By TalkAfrica Correspondent
After a 37 year journey of developing the Rendille language and translating the Bible into the language, printed copies of the Rendille New Testament Bible has finally been launched. This is a great celebratory highlight for the Rendille people.
Presiding over the dedication will be Bishop Daniel Lemadada of AIC Marsabit. Other dignitaries will include funding partners from Kenya and abroad and Marsabit County government officials.
The Rendille numbering about 65,000 people are found in the northern part of Kenya, to the west of the Samburu community and east of the Borana community. The Rendille occupy an area in Northeastern part of Kenya from the Merille River and Serolivi in the South to Loyangalani in the North from Marsabit and Merti in the East to Lontolio in the West. The Rendille people are traditionally pastoralists keeping goats, sheep, donkeys, and camels.
This will be the eleventh New Testament by Bible Translation & Literacy (BTL) has translated and launched the others being – Sabaot, Duruma, Tharaka, Giryama, Pokomo, Digo, Marakwet, Suba among others. BTL also launched the Sabaot complete Bible in 2012.
All these New Testament Bibles have taken an average of 15 years to complete because BTL begins by developing the language into a written form. In 2019, BTL will be launching and dedicating the Giryama and Tharaka complete Bibles.
Bible Translation & Literacy is a faith-based charitable organization that is involved in facilitating community development programs, language development and scripture translation among the small language groups in Kenya. People from these communities live in isolated areas and lack adequate facilities and infrastructure.
BTL has been recognized by the Kenyan government and UNESCO for its outstanding literacy efforts.
