A complete Bible in the language Kom people think in
Translating, reading, meditating, listening to, and sharing God's word in the Kom language so that Kom people may be transformed into Christlikeness.
The Kom people
In an area that is often rife with disputes, the Kom people of Cameroon live in harmony with neighbours and are well respected for their peace-loving tendencies.
They cherish their culture, a prominent feature of which is their clothing. Unique and colourful, Kom traditional attire is believed to have influenced the national style.
The Kom also love their language, and have one of the highest mother-tongue literacy rates in the country. The majority of the population profess faith in Jesus. Traditional religion still has a strong influence, and some people take part in practices that conflict with Christian belief.
Since the New Testament was completed, it has been used enthusiastically in the community. Engaging with Scripture has given people a hunger for more, and local churches have asked for the Old Testament as well.
Sixty years of work on one language
Late 1960s
A first attempt
George and Erica Muller, a German couple, began translating some New Testament books into Kom. The work did not go far: the writing system they adopted was difficult to read, and the books were not well distributed.
1989
SIL begins work in Kom
After the Kom community in Yaoundé pressed for a complete Bible, SIL Cameroon started work on the language with the arrival of George and Valery Shultz. The Kom Language Development Committee was formed to oversee translation and literacy.
1992 – 1994
Peter Yuh joins
Peter Yuh, then a high school teacher in Kousseri, was recruited and sent for further study in translation. He returned in 1994, and the team began with the book of Luke. He recruited and trained translators from Catholic and Baptist churches.
2004
The New Testament
The Kom New Testament was completed and dedicated at a ceremony attended by the Fon of Kom, Catholic and Baptist church authorities, and the American ambassador to Cameroon. Nearly all of the 5,000 copies printed have been distributed.
2015
The churches ask for the Old Testament
Kom pastors and priests, meeting in 2015, asked Dr Peter Yuh to develop a project concept for the Old Testament and write to potential partners, so that the churches could have a complete Bible for ministry.
2020
The Old Testament begins
The first phase of the Kom Old Testament project started in March 2020. This is the first community-driven translation project of its kind in Cameroon.
Three phases
Kom 1
March 2020 – 2023
Seven narrative books translated, and the teams that would carry the rest of the Old Testament trained.
- Genesis
- Exodus
- Joshua
- Ruth
- 1 Samuel
- 2 Samuel
- Jonah
Kom 2
March 2023 – February 2026
Thirteen further books translated and all four Gospels revised, bringing the Old and New Testaments into alignment.
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Deuteronomy
- Judges
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- Nehemiah
- Esther
- Amos
- Obadiah
- Micah
Kom 3
Proposal under review
With nearly all the narrative books now translated, the team turns to the major prophets and some of the wisdom books.
- The major prophets
- Wisdom books
Translate, publish, revise
Translate
Translate the books of the Old Testament into Kom, working from the original languages with Kom translators and a resident exegete.
Publish
Publish completed books in print, audio and digital formats, and make every checked and unchecked draft available for the community to review.
Revise
Revise the Gospels so that the Old and New Testaments read consistently, with the same names, terms and turns of phrase throughout.
Alongside the translation
- Train literacy and Sunday school teachers, and establish ten church-based literacy classes each year.
- Run out-of-community literacy classes where Kom people live beyond Kom land.
- Print literacy materials for those learning to read and write Kom.
- Distribute at least 200 SD cards of digital Kom Scripture every year.
- Carry memory verses from the translated books in the Kom cultural diary, published every year since 2020.
“More transformed lives.”
He went on to explain how Kom Scripture helps Christians discern between the good in their culture and what runs contrary to the faith.
Kom church leaders are eager for their people to learn from God's word and to be better equipped to share biblical truth with others.
Because this is the first community-driven project of its kind in Cameroon, the team hope it will open the way for language projects in other communities. Several neighbouring groups speak related languages and could adapt Kom Scripture as a source for their own translations.
Wycliffe Bible Translators
Funding
Funds the Kom Old Testament project.
CABTAL
Mentoring and oversight
Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy mentors the team and carries financial oversight and management advice.
April & CID
Website and communications
Runs this website and the project's social media, and provides translation consultancy and translator training.
Local churches
Translators and governance
The Cameroon Baptist Convention and the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon provide translators and serve on the project's review committee.
24 books, 596 chapters and 15,475 verses are free to read now.