Typesetting as a Testimony to Easter by Nathan Esala

Happy Easter! As the ancient greeting goes – Christ is risen!

As part of the celebration of Christ’s resurrection, on behalf of all the participants in the Komba Literacy and Bible Translation Project, I wish to announce that the Likɔɔnl (or Komba) New Testament is ready for typesetting! That means we have completed all the necessary things as far as the Bible Society of Ghana and Lutheran Bible Translators are concerned so that the Likɔɔnl (Komba) New Testament can be printed. Soon the text will be sent to the typesetters, so they can do all the layout for printing. They may have some queries for us regarding layout and any problems in the printing codes we sent them. When that is finished they will send us electronic versions of the print ready copies. The Komba translation team will review those copies and make sure there are no mistakes in layout or any last minute typos! After that last editing we will send our corrections back. From there those corrections are entered, and the final print ready copies are produced and then the printing happens. I am not sure how long it will take for the printing and then the shipping to Ghana, but it is likely to be ready in 2014. Praise the Lord for his faithfulness and provision in this process!

I am thinking of the health of all the translation team, the health of family members (my own and my African and American colleagues in Ghana), the time we put in drafting, editing, checking, and re-checking, the finances that helped support all of our families, the finances that covered all kinds of costs, the computers, the buildings we worked in, the houses we lived in, the training we received, the training we did for reviewers and church leaders, all the miles of safe travel involved, financial reporting on the Ghana side, financial reporting on the US side, budgeting, strategic planning, building relationships with international partners, visiting with local Komba chiefs and opinion leaders, visiting churches, testing out our translation drafts, and the list goes on and on! I have not even mentioned the challenges of an American family living in rural northern Ghana, the living adjustments, the culture differences, the socio-economic differences, the homeschooling, solar electricity, plumbing, all the packing and unpacking we have done over the years! All the travel! The medical care we have received and the proactive things we have done. That is some serious provision! Praise be to our Risen Lord for giving us the energy, resources, protection, and LIFE!

From my perspective this post is a testimony that –

Christ is Risen Indeed!

Rev. Nathan and Sarah Esala have served among the Komba people of Ghana for the past 9 years.  They will return to the U.S. late this month.  They will continue to serve as LBT missionaries, with a new assignment after Nathan completes his doctoral degree.  You can follow their Esalas in Mission blog to learn more about their work.