20 April 2005
José Badúkila of Angola is studying for his master's degree in linguistics at Stellenbosch University in Cape Town. His vision is to complete this training in order to return to his homeland equipped to revise the 100-year-old translation of the Bible in his mother tongue. Few, if any, of his generation can understand this century-old version. Completing his first year well, he even earned a scholarship for academic excellence.

José is also a graduate of ISTEL seminary in Angola where professor Sheila Foster Fabiano teaches. Over the holidays he returned to Lubango, Angola and asked his former teacher to tutor him in New Testament Greek. Now he has returned to school, having completed all the required work. How rewarding for a teacher to see former students growing in the Lord and following His calling in their lives!

José and his young family have had their faith stretched by the experience of living and studying in South Africa, and at every point have proved God faithful. Thank God with us and also pray for José , Rosa, and their two children as he completes his studies.

ISTEL has now added a translation program to their curriculum so that gifted students like José do not need to travel to other countries for training in this area. To discover more about ISTEL and this new venture, read Angolan Seminary to Train Translators