Endorsements for the Kompaoré Ministry
Dr Katy Barnwell, Field Coordinator for Seed Company writes:
The Ngas New Testament was published in 1977. The Ngas people wanted the whole Bible, and for many years, Ngas speakers struggled to continue the translation of the Old Testament with virtually no technical help. A major change came in 2012 when Dr. Anne Kompaore agreed to become the regular consultant for the project. Anne brings a wealth of experience in translation in Burkina Faso and other West African countries. Her knowledge of linguistics helped the team resolve some spelling difficulties. The training she offered in exegesis has helped the team improve the accuracy of their translation. And her regular visits have helped the team establish a steady pattern of work which is reflected in the significant progress of the work. Thanks to Anne's contribution, the completion of the whole Bible in Ngas is no longer a distant dream but is becoming a reality.
In addition to the help she gives to the Ngas program, Anne is involved in preparing high quality reference materials which are helping many Bible translators, not only in Africa but around the world. Each year she also helps on a translation workshop which brings together translators working on Old Testament in about 15 Nigerian languages.
The Ngas translation is a project of the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust, also sponsored by The Seed Company (an affiliate of Wycliffe Bible Translators). It is very much a partnership project, with significant funds being contributed from local sources, supplemented by gifts from Christian partners overseas.
We are very thankful for those who partner in this work through their financial support for Anne, who is responsible for raising her own personal support.
Katy Barnwell oversees translation projects in West Africa funded by Seed Company. She is former International Translation Coordinator for SIL. She currently also serves as a consultant and mentor to consultants in training. Email: Katy_Barnwell@sil.org
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Paul Thiessen, on behalf of the Siamou Bible Translation team writes:
My wife Lois and I have been missionaries with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission in Burkina Faso since 1984. In our language work, Anne has been a very significant help. Anne helped us decipher the complex tone of the Siamou language, by guiding us through steps of tone analysis. More recently she has helped us with translation checking. Anne has also taught seminars that have benefitted the translation team, and she has been a great encouragement to Traoré Souleymane, our Siamou Bible translator. We are expecting that Anne will be able continue to help us in these ways during the coming years. Anne's help has been enthusiastic, God-honoring and accompanied by great knowledge and skill. We thank God for her participation in our Bible Translation work.
Paul and Lois Thiessen are missionaries with Evangelical Mennonite Church Canada serving with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission in Burkina Faso. They are currently residing in Blumenort, Manitoba. Email: xt2pt@yahoo.fr.
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Fred Lichti, Anne’s former pastor at Listowel Mennonite church writes:
For many decades Anne Garber Kompoare has followed her calling as a linguist, Biblical scholar and church worker in Burkina Faso. She has contributed greatly to making the Bible available in the “heart language” of various African people groups.
Anne has studied and taught in her native Canada, the US, Israel, and African nations. She has worked as a consultant in translation projects in West Africa and served as a resource to translation work as far afield as Central Asia. Anne has a wonderful grasp of the Biblical languages and the process of scripture translation. She regularly teaches courses in theology, the Biblical languages and the process of Bible translation. In the classroom she shares her insights into the text, the original languages and her passion for the church.
Anne’s husband, Daniel, is an ordained pastor, church planter, educator, and conference leader in Burkina Faso. They are mutually supportive of their various ministries and make a great team.
Jesus commanded his followers to share the gospel and make disciples of all nations. Since the Bible is essential to knowing Jesus and living as Kingdom citizens, congregations who support Anne and Daniel will share in the important work of helping indigenous people groups hear God's Word in their “heart language”. Having known and supported Anne Garber Kompaore and her husband Daniel for many years, I wholeheartedly endorse their ministries and invite you and your congregation to partner them through prayer and financial support.
Fred Lichti is currently pastor at Elmira Mennonite Church, Elmira, Ontario. Email: flichti@golden.net. Office Phone: 519-669-4689
---Nancy Brubaker, Interim Pastor at Listowel Mennonite Church writes:
As you may know, Anne Garber Kompaoré has been serving for many years under the Mennonite Church as a linguistics and translation consultant in Burkina Faso. However, with a shift in priorities at Mennonite Church Canada, there has been a move away from providing support for her service. At the same time ever increasing requests from individuals and schools continue to come in for Anne’s help in translation training and Bible teaching for pastors. Her personal sense of God’s call in this area is still strong, as is her commitment to the Mennonite Church. Through a process of discernment, Anne chose to resign from Mennonite Church Canada, and as of August 31, 2011 her support comes to an end. Believing in the importance of the work she offers, she has taken the courageous step of continuing her ministry under the umbrella of Commission to Every Nation – Canada – a fiscally responsible, interdenominational mission agency which allows missionaries the freedom to pursue their calling apart from the more carefully prescribed denominational constraints. CTEN provides appropriate financial management and receipting for donors. Check out their website: http://www.cten.org. Listowel Mennonite Church is Anne’s North American congregation and as her pastor I ask that you prayerfully consider supporting Anne and her husband, Daniel’s ongoing ministry in Burkina Faso.
Nancy Brubaker serves as interim pastor to churches in transition. She resides in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario. Email: docbauman@sympatico.ca.