The Nek people first encountered the work of Bible translation done by SIL-PNG when David and Yohana Hynum (US) started (around 1977) the work in the neighboring language of Numanggang. In the early 1980s, SIL members Verna and Robert Stutzman (US) lived the in the village of Guambot for a while but did not stay. In 1988, Katri Linnasalo (Finland) came to live and work among the Nek people, living in the Guambot village. At that time, the village had only three houses with corrugated iron roofs: the old school building where teaching was in the Kâte language, the bakery, and the baker’s house. Nowadays, most families have at least a semi-permanent house and a traditional kitchen building. The one-room Kâte school has been replaced by three double classrooms catering to different grades .
View of Goambot in 1990
Translating the Scriptures into the Nek language was slow in getting started. However, now, all of the New Testament has been translated into Nek, although some more checking and updating will be needed before it is published in a single volume. Also, about 30% of the Old Testament has been translated, including all the Old Testament Sunday readings used in the church services. Once they have been revised and checked, they will be included in the Nek mini-Bible with the complete New Testament.
