|
|
l KENYA — Dr Aloo Mojola has been appointed Regional Translation Co-ordinator of the UBS’s Africa Translation Services. He took up his new post on November 1, in succession to Dr Philip Noss. Dr Mojola, who is 50, was born and brought up in Kenya and took BA and MA degrees at the University of Nairobi. He has also undertaken extensive language and biblical exegesis studies in Europe and the United States. From 1979 to 1983 he lectured at the University of Nairobi while studying for a PhD. In May 1983 he was appointed UBS Translation Consultant, in which capacity he has managed Bible translation projects in Burundi, DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. An ordained deacon of the Anglican Church of Tanzania’s Central Tanganyika Diocese, he is married with two children. (WR 356/IB1 - 12.00)
l MALAYSIA — Dr Victor Wong Kway Shin was appointed General Secretary of the Bible Society of Malaysia in September, following the retirement of the Rev Ezra Loke. Having served as General Secretary of Scripture Union since 1996, Dr Wong has a wealth of leadership experience and is fully committed to the Bible cause. He also has a special interest in introducing young people to the Scriptures. “I want more young people to read and study God’s Word so that they know him more intimately,” he said. Dr Wong began his career in education and then moved onto Fisheries Research, serving in Brunei and Malaysia. After 13 years, he left this career to study at the Asian Theological Seminary in the Philippines, where he received a Masters of Divinity, with honours. After working with Scripture Union as Bible Reading Co-ordinator for six years, he took over the leadership of the organisation. Dr Wong holds a Doctorate of Ministry from the Luther Rice Seminary in the USA. (WR 356/IB4 - 12.00)
l ITALY — The Bible Society in Italy announced in September that since Christmas it had distributed 2,006,000 copies of the Pilgrims’ Portion entitled I Will Turn to the Father. The publication is the fruit of a collaboration between the UBS, through Opportunity 21, and the Central Committee of the Roman Catholic Church. Produced in six languages, it consists of the Books of Luke and Amos, I Peter and seven Psalms. Most of the copies distributed – 1,456,000 – were in Italian. Of the foreign-language editions, most of those given out – 222,000 – were in English. Copies in French, German, Portuguese and Spanish totalled 328,000. The Portions have been distributed mostly to pilgrims visiting Rome for the Jubilee, and many were handed out by volunteers in churches. Many Italian dioceses also requested the Portion to give to people preparing to visit Rome. (WR 356/IB2 - 12.00)
l UK — The British Library has published a reprint of William Tyndale’s New Testament of 1526, the first complete reprint for more than 400 years. Tyndale’s translation from Greek into English was the first English translation from the Bible to be printed, and its publication was one of the most significant events in the English Reformation. Many of the best-known expressions in the English language, including “Eat, drink and be merry”, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” and “The lilies of the field”, come from it. Lynne Brindley, Chief Executive of the British Library, said, “William Tyndale intended his translation of the Bible to be easy to read and affordable. This pocket-sized edition mirrors the original and conforms to his wishes.” (WR 356/IB3 - 12.00)
l COSTA RICA — It has been announced that the country’s Congress has approved a law declaring that the first Saturday in September is to be National Bible Day. A proposal presented to the legislative assembly several months ago received approval as law in September. Commenting on the announcement, Alberto Reyes, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Costa Rica, said, “We hope that this law will help us better to fulfil our mission of making the Bible meaningful to our people.” (WR 356/IB5 - 12.00)