Lunda Bibles
For decades, one of the ministries of Nyangombe Christian Training Centre has been to provide Bibles in the Zambian tribal languages. In the Northwestern province of Zambia that language is Lunda Ndembu but is usually shortened to Lunda.
Lunda Bibles being delivered to a village
In 1993, a group of six missionaries and six Lunda people began together the task of translating a new version of the Lunda Ndembu Bible with the more modern language which is generally used today in Zambia, Angola and D.R. Congo. After each session the suggested changes were sent out to the various churches of each denomination in these three countries for their comments. These comments were discussed at length by the translation team at the beginning of the following sessions. This work lasted for more than eleven years and was completed and printed in 2004. The money to print was provided by the Christian Brethren Assemblies and passed on to the Zambian Bible Society. The Lunda translation MWW04 can be read on line or as a printed bible
One particular person Boni Kapungu from D.R Congo worked the whole 11 years of the translation with an advanced melanoma on the sole of his foot which gave him terrible pain. But he was determined to finish the translation. After translation completion, the cancer spread throughout his body and he was taken to Kalene Mission Hospital. His prayer was that he might see the new translation before dying. The photo below shows him receiving a new Lunda Bible that had been rushed to him. He died very soon after receiving it.
Lunda Bibles are held at NCTC and sold at significantly reduced prices or given to those with no resources due to the kind donations of supporters from overseas.