OneBook connects Cameroon and Canada
Efi Tembon has a big job to do. "Many languages in Africa have never been written," says the general director of the Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy (CABTAL).
"You can't simply use the English alphabet. We have to come up with an alphabet, teach people the alphabet and create a dictionary. Then we produce educational materials, things about health and agriculture and human rights."
Earlier this fall, Tembon visited Canada on a vision-sharing tour with OneBook, a member of the Wycliffe Global Alliance. OneBook is committed to working with national leaders, and currently partners with national organizations in 13 of the world's poorest countries to accelerate literacy and Scripture translation.
CABTAL's mandate is enormous. Sifting through a long mental checklist, Tembon begins: "We teach villagers to value each child as human… We teach [them] how to vote… Our literacy is to help the wider community understand wider issues such as AIDS." The list goes on to include nutrition information for mothers, instruction in beekeeping and agricultural practices, teaching women how to make clothes and more.
At the same time, says Tembon, "We are a Christian-based organization working in partnership with churches to produce tools to help them with church-planting and evangelism. We want to see each community know God and worship God.
"We want them to have a Bible. We understand that the Bible without literacy is not so useful, and that the gospel is also social."
So CABTAL connects with a wide range of partners, beginning with local structures in remote communities in Cameroon. Churches come together across denominational lines to address the common challenge of how to reach people in their own language. They help to identify local leaders who form a board and raise funds locally in order to have reading and writing materials and the Bible in their language.
CABTAL currently has projects in 35 of the 280 languages in his region. Some have as few as 5,000 speakers; others as many as 400,000.
"When a community invites us, we know they're ready," says Tembon. "We desire to see community ownership and leadership. We can help build skills to lead them onward. When a community is ready that way, we are eager to work with them because we know the work will be sustainable in their community."
He also appreciates the partnership with OneBook. "Many nationals are interested in doing development work in our country. OneBook helps us develop their skills. We need strong leaders, people with skills. OneBook facilitates that. It's a huge blessing."
Find more information at www.onebook.ca.
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