Christ's Good News of Salvation, is Now Available for the First Time in the Sierra Leone West African Language of Kono. SIERRA LEONE -- WEST AFRICA ... 06/10/2008 The Kono New Testament Launching and Dedication Event was held on Saturday June 14, 2008 with about 300 in attendance in Koidu, Sierra Leone. This was held to celebrate the first translation of the New Testament into the Kono language. History of Kono Translation Project In 1973, missionaries from LBT and The Institute for Liberian Languages (TILL) came to Sierra Leone and conducted a survey of the languages to see if there was a need for Bible translation and literacy work. They found that there was a great need, and recommended that Lutheran Bible Translators (LBT) begin work in Sierra Leone. As a result of that recommendation, LBT formed The Institute for Sierra Leonean Languages (TISLL) in 1974. The first translation advisor sent to Sierra Leone was Mr. William Rasch. He was assigned to work with the Kono language, since LBT and TISLL considered the Kono people to have the greatest interest in having God's Word in their own language. Mr. Rasch and his family came to Kono District and lived in the village of Yekeo in Fiama Chiefdom. The late D.A. Mondeh-Gbegba of Bumpeh was the main Kono translator who began working with him. The Koidu Joint Parish provided an office where the translation work was done. Due to an illness of one of their children, the Rasch family returned to the United States in 1978, and then later were unable to return to Sierra Leone. Pa Mondeh continued translating for a time, but the work eventually came to a standstill. 
In 1985, Jim and Susan Kaiser were assigned by LBT to continue the work with the Kono language. Jim Kaiser first assisted with a survey of the dialects of Kono in order to make sure that one translation would be useable by all Konos. It was found that though there are some noticeable differences in the Kono language, they are few and do not affect the understanding. The survey also indicated that most Konos felt that the best Kono language was spoken in Fiama, Gbense, Kamara, and Nimi Koro chiefdoms. Because of this, the Kaiser family lived in the village of Koako in Gbense Chiefdom. They began learning the Kono language, learning Kono customs and culture, and meeting with church leaders. Mrs. Judy Olson joined the project in 1987 and began the great work of developing primers and training teachers. She lived in Kuidadu in Gbense Chiefdom and was ably assisted by Mr. Alex B. Lansana. The translation work was first organized under the Kono Christian Council, and then later the Kono Bible Translation Committee was formed, with representation from all of the major churches in Kono. In May 1990, the committee hired two translators, D.A. Mondeh-Gbegba and T.N. Fasuluku. The committee paid the salaries of both translators from offerings given by the Kono churches. In 1991, Mr. Allen Larsen joined the project and lived in Koidu. He helped develop a transition primer from English to Kono, and began working with pastors and church leaders to help them learn to read Kono. In 1992, the translation project was relocated to Freetown due to the problems from the rebel war. At that time the support of the translators was taken up by TISLL and the Bible Society since the Kono churches were scattered and unable to continue their support. It was during this time that Mr. Aiah Kaingbanja joined the translation work as a tester, and helped to improve the quality of the translation. The translation project continued in Freetown until 1997 when the coup forced our family to leave. At that time, the Kaiser family relocated to Cote d'Ivoire, while Pa Mondeh and Pa Fasuluku returned to Kono and helped teach literacy and train reviewers. In 1998, when the rebels were driven out of Freetown by ECOMOG, they went to Kono. Pa Mondeh tried to flee to Guinea with his family, but was caught by the rebels. He was beaten, and five of his children were kidnapped. Eventually he was able to make his way to Freetown, but was very ill. Also in 1998, Komba Ngekia began assisting Jim with the linguistics analysis of Kono. In March 1999, Pa Mondeh died. This was a large blow to the translation work, but thankfully, God had provided a capable replacement in the person of Komba Ngekia. Komba underwent training in linguistics and translation at the one-year UBS program in South Africa. Komba and Jim continued on with the translation work based in Cote d’Ivoire. Pa Fasuluku and Aiah Kaingbanja continued working with reviewing and testing the translation in Sierra Leone. In September 2002, part of the Ivorian army mutinied against the government, and it became necessary for all of us to leave Cote d'Ivoire. Komba and his family returned to Sierra Leone, and the Kaiser family returned to the US. 
From 2003 to 2006, Komba continued the translation in both Freetown and Kono. They kept in frequent contact using email, and I traveled to Sierra Leone about 4 times each year until the translation checking work was finished. Several consultants checked manuscripts, ensuring exegetical accuracy, the most recent being Rev. Larry Johnson, Dr. Paul Bruns, Rev. Mike Nicol. The Kono New Testament translation is published by the Bible Society in Sierra Leone. Today, we thank God for the many, many people who had a part in making the translation possible.
History compiled by Jim Kaiser, edited by Jim Laesch |
