Good News from the Moloko!

A text message from Cameroon

“I am in the capital city for a month and a half for the typesetting of the Moloko New Testament. It’s the culmination of your work! The dedication will take place in 2026. Pray fervently for the Moloko people to have God’s Word in their heart language.” – Pastor Justin, Moloko translator, Sept. 1, 2025

So said the text we received this month from our former co-worker, Justin, one of the Moloko New Testament translators we worked with in Cameroon. Justin and our other co-worker, Ali, have faithfully continued translating the New Testament since we left Cameroon in 2007, helped at times by other mother tongue translators. Both have large families and other jobs, so translation isn’t their only work. But they both have a passion for their people, the Moloko, to receive God’s Word in their mother tongue. God is bringing this to fruition through their faithful work.

Many of you have also had a part in this process through supporting and praying for us and them - thank you!

Pray...and come with us!!

Finalizing and typesetting New Testaments can often be a time of intense spiritual attack. Pray for safety, good health, clear thinking, and unity for the translators (Justin & Titus) and for the typesetting team; for the equipment to work well; and for protection and provision for their families back home.

After typesetting, the Moloko New Testaments will be printed and the Moloko people will organize a special celebration ceremony to welcome the New Testament to their community and, we pray, into their hearts.

Alan and our children hope to attend the New Testament Dedication in Cameroon some time in 2026. We don’t have any details yet of when that will take place. We’d love for some of you long-time supporters and friends to come along and enjoy the celebration! Would you pray about coming with us? We've been to several New Testament dedications and they are JOYFUL and COLORFUL and EXCITING! If interested, contact Alan and he’ll give you further details when we know more.

A little history of the Moloko project

In early 1996, Alan, DeEtte, and Australian friend and short-term colleague Cathy Bow began learning Moloko in the capital city. Every week we visited a Moloko family who lived across town and tried to put into practice what we’d learned about learning a non-written, non-European language. In May, we three adults plus Caleb (then 3) and Peter (then 1) flew in the SIL plane to the Far North Province, where we lived in the provincial capital of Maroua for the next year. We trained Pastor Abraham and others, met and interacted with the Moloko community, studied Moloko daily, and tried to get used to the heat. In February 1997, then-SIL-Cameroon Director Bob Chapman and wife Ruth traveled north to be with us for a special launch ceremony of the Moloko New Testament Translation project.

We furloughed from 1997 to early 1999, when we returned to Cameroon with “Baby Kate” and were then joined by fellow missionaries Dianne Friesen and Ginger Boyd. We built a mud brick house in a Moloko village, continued language learning, and lived among the Moloko for seven years. In the fall of 2006 Alan and Dianne translated the books of Jonah and Mark, with Justin, Ali, and several other Moloko men.

We furloughed again in 2007-2008, when we felt the Lord leading us to remain in the U.S. Justin, Ali, and the others continued on with translation work, and now the Moloko will finally receive their own New Testament – 30 years after we started the project. Many have helped along the way, but to God be the glory! Dianne went to be with the Lord in May 2025, and we know she is rejoicing in heaven with Him for this amazing accomplishment.

We are thankful for each of you who have walked with us, some from the very beginning. Let us pray for God to be glorified among the Moloko people as they prepare to receive the New Testament in their language, and I pray that each of you would know His blessing in your life!