Khwedame Panoramic Bible Dedicated

For generations, the Khwe people have experienced much loss.  However, Saturday, April 11, 2026, marked a new beginning for the Khwe—one with the Word of God at the center as the Khwedam Panoramic Bible was certified and dedicated, marking the first time Scripture is available in their language.

The celebration of the dedication highlights not only the importance of the Word of God to the Khwe people, but it also elevates the language of the people, bringing dignity to a community that has been repeatedly overlooked and dismissed.

Connecting people and the Khwedam Bible

The Panoramic Bible helps readers see the full story of God’s work by connecting key themes and narratives across the Bible. This design is meant to bring clarity, helping the Khwe move from hearing fragments of Scripture to understanding the greater story of God’s plan for His people from the Old Testament through the New Testament.

Throughout translation and typesetting, it was important to the team that the text was accurate, but also readable to the Khwe community. The Panoramic Bible was designed not just to fill a need, but to be useful in the Khwedam community.

There are no Lutheran churches in the region and very limited access to formal theological training. This meant church leaders relied on what they have heard from other preachers to teach their own communities. The Khwe church leaders had little opportunity to engage with the Bible and Scripture in their own language. Now, with the Panoramic Bible, they can forge deeper connections to the text and also educate their communities to do the same.

Building a language and a Bible

Part of the work also included literacy efforts to equip the Khwedam community to read and engage with Scripture themselves. The foundational literacy education helps the Khwe grow in confidence, deepen their understanding, and participate fully in integrating faith into their daily lives. It also helps sustain the Khwe as they carry on the work of sharing the Word for generations to come.

Since 2005, Rev. Dr. Tim Beckendorf and his team have worked faithfully alongside the Khwe community, beginning with language learning and building toward literacy and translation. In 2009, the Bible translation work formally began, supported by dedicated partners who have guided the project for many years.

One such partner is Splash. He has been involved in the language development and Bible translation work for the Khwedam people for most of his life, carrying on the legacy of his late father, Morongo Ntemana. Raised by Morongo in the Christian faith, Splash’s work is not only to bring God’s Word to the Khwe, but also restore the dignity to the minority language. Since Morongo’s death in 2022, Splash has carried forward his father’ work by serving with the translation and literary teams—and bringing everyone together for the dedication.

The Vice President of Botswana Ndaba Gaolathe joined in the celebration of the Khwedam Panoramic Bible. During the ceremony, he was presented with his own copy of the Bible as a reminder that God’s Word in every language is unifying and transformative for those who want to hear it.

Also on hand was Rev. Dr. Michael Megahan, one Lutheran Bible Translators’ consultants, who publicly certified the Bible. The certification is a required part of the dedication process. It’s a public declaration that the Bible has been properly translated, tested, and is available to all.

The Next Chapter with the khwedame panoramic bible

Beckendorf said the Khwe people are often drawn to the book of Genesis. He said they explained to him that the words in Genesis provided healing on many levels.

“For people who have been at the bottom of society, not even considered people, and to hear that God loves them, created them—that really made a huge difference in the community I spoke with. They see that in God’s eyes, we are all His. Whether it is the tribes that we hate, or who hate us, we’re all together,” said Beckendorf.

With the completion of the Panoramic Bible and the availability of God’s Word, the Khwe people have the opportunity to find hope, healing, and identity in their own language.

To learn more about the Khwe people, visit the Khwedam Bible Translation program page.