Where We Serve / Mende Bible Translation
Mende Bible Translation
The Mende Bible is coming to life! As the Old Testament is translated, team and consultant checks ensure God’s Word is clear, accurate, and rooted in the heart language of the Mende people.
Bible Translation
Country
- Sierra Leone
Region
- West Africa
Language Population
2,500,000
The Mende Seek the Full Story of Salvation
For generations, the Mende people lived with limited access to Scripture in their heart language. In 2003, the New Testament was completed in Mende, allowing churches and communities to read and hear God’s Word more clearly.
Today, the Mende translation team continues work on the Old Testament, with review and checking carried out in partnership with local churches, reviewers, and community leaders.
Translated portions are used in churches, Bible studies, and community settings as they are completed and approved. Support for this work helps move the remaining Old Testament books through checking and review so the full Bible can be completed in Mende.
Empower the Mende Leaders
Mende church leaders, translators, and reviewers play a central role in the translation process and in helping their communities engage with Scripture.
As translated books are tested and shared, these leaders help ensure the language is clear, accurate, and appropriate for church use. Support for this program sustains local leadership involvement in translation, checking, training, and Scripture engagement across Mende speaking communities.
Program Goals
- Advance Old Testament translation through drafting, team checking, and consultant checking.
- Test translated Scripture in Mende speaking communities and churches.
- Train translators and reviewers through workshops and ongoing mentoring.
- Strengthen collaboration between the translation team, reviewers, and church leaders
- Prepare approved books for future publication and distribution.
Mende Bible Translation Plan
Step 1
Advance Bible Translation
- Team check Acts, Romans, and Epistles for accuracy and cultural relevance.
- Conduct pre-consultant reviews of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
- Facilitate online consultant checking sessions.
Step 2
Deepen Scripture Engagement
- Organize public readings, Bible studies, and preaching events.
- Equip churches to integrate translated Scripture in evangelism.
- Mobilize leaders to encourage widespread Scripture usage.
Step 3
Empower and Equip Leaders
- Host workshops to strengthen translation skills.
- Train reviewers to ensure clarity and cultural alignment.
- Collaborate with community leaders for ongoing feedback.
Meet the Local Team
Team Members
• Mrs. Christiana A. Jones – General Secretary
• Mr. Samuel S. Dumbuya – Operations Manager
• Mr. Joselyn Kobba – AccountantTeam Members
• Mr. Kamanda George – Translator (Team Lead)
• Mrs. Eunice Samba – Keyboarder & Translator
• Mr. Joseph Vandi – Translator
• Mr. Tommy Heinkins – TranslatorTeam Members
• Mr. Paul E.G. Saffa – Linguist
• Avril Hancils – CAP Officer
• Omega A. Sesay – Youth and Programs Officer
Amy Formella
Amy arrived on the field in Sierra Leone in May 2017. After a few months of orientation and then language learning, Amy began working regularly with the Mende Bible Translation team as the Technical Advisor. She assists the team by training, proofreading, being involved with team checking, and advising on the process of the translation project.
Partner Organizations
Honoring the Language
Mende is spoken as a regional lingua franca in southern Sierra Leone.
Mende is a tonal language belonging to the Mande branch of the Niger–Congo language family.
Mende was written with a syllabary known as Kikakui, but is now usually written with the Latin alphabet.
Program Progress
The Mende translation team continues to progress through the Old Testament, which has several books in different phases of translation.
Regional News & Media
Help Bring Scripture to Life
Your donation helps translate God’s Word into the Mende language. Every gift makes a difference.