Patience pays off for Banggai and Tobelo Bible projects

JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s Banggai and Tobelo speakers are rejoicing in finally being able to read and hear the full Bible in their own language following the completion of translation projects lasting 17 years.

n Mrs Hilda Pelawi, leader of the 'One in Love' team of the Indonesian Bible Society hands a copy of the completed Banggai Bible to the Rev M Lapaso, one of the translators at a thanksgiving ceremony. Bulagi, Indonesia. Photo: Indonesian BS (INO02DJ-4)

Work on the translation of the New Testament into Banggai, which is spoken by around 100,000 people in Central Sulawesi and on the Banggai Islands, began in November 1985 in a joint project with the Luwuk Banggai Evangelical Church.

The two translators, the Rev Paulus Lapaso and Junus Kidolite, completed their work in 1988, but the New Testament was not actually published until 1993. An expanded translation team worked on the Old Testament between 1988 and 1995.

A backlog of manuscripts in other languages due for publication meant that publishing had to be scheduled for 2001/2002, so checking and copy editing work began in 2000.

Plane, ferry and car

After a lengthy wait, a Bible Society team finally made the challenging journey by plane, ferry and car to Bulagi to present the complete Banggai Bible to the Banggai people in October. A special service of thanksgiving was held at which 5,000 copies of the Banggai Bible and 1,000 Indonesian Bibles were distributed. For the Bible Society, it is a “great blessing from God that the Banggai people can now read the Bible in their own language. We hope that they will receive blessings for ministry, preaching the Word, and to increase their faith.”

The translation of the Bible into Tobelo, the language of around 25,000 people, mainly on North Halmahera Island, has progressed in a very similar way. As with the Banggai New Testament, translators Elkana Kukihi and Karel Tjeleni began work in 1985. This was also a joint project, this time with the Halmahera Evangelical Church. The New Testament was completed in 1987 and published in 1993. Translation of the Old Testament was completed in 1995.

The publication of the Tobelo New Testament was “a great blessing from God for building a strong faith,” according to the Bible Society. It gave significant impetus to the process of publishing the complete Tobelo Bible, but once more publication had to be scheduled for 2001/2002. After the translators re-read the final manuscripts in 2001, publication could finally take place in 2002. The launch in October was the last stage in a project which had stretched to 17 years.

The Bible Society has expressed thanks to all those who provided financial support to enable these projects to reach a successful conclusion. (WR 373/16 - 12.02/01.03) [PHOTOS]