The Amam Language Programme is an offshoot of the Kunimaipa Langauge Programme. The Kunimaipa and Amam are neighbouring tribes found in Morobe Province. Kunimaipa has 12,000 speakers. The Kunimaipa New Testament was dedicated in 1990 and revised in 2006. After the dedication literacy and Scripture use continued under the leadership of Balai Gariai. He led Awi Manga to the Lord and trained him to do literacy. Awi Manga has been the Literacy Supervisor for the Kunimaipa language group for almost 14 years. He started literacy schools in 2006.
Living nearby the Kunimaipa people are the Amam people numbering about 1,500 and living in 13 villages. Some Kunimaipa speakers can speak Anau, a dialect of the Amam language, and some Amam people can speak Kunimaipa but a big number of the Amam people cannot understand Kunimaipa.
Awi Manga trained Amam teachers and they have prep schools operating for a couple years now. During his supervision of the literacy programme in Amam he found out that the Amam people could not fully understand the Kunimaipa New Testament. They need the Bible to be translated in their own language.
Balai Garai and Awi Manga did translation awareness in 2007 for the Amam people. Awi wrote a report to BTA and applied to come to TTC. The community appointed three people – Awi Manga, Hionai Kyrum, and Kaurai Kuram – to attend TTC1 in Ukarumpa this year. BTA arranged for them to go to the Translators’ Training Course through the Mother Tongue Training Fund (MTTF).
Awi and Kaurai can speak both Kunimaipa and Amam (their fathers are from Amam and their mothers are from Kunimaipa). Hionnai is pure Amam. He and Kaurai live in Gusuwe Village and Awi lives in Kumisi Village.
They are planning to do the Amam New Testament and then after this is finished they will help translate the Kunimaipa Old Testament.
They ask for help and prayer for:
- That many young people get involved in this work or ministry.
- We need computers for the translation work (Praise God one computer was given to the team).
- We need financial assistance for the work so that translation can still continue. Pray for our community and churches to support the ministry.
- Pray for Awi, Kaurai and Hionnai.
