By Male Marvin
KAMPALA – Christians have commended Bible society of Uganda for their efforts in making the translation of the Bible into Dhopadhola successful.
Mr Simon Peter Mukhama, the Bible Society of Uganda general secretary told a state linked news daily on Monday that the process of translating the bible into Dhopadhola is complete and that they will seal off the project with a launch in May .
The same development was confirmed by the Bishop of Bukedi Diocese, Rt Rev. Samuel Bogere Egesa who noted that the translation exercise took 4 years.
According to Ethnologue, there are currently 7,099 living languages in the world. At least one portion of Scripture has been translated for 3,312 of these languages. The New Testament is available in 1,521 languages, with portions in 1,121. The complete Bible has been translated into 670 languages.
The Adhola people, also known as Jopadhola, are an ethnic group living most especially in Tororo District in Eastern Uganda, and comprise about eight percent of the country’s total population.
Jopadhola speak a language which is mutually intelligible with Acholi language, Lango language, Alur language, and Dholuo language of Kenya.
“We have had problems with Christians who do not understand English and Luganda. For the first time in history, the Japadhola will read scripture in their own language,” Canon Jackson Juma, the Archdeacon of West Budama Archdeaconry told media.
“Any book is read and understood easily if it is in one’s own language. The use of foreign language complicates matters,” Canon Emmanuel Okurut, the diocesan secretary said on his part.
A recent statement revealed that the Bible Society of Uganda, with support from American Bible Society’s financial partners, is working to make the Bible available by translating it into unreached languages and equipping suffering people to find healing in God’s Word.
