Jita Bible phone app

 

Check out the new and improved Jita Bible phone app! It's got the text AND audio of every book in the New Testament. 

This is a very effective tool for making God's Word accessible to many Jita people in Tanzania.

Here's a quick video about it:

Jita Bible phone app video

Ngoreme translation progress

 Hi friends!

Check out the exciting progress we're making in the Ngoreme language of Tanzania! The books on the top shelf were translated by the translators, Ernest and Dorika, and then checked and double-checked by a Translation Advisor and a Translation Consultant. We also invited community members to review the books for clarity and naturalness. We even had the privilege of printing the books of Luke and Revelation. Thank you, God!

The books on the second shelf are in various stages: drafting, team checking, community testing, Translation Advisor checking (that's my job!), etc.

Finally, the books on the bottom shelf have not been touched yet. Clearly, we still have a long way to go. Please keep praying for us!

Ngoreme Timothy and Philippians (and birthdays!)

 

This is a very exciting week!! I've been working with the Ngoreme team to check the books of 1-2 Timothy and Philippians. 

AND...

We're celebrating three birthdays in our family!

Check out the video for the whole story:

https://youtu.be/EdhdelA8ki8

Ikizu New Testament celebration

Yes indeed, it's time for another New Testament celebration! This time it's for the Ikizu people of Tanzania. 

Check out the video here: Ikizu-NT-celebration-2025

Thank you again for partnering with us in this ministry. You all have a part in bringing God's Word to the Ikizu people of Tanzania!

Longest word in the Bible!

 

Wow! All these years I was convinced that the Jita language had the longest word in the Bible. But not anymore. Check out the video here:

Longest word in the Bible - video

Zinza New Testament celebration

 

Hi friends,

Let's celebrate! The Zinza people of Tanzania have received the New Testament in their language. Ben had the great privilege of typesetting the entire New Testament. This summer the Zinza people threw a big party to honor the arrival of God's Word. 

Check out the video here:

https://youtu.be/HZtU2veuhqI

Thank you for your prayers and support!

Galatians in Ngoreme

 

Ben recently checked the book of Galatians in the Ngoreme language of Tanzania! Here's a video that tells the story: 

https://youtu.be/KCMNYeMtNlg

Thanks again for all of your prayers and support!

Checking 1 John in Ngoreme

 

Hi friends,

I'm excited to report that I finished checking the translation of 1-3 John in the Ngoreme language of Tanzania. It went really well! I met with the Ngoreme translators, Dorika and Ernest, by Zoom, and we had great discussions about the meaning of God's Word and how to best translate these beautiful truths into the Ngoreme language. Here's an example of our translation. This is 1 John 1:5, 

Ghiteema n-obhurabhu, na hare ewe ekeruutu ghitaremu kemwe.

God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

Thank you for all of your prayers during that check. 

Now I've started checking the book of Galatians in the Ngoreme language, so please keep on praying for me. I'm surprised at how difficult the book of Galatians is to translate. One of the things I noticed is that my English Bible uses a lot of parenthetical comments. Here's Galatians 2:2, 

I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles.

In the Ngoreme translation, we don't use parentheses like that. Therefore, we have to find another way to communicate that same message clearly, accurately, and naturally, without using parentheses.

It's a lot of work, but I love it, and I think it's fun. We're so thankful that God has granted us the privilege of serving in this ministry. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. We appreciate you all.

Have a cookie!

Language is fun!

Recently I was checking the translation of the Bible in the Ngoreme language and look what I discovered... 

check out the video here:

Ngoreme Habakkuk

Learning Ngoreme

Hi friends,

Ben has been invited to help check the translation of God's Word in the Ngoreme language of Tanzania! Check out this quick update video:

Learning Ngoreme

Enjoy!

Thanks again for your prayers and support.

Zinza Christmas blessing

We're thanking God that Ben recently finished typesetting the New Testament in the Zinza language of Tanzania. While we wait for the books to be printed, here's a quick clip of a Zinza translator reading a passage of Scripture in the Zinza language. Enjoy!

Zinza John 15

Thank you for your prayers and support!

If you'd like to join our team as a prayer and financial partner, check out our Wycliffe web page here: https://www.wycliffe.org/partner/2ebefb

Zinza New Testament typesetting

 Hi friends,

We're thankful that Ben finished typesetting the New Testament in the Zinza language of Tanzania. Here's a video about it...

Zinza typesetting video

Pray that the books will be printed accurately and shipped safely to Tanzania. 

Pray that the Zinza communities will receive God's Word with joy!

Thank you for your partnership in this ministry.

If you'd like to join our team as a prayer and financial partner, check out our Wycliffe web page here:

https://wycliffe.org/partner/2ebefb

Third New Testament Celebration: Zanaki

Hi friends, my third and final New Testament celebration in Tanzania was with the Zanaki people. Check out the video here:

https://youtu.be/Lm14XwOOCNE

Enjoy!

Second New Testament Celebration: Jita

 Check out this video about the Jita New Testament celebration. I'm so thankful that I could be a part of this special day!

https://youtu.be/iAAwMrr4Z8w

Thanks again for your prayers and support!

First New Testament celebration: Kwaya

 On my recent trip to Tanzania, the first New Testament celebration that I attended was for the Kwaya people. Watch the video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3Ebj8gwnys

Thank you again for your prayers and support!!

Adventure in Tanzania!

 

Hi friends,

Ben is back home again safe and sound!

Thank you for your fervent prayers during Ben's trip to Tanzania.

His adventure began with 23 hours of flight time over 6 different flights and then a 3 hour car ride until he arrived in the town of Musoma, which is where we lived in Tanzania. He was able to participate in the New Testament dedication celebrations for the Kwaya, Jita, and Zanaki New Testaments. He also reconnected with old missionary friends and many Tanzanian colleagues. It was a busy, exhausting week, but we thank God that he kept Ben healthy the entire time. It was a joy to see the forces of darkness being pushed back by the light of truth, faith, and love as people read God's Word in their own language for the first time EVER! We also thank God for how he sustained Jeannette and the kids back home while Ben was away.

Stay tuned for more detailed updates about each of the three celebrations that Ben attended.

Thanks again for your prayers and your partnership in this kingdom ministry.

Love,

Ben and Jeannette and family

Jita New Testament in our hands!

 Look what just arrived in the mail!! Watch the video here:

Jita New Testament in our hands!

Isenye Matthew Celebration!

 A few months ago, we shared the exciting news about publishing the book of Matthew in the Isenye language of Tanzania. (If you want a reminder, check here: Merry Christmas to the Isenye and Ngoreme people) Ben was able to help the team finish all of the final publication checks on the book, then he typeset it and oversaw the printing. This was the first complete book of Scripture ever printed in the Isenye language...EVER! 

The Isenye people were so excited to have God's Word that they threw a big party. There was singing and dancing and praying and preaching.

The Isenye translation project is a new project, but already they have enthusiastic support from the Isenye communities. Here's a picture taken at the launch party. It shows members of the Isenye Language Committee, representatives from local villages, and members of the community reviewers team.

Pray that the Isenye translators will continue to translate God's Word accurately and naturally. And pray that the Isenye communities will continue to support the work. And of course, pray that Isenye people will be transformed when they read about Jesus in their own language.

Jita New Testaments have arrived in Tanzania!

The Jita New Testaments have arrived in Tanzania!! 

After their long voyage on a cargo ship, they arrived safely in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Then they waited patiently for all the customs forms to be processed before they were loaded onto a truck. After a two-day journey, the books arrived in Musoma.

Here's our friend Mama Vanesa (who speaks Jita) holding her own copy of the Jita New Testament for the first time EVER!

Now the Jita community is planning for the big launch celebration. Pray that God would bring beautiful unity among the Jita people as they plan for this exciting event.

Thank you again for partnering with us in this ministry.

Jita New Testaments printed and shipped!

The Jita New Testaments have all been printed and loaded onto a cargo ship. They're on their way to Tanzania right now. 

Watch the video here:  https://youtu.be/XkYqpI2sbcs