The Old Testament Translation Strategic Plan for Kejom Community
This plan outlines the second phase of a long-term effort to bring Scripture to the Kedjom people in their mother tongue, Ga’a Kəjom. The first phase, which took over ten years, ended with the dedication of the New Testament on April 21, 2018. That success revealed two further needs: more literacy classes so that more Kedjom natives can read and write the language, and a complete Bible as a way to preserve a language and cultural identity that are fading.
The second phase began two years ago and is expected to take ten years to translate the 39 books of the Old Testament. Ruth, Esther, Jonah, Ezra and Joel are already translated, and Genesis is being finalized. The Jesus film, the NT audio Bible and a Ga’a Kəjom dictionary (still being expanded) also exist.
CABTAL (Cameroon Association of Bible Translation and Literacy) and the Kedjom community split project costs equally, and each of the two Fondoms (Kedjom Keku and Kedjom Ketinguh) must raise an annual budget of 4.5 million. Churches, the cultural association, village councils, the Tubah Council mayor and local elites are called on to contribute human and financial resources.
CABTAL supervises the project, working with an Inter-Church Committee (ICC) chaired by Rev. Romanus Mbicho, and a Project Coordinator, Rev. Vesheng Corinthians Alufon. Each Fondom has a Sub-ICC that oversees local implementation. Correspondence from these leaders is to be treated as official.
The project has four objectives:
- Translation: Accurately render the OT through trained translators, community testing, review sessions of at least 40 community members, exegetical and consultant checks.
- Literacy: Graduate 2,500 students over five years (500 per year) through 250 classes, with 25 teachers per year and 20 additional teachers trained.
- Scripture engagement: Use translated portions in church Bible studies, train Scripture Use Promoters, and engage 138 gatherings over the long term.
- Linguistics: Keep improving, completing, editing and eventually publishing the dictionary.
Short-term goals for 2025 include translating Ruth and Esther, attending seven translator courses, holding four community reviews and two consultant checks, graduating 500 literacy students from 50 classes, training 20 literacy teachers and at least 4 SUP promoters, engaging 52 gatherings, and collecting 1,000 new dictionary words.
Our Mission in Inter-Church
Committee/CABTAL
“Kedjom Community in partnership with CABTAL trains personnel with the intention to translate the Word of God in Ga’a Kəjom so that the people hear the message of salvation as they read and write in the mother-tongue”
Vision
Become a community that read the scriptures and write in Ga’a Kəjom for everyone to better understand the Biblical Message
Objectives of the Project
This project works to realize a three-fold objective: translate, read Scriptures in Ga'a Kəjom, and write Ga’a Kəjom in order to apply the message in our daily lives through scripture engagement in Kedjom Community as follows:
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Render the Scripture (OT) in the mother-tongue accurately
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Assist the active population of Kedjom community to read and write in the mother-tongue (literacy)
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Teach the translated Scripture in Ga’a Kəjom to all indigents for a right relationship with the Almighty God in the community (Scripture engagement or in use)
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Assist in the continuous improvement of Ga’a Kəjom reference works (Linguistic Documentary)
The Gaʼa Kəjom Office
The office is located at Gebauer CBC Field Office Complex in Kedjom Ketinguh, Chuketam Quarter
Contact Us
Email address: kedjomcommunity@gmail.com
