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.

"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.

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.

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