A translation with no borders

Meanwhile, the Scripture engagement team is taking the book of John into the community, using it to see and gauge people’s responses as they hear and see the Scriptures in their own language – often for the first time. As well as the printed version (4,000 copies without pictures, 600 with), there is also the phone app version for people to listen to.

As Roma people experience God’s word in the Standard Romani language, their hearts are being changed. Robert tells the following story:

‘A pastor from Piatra Neamț said that he came to a Scripture engagement meeting in Târgu Neamț to tell us that we aren’t doing things well, we are only producing a book for the bookshelf. At the beginning of the workshop he interrupted us many times. But once he realised that Standard Romani is being used in schools and that this work will take years, then he understood that we aren’t an ordinary ministry, but want to do it to the glory of God. He has become a supporter of the translation. He said, “I thought that you are translating, will finish in a few months and that’s it. But because it takes years and the translation has to go through so many stages, that showed me it’s a trustworthy work. And the fact that you use words from Ursari and from Kalderash and other dialects shows that you want to keep the exactness of the Romani language.”’

Already, even in its early stages the Standard Romani translation is changing views and transforming lives.

Robert continues: ‘We have plans to cover all of Romania, every geographical area of the country, finding churches, schools, and Roma communities where we can promote the Standard translation so that it will become the Bible of the Roma. And not just in Romania. The team is already promoting the translation work among Roma communities in Bulgaria and Serbia, as well as building connections in France and Spain.’

This is a translation with no borders – a translation for all Roma people.