Similar to churches in the United States, churches in Ethiopia have experienced tension over different religious practices and opinions. However, what created an even greater chasm for Ethiopian churches was not having the Word of God in their own languages. When team members on the Ale translation project first began working together, they found it difficult to set their differences aside. Now the translation work has brought about reconciliation between the different churches. The Christian community of Ale is eager to see the Word of God translated into their language, and they work together for the success of the translation.

The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus South West Synod was established in 1990. A locally led initiative for Bible translation, the synod’s main goal is to connect people to Christ through the proclamation of the Gospel while embodying God’s love through wholistic service. There are currently six Bible translation projects in progress, including the Ale.

Reverend Berhanu Kambro works with the South West Synod, traveling to each of the programs on a regular basis. He provides encouragement to the translators and ensures that things are running smoothly.

The South West Synod and its partners strive to find ways to reach all the languages of the synod and beyond. As one reviewer says, “God’s Word is perfect, understandable, and it is clearly speaking to the hearts of many in my language.”