dans les poteaux qui forment les pieds de cette table. Pour lui, sa foi en Jésus doit être à l'exemple de ces poteaux. Il s'exprime donc comme en (5).
(5) Bí jyêʼ táá búʼó yɔ́ɔ́ bóo Yésʉs
ils ont faire reposer table espoir leur chez Jésus
« Ils ont mis leur confiance en Jésus. »
IV. Tester et contrôler l'influence du nouveau terme
Nous avons testé la compréhension des Koonzime par rapport au nouveau terme. Personne ne disait que c'était une expression d'une autre dénomination ou qu'il est inconnu ou emprunté. Chacun affirmait que la relation entre nous et Dieu dépasse notre évaluation de sa véracité. Elle embrasse deux éléments : la connaissance de ce qu'il est à mesure de faire, i.e., sauver, et la croyance qu'il est aussi le Sauveur du fidèle qui donne témoignage de sa foi. Il est digne d'être le seul à supporter le poids de nos vies que nous voulons faire reposer sur une personne sûre.
Cas 4 : Racheter ou affranchir
I. Identifier et définir le mot clé biblique
Parfois deux termes grecs sont des synonymes, partageant un même champ sémantique. Il faut les représenter par un seul terme dans la langue cible. Tel est le cas de λυτρόω « affranchir par le paiement d'une rançon; racheter » et de ἐλευθερόω « affranchir ». Il y a d'autres expressions qui donnent le même sens, tel que σῴζω « sauver, venir/aller au secours de ». Quand ce dernier se combine avec un danger, tel que ἁμαρτία « péché », il représente le sens de « racheter » et il peut se traduire de la même façon.
Dieu a choisi de racheter son peuple qui s'exposait au grand péril de transgresser sa loi et de s'exclure des bénédictions de son alliance. Il le rachète par l'échange de la vie de son Fils unique, Jésus Christ, dont le sang est égal au prix du rachat.
II. Comparer le sens du terme-clé avec la traduction traditionnelle
Les églises sur le territoire des Koonzime parlaient de « racheter » par un mot emprunté du bulu, ekʉr. Cette tradition n'avait pas de détracteurs avant le lancement du projet de la traduction. Lorsque les principes de la traduction étaient appris, les traducteurs ne manquaient pas de critiquer l'utilisation du mot emprunté.
III. Trouver les solutions
Les traducteurs de la Bible en Koonzime trouvèrent des expressions déjà faites qui se trouvaient dans la vie Koonzime: ɡóo « prix d'une infraction » et mpilɑ « condition d'être pris par un piège ». On emploie les deux au moment de traduire « racheter ».
Le mot ɡóo « prix d'une infraction » se trouve sur les lèvres des Koonzime au moment des accidents où le sang est coulé. Si l'on se blesse au travail avec la machette, c'est le sang hérité de la mère qui est perdu, et c'est donc une affaire des oncles maternels qui se déclenche. Ils conviennent du fait que le neveu était négligent et mettait en danger le sang qui coulait dans le clan de la mère. Ils ont droit d'identifier la machette qui était mal maniée et de la saisir. Elle est dans le mpilɑ « condition d'être pris par un piège », et reste entre leurs mains jusqu'à ce que le neveu paie le prix de sa faute morale ou simplement de sa maladresse. On considère que le neveu est lui-même pris dans un piège, puisqu'il ne peut pas recommencer le travail champêtre avant que les oncles ne soient dédommagés. Dès que le prix est payé, leur colère s'apaise et ils regagnent leur état de paix. Le neveu peut recommencer à travailler, mais il sera plus vigilant pour ne pas mettre en danger le sang de leur sœur. Il sort de la condition d'être pris/retenu par un piège par le fait qu'il a payé le prix de son infraction.
Les mêmes conséquences s'ensuivent si le neveu est censé avoir fait un accident lors de la conduite d'une moto ou d'un vélo.
IV. Tester et contrôler l'influence du nouveau terme
Nous avons testé la compréhension des Koonzime par rapport à cette expression. Ils la reconnaissent vite comme étant familière mais reconnaissent se trouver dans un nouveau contexte. Personne ne dispute les mérites de l'utiliser dans ce contexte. Ils reconnaissent que Dieu est comme un oncle maternel du fait qu'il est plein d'affection pour le neveu, mais aussi qu'il s'irrite parfois, surtout si neveu se comporte mal. Il y a un prix à lui payer pour que son état de paix lui revienne. Il veille sur la vie qui est dans le neveu, la vie qui provient de Lui, et il s'irrite si l'héritier de cette vie la gaspille ou la met en péril.
Cas 5 : Esprit de sorcellerie/shamanisme v. Mauvais esprit
I. Identifier et définir le mot clé biblique
Avant la publication du Nouveau Testament, le mot grec δαιμόνιον avait un seul sens : « petit dieu ». Socrate se défendait d'avoir mal agis en disant qu'il n'a rien dit de lui-même. Il ne parlait que sous la direction de son δαιμόνιον ou « petit dieu ». Ce terme δαιμόνιον signifiait d'abord une chose très positive, mais le Nouveau Testament lui a donné le sens péjoratif de « démon » que nous connaissons. Les auteurs du NT l'ont effectivement diabolisé.
On voit le mot en train d'être redéfini en Luc 4.33-36. Un récit de délivrance commence par la mention d'un démon qui sera chassé et qui est désigné en grec par un syntagme nominal qui ne se retrouve nulle part ailleurs : pneÂma daimon°ou ‡kaq€rtou « esprit d'un démon impur ». Ensuite, au v. 35, on se passe de ce syntagme lourd pour parler simplement du δαιμόνιον. Finalement, Luc parle des πνευ̂μα ἀκάθαρτον « esprits impurs ». Dans le contexte il devient évident que le narrateur, Luc, range les petits dieux parmi les choses « impures ». Ailleurs, il alterne entre δαιμόνιον et τὸ πνευ̂μα τὸ πονηρόν « esprit mauvais », pour s'assurer que le lecteur comprenne que les petits dieux sont aussi mauvais qu'ils sont impurs.
L'Église, dirigée par le Saint Esprit, avait reconnu le problème d'une vie dirigée par un δαιμόνιον « petit dieu » à la place de Dieu, et elle avait réussi à transformer le sens du « petit dieu » jusqu'au point où l'on n'arrive à peine à comprendre les mots de Socrate. En effet, tous dans le monde grec recherchaient l'aide, l'inspiration et la puissance des « petits dieux » pour réaliser leurs exploits—que ce soit dans le domaine de la médecine, de l'art, du sport ou du théâtre. Contraire à cette orientation, l'église se créa donc les expressions jusque là inconnues, « esprit mauvais/impur », pour ajouter un sens péjoratif à δαιμόνιον « petit dieu ». De cette manière elle avait diabolisé δαιμόνιον, le rendant suspect ou même odieux. Les « petits dieux » se trouvent désormais dépourvus de respect et démonisés.
II. Comparer le sens du terme-clé avec la traduction traditionnelle
Les églises sur le territoire des Koonzime parlaientt des esprits impurs/mauvais en utilisant un groupe de mots nominal: bébebébe sísim « mauvais esprit ». C'était une traduction du bulu et ainsi un néologisme, une tournure qu'on ne rencontrait jamais dans les conversations ordinaires. Le néologisme laissait donc croire que les démons ne se retrouvaient nulle part dans la vie des Koonzime.
Et pourtant on parle souvent d'eleme ! Nul n'ignore l'importance d'eleme : le sorcier en fait usage, ainsi que le chef de famille, le chasseur, et le shaman. Bref, tous s'en servaient pour répondre aux besoins de la vie. Il est décrit dans la légende de la création comme un être sans corps, créé au début avec l'homme et sa femme et le gorille mâle et femelle. Dans la vie quotidienne, on le caractérise comme un organe qu'on acquiert avant l'âge de 5 ans. Avec cet organe, on acquiert la force nécessaire pour évoluer dans la vie, peut-être jusqu'à devenir un shaman ou un sorcier. La société s'adresse à ces experts pour surmonter les pires défis. Ils sont les guerroyeurs mercenaires qui voient les choses qui se passent dans la nuit et en secret. Ils peuvent traverser la distance entre le monde des vivants et celui des défunts. Même si l'on veut se limiter à être respecté, entendu, et si l'on veut réussir dans la vie, il faut passer par l'eleme.
On ne parlait jamais de l'existence de l'eleme dans la vie du fidèle ou de l'église. On n'en parlait pas non plus à Dieu pour s'en débarrasser. On ne savait même pas que c'était un problème d'en avoir. Et surtout, on ne croyait pas qu'on puisse se séparer de cet organe.
III. Trouver les solutions
Les traducteurs éprouvaient les émotions mitigées en diabolisant l'eleme. Chez les uns, une telle traduction était exclue du fait que l'eleme était un organe supplémentaire dans le corps. Un membre du clergé se moquait de l'idée en disant que Dieu ne pouvait pas prendre le couteau pour l'extraire du corps de la personne possédée. Un autre disait qu'il n'avait que les forces de l'eleme pour surmonter les difficultés de la vie. Un troisième disait qu'il en tirait profit pour le bien de l'église et de son pastorat. On ne voyait pas que cet organe avait les désirs et sentiments comme les démons de la Bible en ont. On craignait aussi que les personnalités les plus influentes ne soient heurtées par le fait qu'on parle mal de leur meleme.
Petit à petit, on se rendait compte que l'eleme de la légende de la création avait des souhaits et des désirs, et qu'il en avait parlé à la première femme à être créée. On a commencé à supposer que l'eleme peut mourir grâce au pouvoir divin et—qui sait?—pourrir dans le ventre de la personne sans qu'aucune intervention chirurgicale ne soit nécessaire. L'argument qui doit peser le plus est celui que le « petit dieu » des Grec et l'eleme des Koonzime tendent tous les deux de s'ériger comme des pouvoirs bons et manipulables contre l'honneur suprême de Dieu, qui veut garder la place privilégiée dans la vie de l'individu et de la société. L'église avait besoin dans nos jours de diaboliser l'eleme tout autant qu'on avait besoin de diaboliser δαιμόνιον au début de l'ère chrétienne.
IV. Tester et contrôler l'influence du nouveau terme
Nous avons testé la compréhension des Koonzime par rapport au nouveau terme. Personne ne disait que c'était un terme limité à une dénomination ou qu'il était inconnu ou emprunté. Chacun affirmait que Dieu s'était exprimé d'une nouvelle manière au sujet de l'eleme, et ils cherchaient à en connaître son motif. Certains considèrent qu'on peut choisir vivre plutôt par la force du Saint Esprit, mais que c'est une nouveauté. Dieu est Souverain, et de nos jours il se manifeste d'une manière inattendue en ciblant l'eleme comme son ennémi. Cette traduction a stimulé beaucoup de réflexion théologique.
Conclusion
Dix ans après sa publication et huit ans après sa dédicace, l'impact de cette traduction reste minimal et son utilisation reste timide. La croissance des églises reste celle qu'on connaissait avant la publication.
La traduction était accueillie assez froidement par les pasteurs et prêtres natifs pour les raisons qui restent inconnues. Leur réserve ou bien leur désintérêt se manifestait d'abord par leur absence aux classes d'alphabétisation. Ensuite, ils se tenaient à l'écart du fait que la dédicace ne se tenait pas dans leur temple, mais plutôt à l'église catholique. Les pasteurs protestants ne s'impliquant pas dans l'organisation, la personne haut-placée qui voulait le faire à leur place se décourageait et essayait à la reporter. La dédicace a portant eu lieu avec la participation tardive des pasteurs natifs et le prêtre étranger. Il n'y avait aucune préparation d'un repas après.
Mon constat amer est qu'un travail pouvait rencontrer un accueil si méfiant auprès des pasteurs qui étaient, pourtant, des natifs des Koonzime. Dés 1976 l'exécutif de l'Eglise Presbytérienne Camerounaise avait soutenu le lancement de ce travail, désignant le pasteur qui y apporterait son soutien. Son soutien, malheureusement, ne comptait pas pour grand-chose. L'apport des pasteurs—qu'il soit d'ordre moral ou matériel—n'allait pas matérialiser.
Pendant notre absence du Cameroun entre 2004 et 2006, on a recommencé un effort pour promouvoir l'utilisation de ce Nouveau Testament. Nous y avons contribué par nos finances pour que se crée une ONG dirigée par un Badwe'e.[1] Finalement, on a refait l'orthographe pour minimiser le nombre des accents. La création des syllabaires est en cours pour aider l'enseignement de cette orthographe.
Toujours est-il le cas que l'accueil réservé au Nouveau Testament nous décourage par sa timidité. Les vocations religieuses sont rares. Les mariages ne sont souvent pas bénis à l'église. Les lieux de cultes s'écroulent. Les serviteurs des églises se plaignent d'être sans support. On n'entend jamais que les missionnaires sont envoyés par ces églises. On pouvait s'attendre dans ce contexte à ce que le Nouveau Testament soit négligé, lui aussi.
Une bonne traduction n'est pas seulement celle qui donne le sens du message avec clarté. Elle est aussi à la base ou à la création d'une Église apostolique, basée sur les enseignements qui se trouvent dans la traduction. Et si les assemblées qui se disent chrétiennes ne s'occupent pas de cette formation spirituelle, est-ce que cela indique que la traduction est défectueuse ?
Il arrive à l'équipe de traduction de se poser de multiples questions sur le sens profond de la révélation divine et de trouver les expressions qui mettent en relief le sens dégagé. Elle peut se servir des éléments anciens tirés de la vie quotidienne du peuple. Mais, après tout, ayant tout fait et cela avec tous les locuteurs de bonne volonté, l'équipe de traduction peut toujours se poser les dernières questions à propos de l'exploitation de ce travail : Est-ce qu'on ne le lit pas à cause du fait qu'il est trop claire et que son message est rejeté ? Quand alors aura lieu la vraie naissance d'une église qui trouve son plaisir à croître en se nourrissant du lait pur spirituel ?
[1] Il s'agit de MEDJO François Médard, qui a participé à la fin de la traduction du Nouveau Testament en badwe'e, un dialecte du Koonzime. Cette traduction a été publiée en 2003 par Wycliffe Bible Translators et dédicacée en 2005.

Persevering in Faith, by Grace

My wife, Mary, and I have been working with Wycliffe Bible Translators since 1972. We have been serving in Cameroon since 1976, although some of that time has been spent in the USA, where we are now.
People who love the Lord Jesus and his ministers are frequently saying that we are an example of persevering. That's good to hear, but I would like to add a rejoinder:
Everything is by God's grace, even our persevering.
The Apostle Paul writes: "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. ... it is by faith you stand firm." (2 Corinthians 1:21 and 1:24). The two statements are not at odds if faith is also the gift of God, which he says very clearly: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8)
So the source and ultimate ground of our faith and our faithfulness is God, who makes us stand firm through the faith that he gives.
So we are beneficiaries of God's gracious gift, faith, and he permits us to persevere faithfully to his glory!

The Badwe'e New Testament

The Badwe'e people worked long on the translation of God's Word into their language. The pioneer was Joseph Azabor, or "Ajaajaa" (meaning "The tall one".) He is the fourth from the left in the back row. He promoted the use of the Badwe'e language instead of Bulu, even when there was opposition. At the time, he was encouraged in this by the last American Presbyterian missionary, Rev. Ron Brooks.
Joseph was the head catechist, or lay preacher. He directed Samuel Mpiale, who is the fourth from the left in the middle row. Samuel was the main translator during the period from 1982 to 1994. He recruited, trained and urged January Ekoalea to continue the work, which went forward speedily from 1998 to 2002.
We are all in debt to others for the stewardship of their gifts that they exercise at the time they had an opportunity.

11/01/2009

Ministry in the light of Christ's authority

Matthew 28: 15-20:
15 The world lies about Jesus' resurrection, claiming he died and his body was stolen away.
16-17 Those in the visible church go to where Jesus promises to meet them, but some entertain doubts. They bring too much of the world within them.
18 But Jesus has risen from the dead and has a life that has conquered death. He will never again lay his life down. The father has given him authority over all mankind in all its ages, that he will never give it to another. Jesus never will question his hold on that authority or doubt what it means to have such authority.
19 Because of his divine authority, He commands the church to go and make disciples of all nations. Because he exercises that authority in wisdom and steadfastness, the disciples he would send do actually go and where they go, they encounter success in making disciples. His authority ensures their success. No nation on the face of the earth can utterly resist his will. All the demonic powers will yield their grip on those they have held. All his disciples will receive the same baptism in the one name of the Triune God.
20 The Lord Jesus is the head of the Church and demonstrates his authority by being the source of all teaching that commands our obedience. The Church is to attend to no other voice or obey any other teacher. As his life never yields to death, so it also guarantees that he will stand watch faithfully over his church forever. He is with the church until the very end of the age to ensure its fidelity to his teachings and grant it success in its mission.

10/26/2009

The Additional Bodily Organ Needed by Every Sorceror or Shaman



There is an "extra organ" that is added to a child to make him a future shaman or sorceror. It is called "eleme" in Nzime or in Badwe'e, or "lelyem" in Njyem. The little beasty is supposedly located between the stomach and the backbone. If it is facing the backbone, it empowers you to be a shaman, or "spirit doctor".

A shaman is considered absolutely necessary to those whose luck is finished or who find that they have sorcerors gunning for them.

If its mouth is facing your stomach, you have to start doing the work of the sorceror, however, killing people through occult means. It needs their blood and if it doesn't get it, it will gnaw on your stomach until you deliver the victims.

The people a sorceror can kill are from his own network of family members. To kill one of them, he recites the points of connection between the chosen victim and the sorceror. Someone is really vulnerable to the sorceror if he/she paid the bride-price on the victim's mother. When the victim "dies" mystically, he turns up as a zombie in the land of another sorceror, one who is willing to pay the price for him. These upscale sorcerors are usually living in Europe, so that is where zombies are most often found.
The Nzime, Badwe'e and Njyem talk about these zombies by using the word ndim, which is most commonly translated "ghost". There is a difference between the western idea of a ghost and ndim, however: the ndim is no less physical in appearance than a real person.

If a sorceror is afflicted with an uneasy conscience about his actions, he or she can secretly call for the help of a shaman who will try to turn the eleme so its teeth are pointed to the backbone.

A Badwe'e woman whose faith I trust volunteered an explanation for what happens to the eleme after one turns to Christ and repents of his sin. She said that Jesus probably makes it die and rot, so that it does not trouble one anymore. There is no need of an operation to remove it, either. She is pictured to the left.

Pray for the Nzime, Badwe'e and Njyem people to place their confidence in Christ as the source of their security rather than in their shamans.

Note: To make this representation of eleme, I took a picture of a piranha from the web and modified it. Obviously, I have never seen one. I am simply going on the basis of what people say exists.

10/25/2009

Can You Spare 5-1/2 Minutes for Our Story?

Our story is compressed to 5 1/2 minutes in our new DVD. It is also available in WMV format for those using Windows Media Player. I have not wanted to upload it onto one of the sites like Youtube, however.
If you have interest in this, contact me at beavonkeith@yahoo.com.

10/24/2009

Surviving the Flu Season... by God's Grace

Flu! Schools are closed because of this disease and there has been one death here in Kent County, Michigan. We see that the availability of the flu vaccine is nil here. So why did we get it? By the grace of God! Only by his gracious providence! We had a general checkup scheduled with our doctor in September and said that we had need of the vaccine. He said that they had none to offer us, but while we were in the clinic, the shipment arrived! So we got our shot and are looking forward to freedom from falling ill. Praise the Lord!

10/23/2009

Thanks given to the Beavons and to SIL

ASTRADHE (The ASSOCIATION FOR TRANSLATION, LITERACY PROGRAMS AND THE HOLISTIC DEVELOPPMENT OF THE HUMAN BEING) thanks SIL CAMEROON, that since decades has not stopped bringing its support for the development of the nzime language, through the linguistic research, the financial support for publications [in Nzime] and the training of the members of the Nzime community in various domains, [such as] Bible translation and literacy work. Today SIL Cameroon shows, through the financing of the publication of the transition primer and writers' handbook, that it constitutes an excellent partner in the interest of taking the Nzime people out of the state of illiteracy. We say "Thank you!" to SIL Cameroon and to all its personel who work for the edification of the Word of God and fight against underdevelopment in all its forms. This is why we say to the SIL that, God chose you as he chose Jonas to announce the Good News to Ninivah. All the languages that you support all across Cameroon are not your mother tongues. But your members by the force of Holy Spirit manage even to speak these languages. How wonderful is the work of God!
[Keith and Mary] Beavon are the instruments that God uses to accomplish his will within the Nzime community. At one time, this couple was absorbed by difficulties orchestrated by the devil while using certain members of the community koonzime. This couple always remained serene and occupied in the difficult task of the mission that they had to accomplish. Thank you. Our "thank you" does not express our joy. Our heart is filled with a deep joy. The transition primer that is printed today is the result of the efforts and ferocious engagement of the Beavons. May God bless them and may he fill them with his grace throughout their stay in Cameroon.

10/22/2009

Prayer concerns

We are asking prayer for the following:

  • Francois Medjo is encountering a great and growing demand for his services among the Nzime people-group. He needs help from energetic and self-sacrificial speakers of the language who are committed to use of their language in literacy work at all levels. He also needs help from people committed to translation of the Old Testament and Scripture Use.
  • SIL members Keith and Mary Beavon have proven that a good Njyem translation can be created via adaptation from the published Badwe'e text. They need spiritually-mature speakers of Njyem to work with them both in the city of Yaounde and in the home area. Their villages are both in Cameroon and in the Republic of Congo. Pray that the creation of first drafts will go smoothly and that a committee of revisers will be established to work on it further.
  • January Ekoalea was the main translator of the Badwe'e New Testament and of the Badwe'e translation of Genesis. He has shown zeal and initiative in helping other Presbyterians in his people group to be more effective in Christian ministry. Now he has said he wants to become a pastor and be more capable of exegeting the rest of the Old Testament. Pray that he will have a memorable and successful time in seminary in Yaounde. He began his classes in the middle of October, but needs to see the Lord provide for the unexpected expenses of his training program.
  • SIL members Keith and Mary Beavon are assigned to facilitate translation in three languages other than the three in which they have been ministering. They need a linguist-translator to assist the speakers of these remaining three languages, but no one has been identified.

10/17/2009

Expression of gratitude to us and to SIL from the Nzime people of Cameroun

Remerciements

L’ASSOCIATION POUR LA TRADUCTION, L’ALPHABÉTISATION ET LE DÉVELOPPMENT HOLISTIQUE DE L’ ÊTRE HUMAIN, remercie :

· La SIL CAMEROUN, qui depuis des décennies n’a cessé d’apporter son soutien au développement de la langue koonzime, à travers les recherches linguistiques, le soutien financier pour la publication et la formation des membres de la communauté koonzime dans des domaines divers, la traduction de la Bible et l’alphabétisation. Aujourd’hui, la SIL Cameroun démontre à travers le financement de l’impression des livres de transition et des écrivains, qu’il constitue le partenaire par excellence pour sortir l’homme koonzime de l’analphabétisme. Merci à la SIL Cameroun et à tout son personnel qui œuvre pour l’édification de la Parole de Dieu et de la lutte contre le sous développement sous toutes ses formes. C’est pour cela que nous disons à la SIL que, Dieu vous a choisi comme il a choisi Jonas pour annoncer la Bonne Nouvelle à Ninive. Toutes les langues que vous soutenez partout au Cameroun ne sont pas vos langues maternelles. Mais, vos membres par la force de l’Esprit saint parviennent même à parler ces langues. Que l’œuvre de Dieu est merveilleuse !

· Le Couple Beavon est l’instrument que Dieu utilise pour accomplir sa volonté au sein de la communauté koonzime. A un moment, ce couple a été absorbé par les difficultés orchestrées par le diable en se servant de certains membres de la communauté koonzime. Ce couple est resté toujours serein et ardu dans la mission qu’il doit accomplir. Merci. Notre merci n’exprime pas notre joie. Notre cœur est plongé dans une joie profonde. Le manuel de transition qui est imprimé aujourd’hui, est la résultante des efforts et de l’engagement infernal du couple Beavon. Que Dieu vous bénisse et qu’ il vous comble de ses grâces tout au long de votre séjour en terre camerounaise.

10/05/2009

Janvier Ekoalea Begins Seminary!


Now he feels the call to become a pastor of the Presbyterian Church. We are looking forward to the creation of a growing and committed support group that will express its commitment to his success through their intercession and their giving. If you want to know how to help, you can go to his website: www.bekazylba.blogspot.com/. He began his studies on October 15. He is at the Faculté de théologie et de sciences religieuses de l’Université Protestante d’Afrique Centrale (UPAC). He needs US$88.50 a month for taxi, rent and utilities.

10/04/2009

Translating "Evil Spirit" or "Demon"

St. Luke was involved in reaching out to his fellow Greek-speakers with the Gospel. To do that effectively, he had to faithfully convey the meaning of the Gospel to them and confront their culture at the same time. In that way the Gospel could transform their culture.
One problem he faced was how to present to them the world of the occult. There was no ready-made way for him to refer to fallen angels. He saw in his culture that people talked about daimonia as dwelling in them much like fallen angels. But most of the time, the Greeks viewed them in a very positive vein. An architect, sculptor, or philosopher would commonly ascribe to his daimonion the honor for having been the source of his inspiration. Socrates said that his daimonia gave him every novel idea, so why should he be sentenced to death?

Perhaps Luke didn't struggle over this decision, but I guess he did for a moment or two. I will enjoy checking this out with him. We know that in the end, he made the decision to identify the entity daimonion as the Greek equivalent for a fallen angel.

The result was found in chapter 4 of the Gospel he wrote. There he alternates between "impure spirit" and "daimonion" within the one story. In the following chapters he uses daimonion freely, not concerning himself with the possibility that daimonion will be understood in a positive light. After all, there is something "impure" in it, given the alternation between his references to it.

In the same way, we have had to use eleme as the equivalent of "demon", even though there are many still who think it is entirely laudible for a paternal aunt to give meleme to her grandchildren. The parents will use a code language when they ask her to do it, however. They say, "Take care of him."

I wonder if that euphemism doesn't reflect a certain embarrassment with engaging in this process. Maybe they have troubled consciences over it?

How I met the Njyem in Ekunu

I am convinced that everything is guided and directed by God. There are times when the signs of his involvement become unmistakeable, however, and they point us to his presence in our lives.
A case in point was my initial contact with speakers of Njyem in Yaounde, Cameroon. At that time, I was only slightly involved in anything that concerned them directly. It was in the mid-90's. Mary and I were working with Pastor B. on the translation of the Nzime New Testament.
He indicated that there was a speaker of Njyem who was holding a meeting in his house in the neighborhood of Ekunu. His name was Nanga P. That was all I knew about the host of the meeting or about the location. I knew the time, however, and I knew the place and the time where I would pick up Pastor B. in my pickup.
At the meeting time, I waited for the Pastor and decided that further waiting would be fruitless, so I took off for Ekunu.
There was a drugstore in Ekunu that had the neighborhood's name in its own name. So I knew I had arrived in the neighborhood. I parked and looked for a person to ask for instructions. Seeing a group of about 15 people under a shelter, I made my way to them. They were drinking "pap", or hot thin corn mash, and eating donut holes ("beignets"). I decided from about 20 yards away who I would talk to. Walking straight to him, I asked "Do you know where Nanga P. lives?" He answered, "You are talking to him!" (Of course this is a rough translation from the French.) Then we went to his home and a group of Njyem started gathering in his living room. There were about 25.
The conclusion I reached was that God would be very involved in our ministry to the Njyem. He would bring it to a successful outcome regardless of the difficulties that we would encounter.
The message I passed on to them was of this same character: "God has definite plans to bless you and you should prepare to bow the knee as he inaugurates his kingly rule over you in the near future."

10/03/2009

9/24/2009

Health checkups

We are not often in the USA, as is now the case, and we are taking advantage of the superlative medical services here to get our basic health examination. We are very pleased with a young doctor that we are both seeing, who has been a very enthusiastic slouth, seeing what might be a lurking danger.
I am glad to still be free of detectable PSA five years after my prostatectomy. The risk of ever developing cancer from the prostate is fast becoming negligeable.
I hope everyone is doing their checkups!

9/10/2009

A Proverb book in process


This is one of the many proverbs that I have been preparing in French for the Badwe'e readers to enjoy. The final form of the book is still under discussion, but it may include the first line (the proverb in conventional orthography) and the two French parts. The first is a literal translation of the proverb and the second is a lengthy explanation.

8/14/2009

Genesis being translated in Nzime

Francois MEDJO, the promoter of Scriptures in the Nzime area, has sent me the first eight chapters of Genesis to revise and comment on. These are in the Nzime dialect and represent the work of laymen and pastors. He sent them by attaching them to emails.
We are very grateful that the work of Bible translation can go forward through the wonders of the Internet.
The way we interact is by using the "tracking changes" feature of Word.
We are grateful to Microsoft for its contribution to this life-transforming task.

8/10/2009

"Forgiveness" in the Badwe'e Bible Translation

In the life of the Nzime or Badwe'e, keeping a current record of wrong-doing is deemed to be very important. Physically, one may record an evil act by making a notch in the pole that crosses the kitchen at the mid-point. Whenever one enters, one can see all the notches and recite mentally what the person in question had done to warrant each notch.
Forgiveness, in the Nzime or Badwe'e setting means "removing all the marks of evil deeds (bɨbaa) that you have bent or counted out against someone".
This is said when the forgiveness preceded any altercation or accusation from the injured party. He has only "bent (a finger)" as a mental act when he took note of the harm that the person did him.
This is said when the forgiveness followed a public altercation or accusation from the injured party. He has "counted out" in an overt way the number of acts that harmed him, in the hearing of the offending party. While counting out these acts, he lays out a physical counter that may be a pebble or a strip of banana leaf.
When the offended party forgives the guilty party, the latter presents a meal involving meat to which they both eat. There is an expectation that there will be no future mention of the forgiven offenses.

8/04/2009

Two Coworkers in Advanced Training

Our valued and committed Cameroonian coworkers are in training in Burkina Faso now, taking the third and last month of a 3-month training program spread over 3 years.
They have both posted their reports on progress in their respective areas of responsibility.
They are in French, for those who are interested in reading them and who read French. They are to be found at www.codylko.blogspot.com and www.francoismedardmedjo.blogspot.com.

8/02/2009

At Maranatha Conference in Muskegon, Michigan

We are enjoying a week as the guests of the Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference in Muskegon MI. www.vacationwithpurpose.org They are giving this missionary couple a week of rest and refreshment at highly subsidized rates. Our son David and his wife Anna and kids are here, too.
Keith Beavon

7/30/2009

The Word in Audio Form Is Producing Church Growth!

The country administrator of Faith Comes By Hearing, Apolinaire Ambasa, reports that the Word of God is stirring up the church in the Koonzime area. He writes:
"After 2 quarters of activities, the program is impacting the Koonzime land. The attendance in many churches is increasing and some people now understand deeply what Christian life is. In Malen, the group leader – he comes from 6 km away - succeeded to create a church. At the beginning, he set up a listening group and when the group grew, the listeners decided to get in touch with the Parish Pastor. They expressed their desire to transform their group into a church. The day of the inauguration of the church, the participants offered a piece of land for the building in presence of their chief and the listening group leader was appointed the Catechist of the new church.
"Some Koonzime pastors testified that since their church started the program, there are many conversions of adults and young people. The attendance in church services is increasing; the number of adults who are requesting baptism has increased. There is a great improvement in the lives of Christians.
"The program helped the Achip Catholic Church (Koonzime) to restart functioning again. This church was closed because of spiritual crisis which discouraged the Christians to continue attending church services.
"In Ngoulmakong in Koonzime land, two sisters reconciled after listening to Mathieu 5. They spent 10 years without talking to each other."

How Long to Create a Draft of a New Testament?


I've been adapting the Nzime New Testament into Njyem, and 92.35% of the New Testament remains to be adapted. The last time I was able to work on this was in March. I had about 2 days' worth of time with Jean Bart KUL and Etienne AMFANGNSO', and we completed Mark 1-6 and Luke 22-24. The program we used was "Adapt-It", which worked like a gem.
In my experience, 1.9% of the New Testament can be done every day. This means that the remainder of the Njyem New Testament should require only 48 more days of work.

7/28/2009

Njyem Hearing God's Word... in Nzime(!)

The Nzime received the New Testament in 1998 as a result of the support of CABTAL and other funders. Then they received generous support from Faith Comes By Hearing, which orchestrated the recording of their New Testament and the distribution of "Proclaimers", digital players that are powered by the sun. They saw the Nzime at first responding little to the printed New Testament, but then responding with joy and excitement at the arrival of the Proclaimers. They gather together in listening groups and let the translated and recorded Word of God pour into their ears and hearts. Lives are changed, relationships restored, and people given new hope. One of the readers, Bolakam Severin, died recently in total peace, asking for nothing but the Proclaimer that he could play at all times.
ASTRADHE is the literacy and Scripture-Impact organization that is providing the supervision for this far-flung program.
The Njyem, meanwhile, were seeing little progress on their side of the river. Life was not bad, but it wasn't quite what it should be, either. They asked for a New Testament to be translated, but the resources were not forthcoming. They waited some more and then they did something uncharacteristic... they asked and asked again for the Proclaimers to be brought south across the river for use in their villages. They knew that this was going to mean that the Nzime language would gain more of a foothold in their midst, but they could not let that distasteful aspect come between them and their deeper exposure to the Word of God.
After all, the proverb says "a drowning man will even grab a snake that is swimming by if will help him to survive".
They still want the word of God in their language, but until that happens, they know they need the Proclaimer and the Nzime language that it brings.
The Presbyterian pastor of Ngoyla is Reverend Bengene Mebere Innocent. He wrote:
"We ask you to esctend the praiseworthy project into our sector, that of the Njyem. This program you initiated faacilitates the evangelization of a people group through the hearing of the Word of God in the local language.
"We have met in August 2008 in Ngoyla to study how to better evangelize this area and it was found that the main handicap was that the majority of the population was illiterate, and for this reason very few read the Bible.
"Having heard a member of ASTRADHE speak of the FCBH program, we expressed our appreciation for the program and are asking that in the days to come seven listening centers should be opened as a preliminary step. ...I will supervise the listening centers so that peoplle are blessed by the Word of God."
In the days to come, however, the Roman Catholic curé based in Ngoyla also said that he would supervise listening centers for his own parishioners. As a result, twenty listening centers have been started in the Njyem area, half under the supervision of each of the major Christian communions.
Recently, Rufine Adjowa returned from her Njyem village and said that the Proclaimer is used in church where the reading of the Word of God is called for. She said lives are being touched by God and they are finding a sure basis for their faith in God.

"Janvier" Ekoalea Recording the book of Genesis


Since 1998, when we finished typesetting and publishing the Nzime (Koonzime) New Testament, we began training "Janvier" Ekoalea as a Bible translator for the Badwe'e. He was the choice of Samuel Mpiale, who was retiring. Over the years Janvier, whose real name is Ekoalea Mvolo Maurice, has blossomed and developed as a song-writer and translator of the Bible in his language.
He is shown standing in the recording studio he built in the translation and literacy office of Somalomo. That was where they recorded the Gospel of Mark that is now being heard throughout the Badwe'e area by means of the Megavoice player.

Proverbs for the Badwe'e

The Badwe'e love their proverbs, and we have been privileged to live among them and hear them. We saw how impressive it was to people to hear an exhortation and then hear it followed by a proverb. It was a way of saying, "See? This point I am arguing for is in full agreement with everything that the Fathers have left us with! You should believe it as do I, because of my filial devotion to those who taught this to me."

I am doing honor to the memory of people like our host, Azabur Joseph "The Tall One" (Ajaajaa), by producing a volume of proverbs that were taught me. I know that my revision team will feast on the "delectible meal" that they find set before them and correct any errors I make, so earnest is their interest in their proverbs. Anyone wanting to participate in this process by email should contact me.
This publication, like every other one, is produced at the expense of someone of a charitable mindset. We are doing this one as a result of the successful "US government charitable giving campaign".

7/27/2009

Megavoices Bringing the Light of God's Word to Many

Megavoice (http://www.megavoice.com) is a great tool for bringing people under the powerful influence of God's Word! It is solar-powered, as is seen in the first picture. The Badwe'e people talk about "drying it in the sun" as they address the reality of exposing it to sunlight.

It is also simple to use and people find it infectious. They want to take it to the field with them or anywhere they happen to go.
They have found the truth and the life in Jesus as they hear the story of Mark's Gospel.

Two colleagues leaving today for literacy training

Francois Medjo (http://www.francoismedardmedjo.blogspot.com/) and Ferdinand Elanga (http://www.codylko.blogspot.com/) left today on their third (and final?) trip to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where they will complete a training program that shapes them into colleagues and peers of those in SIL who are doing literacy consultation.
They are leaving with documents in hand that will be examined and evaluated by Cathy Davison, the coordinator of the program ("la Pratique et Théorie de l'Alphabétisation"). This time, they should return with certificates from UNESCO that they will proudly show to one and all who wonder if they can help them with their literacy materials and literacy programs.
Pray for them to succeed in their training and come back recharged for more adventures.

Ferdinand was telling me today that his work as a literacy organizer in Mindourou has had some unforeseen impact outside the scope of his plans: 1.) Speakers of Mpubyeng, a dialect of Mpumpung, have indicated their interest in receiving his counsel and help as they learn to read and write in their mother tongue. 2.) There are two more new believers in Christ Jesus in Djaposten as a result of hearing the recording of MARK in the Badwe'e dialect. The Megavoice units are a big source of church growth! They are making impact far beyond our expectations!
The picture at the left shows some of the Badwe'e who contributed their voices to the recording of the Gospel of Mark. It took place in Somalomo, under the supervision of our SIL coworker, Duane Troyer.

7/23/2009

Publishing goals

This past Thursday we printed 25 copies of Badwe'e GENESIS for reviewers to study. The publisher of this document is CABTAL. They are one of the many members of Wycliffe Bible Translators International.
Another publication in circulation recently is the oral version of the KANDE Story. This is distributed by means of the "Sabre" player.
Soon we will begin printing a collection of works written by new Nzime authors that Francois Medjo trained last week in Lomié. A fund internal to SIL-Cameroon Branch is extending to them the needed money for publication.
We also have funding for the Nzime transition primer, used among Nzimes literate in French. That should go to press in August.
We are still hoping to find sponsors for the following books:
  • The Badwe'e transition primer (for Badwe'es literate in French already)
  • 300 copies of the Nzime "KANDE Story", which teaches the facts of AIDS and the way communities can survive it.)
  • 300 copies of the Badwe'e "KANDE Story".

7/22/2009

Francois MEDJO busy in Lomie

Francois is our partner in the work, based with his family in Lomie. He oversees everthing there: literacy program development, training, capacity-building, ... you name it! His website is http://www.francoismedardmedjo.blogspot.com/.
He says that young and old Nzime are coming to his door at all times to be involved in the acquisition of reading and writing skills. The Njyem are becoming more and more earnest about the use of their language in nontraditional ways.
Visit his site see how you can help him and his team.
Most recently, he created a team of people to read a story in Nzime that recounts a typical AIDS tragedy. This story is called "Kande's Story" in English, and it is being used powerfully in various translated forms throughout Africa. It is his goal to add the sound to the PowerPoint presentation and then project it throughout the Nzime area.
As he said, "Ignorance kills; people die because they don't know what they are supposed to do. The Kande story will help them avoid this outcome."
Francois leads a nongovernmental organization, ASTRADHE, that is a member of a consortium of NGOs. They have asked his organization to take the lead role in AIDS education.

7/19/2009

Nzime Creation Story

The Nzime have a version of the creation story that resembles the biblical account at a few points. Here it is:

When God (Nzyɛm) created the world, he made man and woman, male and female gorilla, and Eleme. Eleme was a bodiless, sentient being that could speak and which lived in the plantain "tree" near the man's house. The man and the male gorilla enjoyed each other's company, but they had a falling-out when the gorilla let the fire die out. Upset by the man's anger, the gorilla left with his wife to parts unknown in the forest. They man went after them to bring them back, but could not find them again.
Meanwhile, the woman was bored and left to herself, together with the children and domesticated animals. She was cooking in her kitchen and saw an opportunity to leave the cooking in order to have a conversation with Eleme. She talked to him at the plantain "tree" and then said she would have to return to her cooking. "Would you like to continue our conversation in the kitchen?" "Yes." "Well then, get on my shoulders, and I will carry you there." "I don't travel on shoulders." "How do you travel?" "In their stomachs." "So how do I carry you in my stomach?" "Bend over." She bent over and Eleme went into her stomach by way of the anus.
When she arrived in the kitchen, she asked him to get out. "I don't get out." "Well then, stay where you are." "Fine!"
The conversation continued and before long she felt stabbing pain. "What are you doing to me?" "I'm hungry!" "What can I feed you? What do you eat? Plantains?" "I eat meat!"
She first fed him all the animals of the village and then she fed him all of their children. Still Eleme was hungry!
Then the husband came back and was astonished by the unaccustomed silence in the village. "Where are the animals and children?" "Eleme ate them."
The next morning at dawn, the man got up and talked to God, telling him about the horrible development in the village. God had a solution: "I will kill your wife and give you another one." "No, please don't. I am used to her."
So God took leave of him and never returned to his village.
The story ends: "And that is why, ever since that day, children are born with meleme in them."

Note: The best, most obvious candidate for diabolos (Greek), "devil/demon", is eleme. A secular humanist French colonial administrator with a passion for anthropology, Koch, saw and understood that eleme was to be so understood. Nevertheless, the Nzime people sometimes see this as bearing a tenuous connection with "demon" or "devil", since eleme has a physical manifestation. They sometimes allege that they could find it in an autopsy, it being somewhat like a supplementary organ. It is supposedly a spherical being, having a mouth and teeth. If it is turned toward the backbone, the person with eleme is a shaman, or spirit-healer. If its mouth is turned toward the stomach, the person is a sorceror. The sorceror must find sources of blood for the eleme, or else it will chew away at his own stomach.
If the sorceror is grief-stricken about killing people to feed the eleme, he or she can consult a shaman, who will turn the eleme so that its mouth gnaws ineffectually at the backbone rather than at the stomach. At that time, the ex-sorceror will have become a shaman, too, one who can heal rather than kill with the powers of his oleme, or power to engage in sorcery or shamanism.
The person with eleme who wants to become a new creation in Christ through faith in him, has a problem: what will happen to his eleme? Does he or she need to have a surgical operation to remove it? I asked a person whose faith I trusted as being sincere, and she answered, "I do not know, but I suspect that Jesus makes the eleme die and then rot inside me. It doesn't need to be removed by surgery anymore."
This, dear reader, is what we call "ethnotheology": dealing with the facts of life, as understood by the culture, from the perspecive of Christianity which has been internalized by a full member of the culture.

7/18/2009

You can hear the Nzime New Testament Free!

The digital recording of the Nzime New Testament is available free to anyone who wants it at http://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/. This is a dramatic recording that will inspire and delight you, ... provided that you understand Koonzime.
You can also buy a $29 individual digital playback unit of the Scriptures in many languages, including Nzime. They call it a "Bible stick". They send it without any additional charge for postage and handling.
I just learned that the funds for the recording came from Faith Lutheran Church in Albuquerque, NM. The Nzime are very grateful to them for their generous gift!

7/17/2009

The Great Flood: part of the Badwe'e oral tradition

The Bible gives testimony that the Great Flood (Gen. 6-8) occurred in about 2348 BC, or about 1656 years after Creation. I believe this to be true, which immediately puts me at the mercy of scoffers, this being the end of the present age. This dismissive attitude toward the testimony about a worldwide flood was detailed in 2 Peter 3: 3-7:

First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." (NIV)

There is, however, a massive base of data about the Great Flood that concords with the biblical narrative. One element of this data is the testimony of oral traditions coming from every corner of the globe, all substantiating that narrative.
The question we asked ourselves was why this seemed to be lacking in the Badwe'e or Nzime oral tradition. Later on, my wife, Mary, suggested to me how they actually did tell the story before unintentionally distorting it later on.

As we reconstruct their story of the flood, they had a very brief but true summary of it:

"Our ancestors were saved from drowning in water through the help of Noah."

The part to note here is that the expression "through the help of" is communicated by the common dead metaphor "on (or 'in/at') the back of". This is not extraordinary. It is the normal way to convey the meaning "through the help or agency of".


It would have been a small step to take to go from that true statement to the one, showed below, that is distorted but contemporary and a part of a commonly-told story.
Note that in the second case, "on the back of" precedes the word "snake", which bears a very close resemblance to "Noah". In the story that is told, there was a friendly snake that stretched from one bank of a river to another that enabled the descendents of Koo--the Njeme, the Nzime and the Badwe'e-- to escape pursuers. They crossed over the river on the back of a snake with the exception of a woman who chopped it with her cutlass and died when it went into the river, taking her with it.
As you can see, the expression "on the back of" was interpreted in its literal sense in the contemporary story, rather than in the original metaphorical sense.

7/16/2009

The Njyem People


Our work in the Njyem area started in December 2001 when we spent a few weeks in the village of Mbalam 1. Our friends, mentors, and allies in this work have been Adjowa Rufine and Moise Mebere.
The Njyem have a website now that you can access, where we have put the little guidebook for their orthography. It is http://www.kulnjyem.blogspot.com/.
Their language is listed along with all the other languages of the world at http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=njy, which is the definitive catalogue of languages maintained by SIL.

7/15/2009

Orthography guides

On other websites there are some orthography guides that helps speakers of Njyem, Nzime and Badwe'e know where to put accents as he or she writes his/her language. The general rule is "no accents unless they are required by this book." So we hope that someone will find this and make use of it to become an author. The guides require that one have a reading knowledge of French. Here they are: Njyem: http://kulnjyem.blogspot.com/2009/07/aide-memoire-pour-les-ecrivains-njyem.html Badwe'e: http://codylko.blogspot.com/2009/07/guide-pour-les-ecrivains-badwee.html Nzime: http://francoismedardmedjo.blogspot.com/2009/07/guide-pour-lorthographe-nzime-allegee.html

7/14/2009

A Badwe'e Story











This story ends in a rather dreary way at first glance, and you wonder what the edification value of it is. You see, Zyem kills all his wives thinking that they would be raised from the dead afterward with pits on their heads. They would then be able to transport the pits to where the animals were, so the animals would die in them. He would be spared the trouble of digging new pits.
The point of this story is to poke ridicule at those who believe the fantastic claims of shamans or spirit-healers. They cannot do what they claim, which is nothing but a ruse to put credulous people at their mercy.




7/11/2009

Discourse Genres




The lecture on Wednesday was on the different types of discourse. It dealt with the issue of how discourses are structured internally and how one discourse genre or type dictates the way its component sentences and paragraphs are built up and juxtaposed.
Deuteronomy 4:9-14 is basically a Behavioral Discourse with an embedded Narrative discourse. The Narrative Discourse contains 7 episodes.

7/10/2009

Inclusio in Genesis 1:1 to 2:4a


The analysis to the left was what I presented in my lecture today, although I don't claim that it is original. My best recollection is that I heard it from Dr. John Stek, who died last month. He taught me the principles of text analysis at Calvin Theological Seminary, in Grand Rapids Michigan. I had the privilege of studying there in 1984-85 and 1990-91. It might have been someone else, however. It certainly makes sense of the passage. The point is not the creation of man but the creation of holy time in a good creation. God rests and we celebrate His mighty acts of creation and redemption.