Towards a Multifaceted Collaboration in Bible translation—a Case Study of the Boyaya Cluster

This paper explores issues related to effective collaboration in Bible translation, focusing on the intersection of local and global involvement. We propose emerging guiding principles from our experience of language communities, churches, and diaspora working and learning together with local, regional, and international partners.
In 2016, the Église du Christ au Congo (ECC), an umbrella organization of about 94 Protestant denominations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) requested that JAARS, a USA-based Bible translation support organization, help them meet with the Bible translation organizations working in the DRC. The ECC’s goal was for the church in the DRC to participate more directly in the task of Bible translation. The Congolese diaspora and the local Congolese leaders brought this group together with JAARS and the Seed Company at a conference in April of 2016. Leaders and representatives of the Bible translation organizations including SIL who had been working there for many years presented their work. A new local Bible translation organization, the Association Congolaise de la Traduction de la Bible (ACTB), formed their first cluster of languages called the Boyaya cluster. These language groups, the Bobangi, the Yaka, and the Yansi began to translate the Bible under the coordination of ACTB. This paper will present what we are learning about collaboration within the cluster and with global partners.