MOUTOURWA, North Cameroon — The launch of the first Giziga New Testament, which took place here on Saturday December 20, 1997, at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, was greeted with great enthusiasm: at last this special ‘baby’ had arrived, and it would mean that the Giziga people could read about the birth of Jesus for the first time in their own language in time for Christmas.

Civic and political leaders as well as church leaders from different denominations were among the 5,000 people who attended the dedication, reports Roger Bombang, Regional Representative for the Bible Society of Cameroon (BSC). Unfortunately, the 2,000 copies printed were insufficient to satisfy the demand that day and the Bible Society will have to reprint the New Testament. Dr Paul Bitjick, BSC Translation Consultant for the project, commended the work of the translators, B Bouba, Silas Yonki, Y Schaller and John Gerstmann, and thanked the UBS for the help received for this project.

The translation project was supported by the United Evangelical Churches of North Cameroon (UEENC) and the Roman Catholic Church, which provided two of the translators. Through the UBS, Bible Societies contributed consultancy, translator’s helps, and production costs towards this interconfessional project which was published by the BSC. The churches have raised funds for the New Testament to be reprinted. (WR 328/2 - 2.98)