Institutions for the Swo Bible Translation Movement

The Swo people have institutions such as political parties, chiefs, savings societies and such, but they will soon require two more. The reason for this is that they are engaging in two new activities: (A) translating and engaging the Word of God and (B) learning to read and write in Swo. The first activity involves all those who call themselves Christian. They need not all be speakers of Swo, since everyone can pray. The work of translating God's Word and being fed and renewed by it is the work of the Church and it must therefore be the case that an inter-church committee takes shape to execute its work under the leading of the Holy Spirit. Ecumenism is rarely seen in the absence of Bible translation. (I have read this but lost the reference.) The creation of the Swo interchurch Bible translation and Scripture-Use committee is being attended to by a Presbyterian pastor, the Reverend Simon Pierre Ossimba. Its organizational meeting should take place in the first week of November. The second activity involves all those who speak Swo and want to be able to engage with others across the printed page. Imagine not being able to hear from those of another time or place! A language committee has been in the process of being created for 3 years, but without an alphabet or orthography statement, they have been unable to proceed. Now they have at least some of these resources and will begin assuming on their roles.