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The launch of the Enga New Testament speaks of the power of God’s word to bring healing and restoration to fractured and broken people and communities

Ninety years ago, two Australian gold prospectors set up camp in the village of Tole in Enga Province, Papua New Guinea (PNG).

That evening, an Engan man named Pingita rushed toward the camp, his spear poised for attack. After Pingita released his spear, one of the prospectors shot him dead, sparking an onslaught in which more Engan men were killed or injured.

Image of Timothy Pesone and Adam Boyd stand on the spot where Timothy's grandfather was killed Timothy Pesone and Adam Boyd stand on the spot where Timothy's grandfather was killed

It was an inauspicious start to the relationship between Engans and foreigners.

Fast forward to 19 June 2024…

Pingita’s grandson Timothy Pesone, a pastor and the chairman of the Enga Bible translation committee, stood together with Enga Bible translation adviser Adam Boyd on the spot where Pingita was killed.

This time, instead of hostility between men of different cultures, Timothy and Adam were working together with a common purpose.

Why were they together in this place? To spread the news about the upcoming launch of the Enga New Testament – and the gospel message of salvation, restoration and reconciliation that it contains.

Image of an Engan man playing a drum at the Enga New Testament launch Image of an Engan man playing a drum at the launch

Praise God for the message that in Christ, ‘There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female,’ – and neither Engan nor foreigner – ‘for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’ (Galatians 3:28) Praise God also that the Enga people now have this verse in their language!

A great and urgent need

And there is a great and urgent need for that message of salvation and reconciliation in Enga Province.

Inter-tribal conflict is commonplace – and has been for many, many years. February witnessed one of the worst episodes for decades, when at least 49 people were killed in a tribal dispute in the Wapenamanda district in Enga Province.

Image of Engan people listening to the audio version of the Enga New Testament at the launch event Engan people listening to the audio version of the message of hope at the launch event

On top of that, there are regular natural disasters: on 24 May hundreds of people in Enga Province were killed in landslides that made world news.

It is into this environment that the Enga New Testament has come. Perhaps that’s why there was such an overwhelming joy and excitement as the Enga New Testament was launched in July: here at last is something that provides hope, something that could bring deep and lasting change to people’s lives, something that could transform the current aggressive and combative culture.

With approximately 370,000 speakers, Enga is the most spoken local language in PNG. The Enga people fill an entire province, which takes many hours to drive across from east to west or north to south.

Image of an Engan woman with her audio and print copies of the Enga New Testament An Engan woman shows off her audio and print copies of the Enga New Testament

As a result, it was necessary to hold multiple launch events in different places over a number of weeks.

The New Testament has been made available in print and audio versions, as well as a Bible app, to ensure as many Enga people as possible can read or listen to God’s word in their language.

A way to be reconciled

Timothy said that with the dedication and the support of the work he sensed there is a change in the lives of the Enga people. There has been a history of problems, but he sensed the change because of the translation work and the word of God coming in Engan.

At the launch, one village elder said that Adam’s arrival has been a blessing to the community. Just as at the beginning when sin came in and separated us from God, this village has had plenty of problems. With Adam and the team coming they brought a way to be reconciled both to God and to other people in the province by bringing God’s word in Engan.

Image of people study the Enga New Testament together Engan people study the Enga New Testament together

This is what Bible translation is all about: as people have the word of God in their own language, so they come to know Jesus – really, deeply know him. And as that happens, it brings deep transformation that radically alters the way individuals think and behave, which in turn changes the attitudes and actions of whole communities.

Pray for open hearts and minds in the Enga people, so that as they read and listen to God’s word in their language it will transform them

Pray for an end to the hostilities among the Enga people, that the reconciliation that Jesus brings us all would be reflected in reconciliation among the different tribal groups

Pray for the Engan Church to be bold in proclaiming Jesus as the source of all hope for the Enga people

Pray for the ongoing work of the translation team, as they seek to ensure that the Enga New Testament is used in churches, homes and communities across the Enga Province

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Story by: Jeremy Weightman

Date: 02/10/2024

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