Brazil (MNN) ― The New Testament translation project for Brazil's Tembe people is finally nearing an end.
The people are divided into six tribes and speak the Tembé language, of the Tupi language family. According to the ethnologue reports, their population is estimated at 860 persons.
WordWinds International's Jarrette Allen says the team, Paulo and Quézia Oliveira, spent the last 14 years working with the Tembé people in the process of getting the New Testament translation in the Tembé language. "After they finish the final verification of Hebrews, then there's a process of going through a final typesetting and answering some questionnaires and forms with Wycliffe and SIL. It'll actually be sent to the printer in the middle of next year."
But they won't stop at the New Testament. With one project wrapping up, Allen says the team is looking ahead at a Tembe translation of the JESUS Film.
He notes the timing is just right; eager hands will receive this project. "In November, they took the Gospel of Luke in their hands, took it among the Tembe people, had a dedication ceremony, and presented it to them. At that dedication ceremony of the Gospel of Luke, 18 people among the Tembe accepted Christ. So they have an emerging church among the Tembe, and they're anxiously awaiting the complete New Testament."
WordWinds is looking at helping fund more translation projects not only in Brazil but also in India, West Africa and Indonesia.
In the near future, they're hoping to help national missionaries in India with audio recordings of the New Testament. They also want to provide audio recordings of the Old and New Testaments for a people in a small country in Far West Africa, as well as the updating of their New Testament.
Future projects are in the development stage, with talks of translations in Kenya and in Indonesia.
WordWinds does this by supporting educationally and financially the work of national missionaries working in their own homelands and by encouraging like-minded Christians to give toward the funding of Bible translation and other projects being spear-headed by native/indigenous mission organizations. Click here if you can help.
