South GumuzBible Translation
The South Gumuz eagerly use the New Testament—help complete the Old Testament and the full Bible.
Bible Translation
Country
- Ethiopia
Region
- East Africa
Language Population
165,380
The Full Bible is Essential for the South Gumuz
The South Gumuz New Testament is in use, but the Old Testament is urgently needed. The full Bible reveals the foundation of Christian faith through God’s promises and salvation story, while also fostering connections with Muslim neighbors by sharing common narratives.
This project focuses on the South Gumuz people in the Kamashi Zone, where Christianity thrives amid smaller Muslim and traditional African faith communities. Church and community leaders have established a translation office, formed a strong team, and secured resources to advance this work.
The completed Bible will strengthen worship, enhance ministry, and provide spiritual nourishment for generations to come.
Empower Local Leaders to Bring God’s Word
Every community deserves the opportunity to read the Bible in a language they understand best, led by local voices they trust. Your prayers and financial support empower leaders in Ethiopia to complete the translation of the South Gumuz Bible, transforming lives and deepening faith in their community.
Program Goals
- Complete and Review Old Testament Drafts
- Advance Translator Training
- Record and Distribute Scripture
- Promote Scripture Engagement
- Strengthen Community Ownership
Program Plan
Step 1
Complete and Review Drafts
- Facilitate back translation to ensure accuracy and understanding.
- Finalize drafting key books: Song of Songs, Ezra, Ecclesiastes.
- Conduct team checks and review sessions for eight Old Testament books.
Step 2
Promote Scripture Engagement
- Raise community awareness through events and Scripture engagement activities.
- Host ethno-musicology workshops to create 10 culturally relevant Scripture songs.
- Conduct cultural evangelism workshops to integrate Scripture into local traditions.
Step 3
Record and Distribute Resources
- Organize dedication ceremonies to celebrate new Scripture with the community.
- Record Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and Psalms for use in worship and teaching.
- Print and distribute copies of Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and Psalms.
Meet the Local Team
team members
• 1 Program Manager
• 1 Project Coordinator
• 15 members of the review committee
• 6 translation committee members
• 5 translators
Partner Organizations
Honoring the Language
The language has both ejective consonants and implosives. Ejective consonants are usually voiceless consonants that are pronounced with a glottalic egressive airstream. Implosives are a group of stop consonants (and possibly also some affricates) with a mixed glottalic ingressive and pulmonic egressive airstream mechanism.
Tones are high and low, with downsteps.
The tap [ɾ] mainly occurs in morpheme-internal positions, and not in word-initial position. It also occurs as an allophone of /ɗ/ in intervocalic and word-final positions.
A trill [r] may occur from ideophones or as a result of loanwords from Amharic.
