At the Naro Language Project in D'kar, in the Ghanzi district, a team of eight people is working on translating the Old Testament into Naro. During a visit to the team, we ask about the impact of the work on the team. The answer is not difficult: it changes all our lives.
Every day, they report to the wooden office in D'kar. Isaac Khanx'a Saul, the team's coordinator. Marea Sixpence, Orelebile Kebeilwe and Osego Serame as translators. Annah Thlogo, who accurately adminsitates the team's progress. Marea Camm, a youth worker stationed at the project by the government. And Ncaoka Ncence and Paul Kali, who make sure everything looks neat in and around the office.
Spiritual growth
Besides talking about how the work is progressing, we also ask about what the work means to themselves. Orelebile is the spokesperson: 'Most of us were quite shy. By being engaged in translation, we grow spiritually. We become brave to speak. We give words of comfort at funerals. We can open scripture in church services when there are no pastors, and at weekly Bible studies we share our own insights. In our families, we are also able to give spiritual guidance. The books we translate help us apply the Bible in our lives. We get the lessons from those books'.
As white as milk
When asked about the difficult things they face, Orelebile says: "There are challenges, for sure. For example, when the context of the Bible presents us with difficulties, because our culture is different from the context of the Bible. Then sometimes you have to figure out how to render something. Isaac's knowledge of Hebrew is a great help. The contacts we have in the village, when we discuss texts with people there, also help us to make good choices. We don't know a word like snow here, but like snow, milk is also white, and that can sometimes be used.'
The translation team expects to be busy with the whole process of translation at least until 2025. In the time before that, there is also contact with the Bible Society of Botswana, to discuss printing the entire Bible.
