Three services of dedication mark arrival of Chibemba translation

LUSAKA, Zambia — The Chibemba (Bemba) language is so widely spoken in Zambia that, instead of a single launch last November, the Bible Society of Zambia’s Bemba New Testament was launched in three separate places.

The most widely used of Zambia’s main indigenous languages, Bemba is spoken by an estimated five million people across an area extending about 1000km (625 miles) in a north-south direction and 800km (500 miles) from east to west, and reaching into five provinces. Hence the Society decided to hold launch ceremonies in three provincial capitals, Kasama (Northern province) Mansa (also in Northern province) and Ndola (Copperbelt).

Boys’ school

The first ceremony took place at Kasama Boys’ School on the afternoon of Saturday, November 22, allowing local churches, which normally meet on Saturday or Sunday mornings, to attend. Six church choirs took part, together with a United Church of Zambia (UCZ) Boys’ Brigade Band. Bishops, church leaders and civic dignitaries, as well as ordinary members of the public, made up the 350 people present. The guest of honour was the Honourable Nelson Sambwa, Provincial Deputy Minister in the office of the President.

The many speeches included both congratulations and explanations of the process of the translation project, and the dedication ceremony included prayers from leaders of the Roman Catholic, UCZ, Anglican, Evangelical and Seventh-Day Adventist churches.

Local churches

The next day, Sunday, the team from the Society’s Lusaka Translation Centre and others took the opportunity to speak at some local church services, before driving the 800 kms (500 miles) southwest to Mansa on Monday morning, for the second launch ceremony.

Held in an Anglican church in the town centre, this was a smaller meeting than the one in Kasama, with an emphasis more on the Society’s relationship with local churches, eight of which were represented. One aim of the ceremony was to thank and encourage the translation project’s review committee which was based there.

The third ceremony took place at the Theological College of Central Africa (TCCA) in Kinshensi, Ndola, which lies some 700kms (475 miles) south from Mansa. The ceremony closely followed the one at Kasama. A college choir contributed musically and the guest of honour was Dr Max Davidson, visiting lecturer at the College, who has served as President of the Bible Society in Australia.

He said the translation had the power to transform people, to give them a real living hope and to open the door to salvation in Jesus Christ. Some 80 people, representing more than 20 church groups, were in attendance.

The Principal of TCCA, Joe Simfukwe, said the ceremony had been instructive for the many students present.

Critical

“Often we can study the Bible and recognise how critical it is to our lives,” he said. “But we don’t realise how it came to be in our hands.” The ceremony had graphically shown how a new version of the Bible is produced and the long and careful process it must go through in order for the churches to have a faithful version, he added.

Mpundu Mutala, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Zambia, said that, given the time available to plan them, the three events had been successful.

“Holding services in three key locations has meant that in a few days a good number of key leaders representing a high percentage of Christian Bemba-speaking church groups are now fully aware of the new Bemba NT,” he said. “We trust and pray that they will take a positive attitude towards it and will now encourage a wide use of it in their local churches. We look forward to much more support in all ways from churches towards the work of completing the Old Testament.”