Kamano-Kafe Bible Translation Progress
Nathan with the very first full Bible in his language to reach PNG.
UKARUMPA, Papua New Guinea, March 2023 —
The 2000 copies of the complete Kamano-Kafe Bible arrived and have been dedicated by Christian leaders. They are being sold in the villages at very subsidized prices- about a day’s wage ($5.80). Pray that the 15% of the population who can read will hear about and get access to a Bible in the 283 villages.
The “funding” finish line has been reached!
Praise the Lord that the Kamano-Kafe Bible is now sponsored at 100% of the needed amount to print.
Click here for more information.
Kamano-Kafe Translation and Scripture Engagement Team (Papua New Guinea)
Since 1999, Rich and Joyce Mattocks have served the Kamano-Kafe people of Papua New Guinea (PNG), working alongside a dedicated team of Kamano-Kafe-speaking colleagues. The Kamano-Kafe New Testament was completed and dedicated on December 24, 2014, and the full Bible—including the Old Testament—was finalized in late 2022, making it one of the first 700 languages worldwide with a complete Bible. In early 2022, the entire Bible was also recorded in audio, placing Kamano-Kafe among the first 500 languages with a fully recorded Scripture.
The audio Bible is distributed via solar-powered players and micro-SD cards, which also include teaching materials, hymnals, and six translated and recorded films: The Jesus Film (re-recorded in 2024), The Hope, Acts, Genesis, O Papa God (HIV/AIDS drama), and Ples i Bagarap (a film addressing sorcery).
In 2017, the team produced Ples i Bagarap, a one-hour Christian drama responding to the growing issue of sorcery in PNG. Filmed in Kamano-Kafe and Tok Pisin, it has since been dubbed into English, Fore, Gadsup, Benabena, and Awa languages.
We are deeply grateful for your partnership. Your support provides essential tools—solar panels, batteries, mobile devices, and computers—that accelerate the work. Your contributions also fund training, stipends, supplies, healthcare, and educational scholarships for team members and their families.
Thank you for your continued prayers and generosity, which make this ministry and its ongoing distribution efforts possible.
2/20/21: Kossack took this photo of the Kamano-Kafe team during tea break in the room where they are recording Old Testament books.