wfn.org | Bible Portions in Vernacular Hakkanese Hit Taiwan's Market

["pctpress" <pctpress@ms1.hinet.net>]

Taiwan Church News 2755, 13 to 19 December 2004
Reported by Yang Shu-hao.  Trans. & rewritten by David Alexander

Taiwan's Bible Association recently released "Good News for the Hakka:
Proverbs, Psalms and the Gospel According to John" in one volume. 
Association
General Secretary Lai Chun-ming said, "This book makes use of the
contemporary
Hakka vernacular as it is spoken on the street. Insofar as it was possible
the
translation was made so as to put the Bible into an idiom that can easily be
grasped and passed along."

Mr. Lai said that the publication was aided by a donation from the Rev. Jerry
Cole, a missionary from the Southern Baptist Convention. Of the 7,000 volumes
published, Mr. Cole advance-purchased 4,000 for use in mission work.
Remaining funding came through the Hakka Gospel Association and the Hakka
Bible Translation Committee.

Rev. Peng Der-kuei, specialized minister for Hakka mission at Taipei's
Shuang-lien Presbyterian Church, said that the special features of this new
volume include combined use of Chinese characters and Romanization
accompanied
by a preface in which the Romanization system for Hakkanese is clearly
explained.

"Contemporary trends spur us to greater effort to promote Hakka culture.
Since
Hakka TV went on the air in Taiwan interest in study of Hakkanese has grown
in
many communities."  Rev. Peng believes that the new volume will find an
enthusiastic audience among Taiwan's Hakka speakers who, through it, will
come
to appreciate the Bible.

"The contents are arranged with a mission agenda. The Proverbs, encompassing
human wisdom, are accessible to those with no Biblical background and are
filled with deep meaning. They are great beginning points for sharing the
gospel."

The Hakka Gospel Association has 2,000 volumes available for sale.  Those
wishing a copy can contact the group in Taiwan at 03 5945546.

For More Information: Hakka Gospel Association TEL +886 3 5945546
Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.
Visit our web site: www.pctpress.com.tw