“the handwritten copy (of the New Testament) which we used had been in existence for some time when we arrived on the field in l950”  - E.M. Peabody referring to a translation of the New Testament into the Moroccan dialect of Arabic.



It is perhaps fitting that I should take a strong interest in a translation of the New Testament into the Moroccan dialect of Arabic.  Having been raised as a Wycliffe Bible Translator MK has given me a tremendous appreciation for the amount of work that goes into translating the New Testament into another language.

My first exposure to this translation was in 2004 when I sat and listened to a long time believer from Morocco explain how reading the New Testament in his own language moved him in a way that other Arabic language translations did not.  He himself did not own a copy of the Moroccan NT but was taking advantage of having access to it for a brief period of time while sitting in the study of a friend who did have one of the remaining copies.  He repeatedly asked to borrow the translation but the owner was not about to let it out of his sight.

Not long after that memorable event I was told by a delegate to a large Bible Translation convention that the need for a translation of the New Testament into the Moroccan dialect of Arabic had been presented.  According to this report the claim had been made that the New Testament had never been translated into Moroccan Arabic.  My curiosity fully aroused I returned to my friend who had the Moroccan NT to verify that it was in fact translated into true Moroccan Arabic.  I was assured that it was without any doubt.

I began to sense that the little blue book sitting on my friend’s shelf might be of some importance. My next inquiry was on the internet searching to see if I could find any record of the work.  My search came up blank except for one reference to a “New Testament in Mogrebi Arabic” in a museum in the States.

I asked around some more and found that the only people who were aware of the translation were veteran believers and missionaries who had been in Morocco for at least twenty years. Those who had not been around that long had no idea of its existence.

The only reliable information that I have regarding when the translation was done comes from a veteran missionary who arrived to the field in 1950.  When I asked about the translation she replied “the handwritten copy (of the New Testament) which we used had been in existence for some time when we arrived on the field in l950”  - E.M. Peabody.  If we take “for some time” to be 10 – 20 years that would place the translation work in the 1930s.  To put this in perspective Cameron Townsend started WBT in the late 1930s.

This dating of the translation would explain why some of the vocabulary used has gone out of common use.

For anyone who might be interested the scanned pages of the Moroccan New Testament can be viewed at www.biblemarocaine.org

**************************************************************
Below is a picture of my father working on the Fotoba translation back in 1982.

Today I went in to see a foot specialist about a pain in my foot.  About seven weeks ago I sustained a foot injury while playing Football (Soccer for most of you).  Eva took me to the ER and they took some x-rays but the doctor did not detect anything and they sent me home to rest saying I had a minor ligament injury.  

Well, seven week and three doctors visits later I went to a foot specialist and he found that I actually did fracture one of the bones in my foot.  So I’ve been hobbling around on a broken foot for almost two months.  

I am at least relieved to know why my foot is still in pain.  The doc says it might take a few more months until the pain goes away entirely.  In the meantime I am becoming quite agile with crutches.

This in causing quite a few complications.  This weekend we are going up to Madrid for a weekend retreat.  I can’t drive with the injury so Eva will have do all the driving.  Also in November I am going to Austria for a leadership retreat.  I will have to change plans three times so I’m a bit worried about that.

Dan

P.S. tomorrow (Tuesday) morning we have the first Arabic class at the new center!

After years of prayer and months of preparation the “Luz” (Light) Community Center has opened its doors and activities have begun.  By opening day we had a total of 28 people (adults and youth) signed up for classes, all of them North African immigrant families.



Most of those who have signed up so far are women who want to study Spanish and who come with their children.  For these we will be providing Spanish classes, Arabic classes and help with their schoolwork.  Right from the first day we are realizing that we have our hands full!





Some of the women who came on the first day have a fairly good grasp of basic
Spanish while others are starting from zero.  Some can converse in Spanish but have never learned how to read or write.

We have found a lady who has agreed to be an Arabic teacher for the center.  To begin with she will be teaching the center’s staff (non-Arabic speaking adults), and after that gets going we will start a class for the children of the women who are attending the Spanish classes.

This new ministry has great growth potential!  Already from the first week of operation we are feeling like we need more help.  One area of need is people who can teach English as a second language (ESL).  We could use a lady teacher for the women and a man for the men.


Our goal for this new center is that it would live up to its name.  That this center would be instrumental in bringing the North African community into the light.

Only one week left until the new community center in Malaga starts offering the first classes for North African immigrants. 



There is still a lot of work to be done to get ready for the opening.  To begin with we will be focusing on Spanish as a foreign language.  We have three teachers who will be teaching Spanish.  Eva and another lady from Argentina will be teaching basic conversation and reading and writing to the ladies while a Spaniard named Antonio will be teaching several levels of basic Spanish to the men.

---

 
We have received some donations of seats and desks that have enabled us to outfit the classroom and get started on the reception area.  Later this month we have a couple coming from the States who will be building us some shelves, computer desks, and cabinets.



We are also working on a sign that will be mounted over the entrance.  A friend of one of the teachers has helped us with the design.

We also have settled on a logo that will be used on most of the communications devices.

We have been praying for the last few years for an opportunity like this to open up.  Pray with us that community center will be a valuable asset for the Kingdom.