A Mission to Help and Heal

Thanks to all those who have faithfully offered prayer and financial support, the Shekgalagari New Testament translation in Botswana is reaching its final stages. Though the tentative completion date in 2020 was delayed due to disruptions caused by COVID-19, Rev. Carl Grulke recently reported, “A huge milestone was reached in the Shekgalagari project today: we team checked the last verse in the New Testament!”

Over 10 years ago the Shekgalagari Bible Translation Project board met to clearly define the goals of the program and create a mission statement. The result: Go kywisa go nere phoriso ya lehoqo gya ga Gyeso Keresete mbakyhong ba Bakgalagari qa go thabolola puo ya Shekgalagari. (To help bring the healing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Bakgalagari people through the development of the Shekgalagari language.)

The statement was carefully thought out.

We say ‘to help’ because we recognize that there are churches and other organizations at work among the Bakgalagari to spread the Gospel. Our goal is not to compete with or override these but to come alongside and help. 

We say ‘healing’ because we recognize that in many of our communities, things are broken or sick. 

We say ‘the Gospel of Jesus Christ’ because there is no other Gospel given under any name that can bring the healing we need. 

We say ‘through the development of the Shekgalagari language’ because we recognize that our goal is not a Bible for the sake of having a book, but rather that we would be able to engage with the Word of God. This development may include things like Scripture in various media, sermon helps for pastors, Sunday School materials, literacy materials and more.

The Shekgalagari project board clearly understood the value of partnership. They recognized the imperative need for the power and authority that can only be found in Scripture. They acknowledged that God’s Word must be present and dynamic in people’s lives. Today, with the participation and support of the Shekgalagari community, the translation is approaching the final stages. But much work remains to be done before the New Testament is ready to be typeset and printed. In fact, the final stages of a translation often prove to be the most challenging. Please keep the Shekgalagari in prayer. Click here to learn more and to give a gift. Put God’s Word in Shekgalagari hands!