Long Wait Ends in Joyous Celebration

 “For the 160 years that Christianity has been in Tokelau we have had no Bible. But God has been very good and gracious and today we give heartfelt thanks that we have the New Testament in our heart language.

These emotion-charged words from Ioane Teao, the secretary of the Tokelau Bible Translation Committee (TBTC), at the dedication service of the New Testament translation in Porirua, near Wellington last Saturday.

Bible Society CEO, Mark Brown, told the 350-strong congregation that bringing God’s Word to a people in their own language “is at the very heart of Bible Society mission.”

After the clergy present had gathered to bless the new translation, Mark Brown made a special presentation of the first of the New Testaments to have come off the press to Ioane Teao in recognition of his many years work as the principal translator. Much to the delight of the congregation he then offered Ioane a berth on the yacht Seahawk when it delivers the first consignment of 500 New Testaments to the Tokelau Islands on July 11.

Dr Stephen Pattemore, United Bible Societies Translation Consultant, has worked closely with the project since its inception thirteen years ago.  He told the congregation that the translation of the full Bible is now in draft form.  “I hope that we will be dedicating the full Bible in Tokelau in about three years time,” he said.     

Once the three hour church service of dedication and thanksgiving ended, the celebrations continued for another three hours in another part of the church with feasting, singing, dancing and praying.

And the enthusiasm for the New Testament was evidenced in the fact that over 1500 copies were sold or ordered during the day to those who attended the celebrations.

Photo: Denise Landau MPIA The Tokelau Bible translation team (l to r): Ioane Teao (secretary of the Tokelau Society for the translation of the Bible and principal translator and project coordinator), Mrs Matafele Pereira (translator, OT), Dr Iuta Tinielu (translator OT), Mr Loimata Iupati (translator, NT and OT).

Photos: Denise Landau MPIA

Tokelau NT launch Translation Documentary - View the video clip below.

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