Heath Evangelical Church

Heath Church has been involved with the Metta people and this project since 1972, when Klaus and Janice Spreda first visited Cameroon to begin linguistic work among them.

The pastor, Rev Wyn Hughes, visited the Metta people in the autumn of 2007 and was warmly received by the local team and local chiefs and officials. As a consequence, the church has committed itself to helping the project to complete the translation and publication of the whole New Testament

The Project team

There are five members of the translation team: Mr Richard Tah, who is also the Project Co-ordinator, Rev John Fokwa, who is also their exegesis expert, and Rev John Atoh, a senior pastor and much respected, Otto Fondeh and Pastor Philip Fonangoh. Janet Ake is their typist. They meet in a house that the Metta Bible Translation Steering Committee (MBTSC) rent in Mbengwi; and they employ a cleaning lady, called Prisca Bih. Regina Tarke is the Literacy Supervisor and she works with five assistant literacy supervisors and 15 teachers.

Stages in translation work

1. Initial drafting. While Klaus Spreda was working there, he would initiate first drafts of translation, but increasingly in recent years, CABTAL have organized translation workshops where translators from a number of different projects meet together to work on one particular book, under the guidance of a Bible translation expert.
2. Village testing. The initial draft is tested out in the villages to see whether the translation is comprehensible; difficulties in comprehension and suggestions for alternative expressions are duly noted and are reported back to a review committee.
3. Review committee. This committee works over the difficulties that have been encountered with a view to improving the translation. This check should help produce a translation that sounds like good, natural Metta as well as being truly comprehensible.
4. Consultant check. The new improved version is then carefully checked by a trained Bible translation consultant, who will check the translation to make sure that important points of the grammar, vocabulary and text structure of the Greek have been taken due account of. This is a long process of careful checking of the Metta against the Greek to ensure that the translation is as accurate as it can be.
5. Publication check. This is the process of preparing the translation for publication, with all the details of getting chapter and verse right, consistent spelling and tone marks, paragraphing, etc. Decisions about illustrations are also taken at this stage.
6. Publication and dedication. When all is ready, finance is needed to print and produce the book(s). Then arrangements with a printer are made to print and deliver the books. A dedication service is organized, which is the occasion of great joy, praise and excitement; and then the books have to be sold and distributed, which all takes a lot of effort and organization.

It takes a lot of time, dedication and effort to get just one book of the New Testament ready, and it will take several years to complete the whole of the New Testament.

How far have they come in the Metta Project? The chart that follows gives you the detail.

Progress (June 2011)

This means that now all of the New Testament has been drafted, and about 80% has reached Stage 4. But as yet, only the Gospels according to Matthew and Luke have actually been published, although, God willing, James’s letter will also soon be ready. CABTAL are actively planning to publish the whole New Testament during 2011.

Literacy
The reading and writing of Metta in 27 primary schools from levels 1 to 3 has been very encouraging. The 27 teachers involved were very excited about teaching their mother tongue.

There are now 21 literacy classes for adults, with 560 attending. Richard Tah, the project co-ordinator writes (September 2010):

Church based literacy continues in the area. During the meeting held on 23rd September 2010, the pastors serving in Meta have agreed to start literacy classes in their churches. With the opening of a bookshop in one of our local markets, the community is becoming more aware of our products. In this bookshop we sell only books published in the mother tongue. People visit our shop on market days either to buy Meta literature or to get information as where these literacy classes are found. Someone is always present in the shop to answer their questions. The number of new learners registered now is 201 including youths.

Functional literacy is another motivating factor. The learners are being taught how to read and write Meta’ and embroidery. This has also attracted many people. The teacher is Prisca Bih. Many of her learners are women. They enjoy learning this as it will go a long way to reduce their high level of poverty and illiteracy remarked one of the learners. However, poor eyesight is a hindrance to the aged who are eager to join these classes. The few who attend find it very difficult to read or write in their books.

A young Swedish trainee Wycliffe linguist, Jonas Tunviken, worked with Richard Tah at Mbengwi on a dictionary of the Metta language. He is using the material that Klaus has produced and adding new words and a ‘sketch’ grammar. He arranged a one-day session for proof reading the dictionary on 28 August 2011 and he completed his work at the end of 2010, before returning to Wycliffe UK to continue his studies for MA in Field Linguistics. The Metta dictionary has now been published, the very first one ever!

August 2011

Translation sample: 1 John 2: 1-6