With support from the American Bible Society and the Seed Company, the Bible Society of Sierra Leone (BSSL), in collaboration with the Sherbro community in Freetown, on Friday 21st March 2025 held a Sherbro Scripture Engagement Workshop at its 2 Signal Hill Road headquarters in Freetown.
The engagement workshop was to help the Sherbro people deepen their connection with the BSSL in interacting with the Bible in their heart language with the key objectives of increasing Sherbro Biblical Literacy, teaching Sherbro interpretive methods, exploring personal application and fostering small group discussions.
All the speakers highlighted that the Sherbro Language is among the World Languages that has been recorded
Mr. Edwin Frazer, General Secretary of BSSL appealed to all for their support towards the success of the translation of the New Testament Bible from English to Sherbro, that similar translations are currently taking place in China, Germany and Nigeria for 50 out of their 100 languages intimating that Nigerians fund the translations of their local languages.
He further disclosed that the translation of the New Testament Bible from English to Sherbro was initiated in 2011 but that work commenced in May 2017 to end in December 2026 and catalogued beneficiaries of the translation as heads of schools, pastors, the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone, the Catholic Mission, the Evangelical Fellowship of Sierra Leone, Sherbro Churches, Anglican, evangelists, United Methodist Churches and appealed to all to donate Sherbro materials like songs, poems and stories.
According to Mr. Edwin Frazer, when completed, evangelists would use the translated New Testament Bible to win souls for Jesus Christ and for better understanding of the Bible assuring that the BSSL has professionals to undertake the exercise and that one of the aims of the project is to preserve and transform the Sherbro Language and culture as well as promote love and unity.
He informed that in Sierra Leone, only five languages are currently being translated: Sherbro, Temne, Kono, Limba and Mende adding that when the translation of the Kono Bible was completed all was sold.
Mr. Omega Sheriff and Mr. Raymond Jarrett both of the BSSL, Mr. Rowland Stevens and Mr. John Yombo, two of the translators, underscored the relevance of the engagement to move the process forward stressing that the Sherbro people should use their own language to sing, read and praise God so that the language would not die reiterating that language is power and continued that people enjoy worshiping God in their own language which they better understand.
They also disclosed that at the end of the project, a great remembrance thanksgiving service would be held in Shenge
Plans were also disclosed to teach and write the Sherbro Language as the Sherbro community was encouraged to support and own the project due to donor fatigue.
For the timely success of the project, it was unanimously resolved that a Translation Committee be established for all stakeholders to embrace and own the process as they reiterated that community involvement and acceptance in addition to consistency in the translation are key to the success of the project.
Plans were also disclosed for Sherbro Literacy Centers to be established nationwide.
Tributes were also paid to the late Rev. Moses Kogba and Mr. Albert Yanker for pioneering the project.
The BSSL has been providing affordable Bibles for all Sierra Leoneans in their languages and a suitable format so that all may experience the life-giving message of God’s word.
Its mandate is to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ by translating, producing, distributing and encouraging people to use the scriptures in their daily lives.
A question-and-answer session climaxed the well-attended event.