Sudan (MNN) — The country of Sudan has been in a state of war and civil unrest for the past 25 years. In the aftermath of civil war, there is a small period of time when Bible translation is a possibility.
In 2011 the people of Sudan will decide whether or not southern Sudan should succeed and gain independence from the rest of the country. Since this would likely cause some form of instability, Bible translators are working hard to translate at least some of the Bible before any votes are cast on the issue.
Currently, The Seed Company has translators working on translations of the book of Luke in three Sudanese languages: Bongo, Mundani and Jur ‘Beli. The combined people groups represent 133,000 people waiting to read the Gospel in their own language.
Translators so far have published trial editions of "The birth of Jesus" and "The Good Samaritan" from the Gospel of Luke. The overall goal is to complete translations of the entire book of Luke as well as scripts of the JESUS Film, a quick, accurate and effective way to spread the Gospel.
People in Sudan so far seem supportive of the work, excited that the translations will help to increase literacy. For the Jur ‘Beli people, Luke's Gospel will be the first text published in a written form of their language.
In the meantime, prayer and support are needed. Pray that the translators will beat the clock until 2011 and finish translations efficiently. Pray for those who are already faithfully following Jesus Christ in Sudan, and that these translations would be helpful for their faith and ministry.
To learn more about specific ways that you can help, click here.
