February 14 was a day of rejoicing. After years of waiting, Bamunka Christians finally had the opportunity to dedicate the translated New Testament in their own language.
“What better day to celebrate the best love letter ever written than on Valentine’s Day?” exclaimed Anna Grove, who attended the celebration.
Now aged 27, Anna was a child when the Bamunka translation project began. The daughter of Wycliffe members Dan and Melody Grove, she grew up in Cameroon, watching the Scripture translation take shape. Though the work had been ongoing for as long as she could remember, over time she became increasingly aware of the sacrifice it represented.
The Ndop region—where the Bamunka translation is one of ten language projects supported by Wycliffe—has experienced intense conflict and upheaval in recent years. Anna witnessed firsthand the significant toll this took on the Bamunka community and those involved in the translation effort.
“The spiritual opposition experienced by the translation team in this community over the years has been overt and intense,” she says. Many people faced fear, discouragement and grief. And yet, they persevered amidst the struggle. Years of dedication, partnership and faithfulness led to the day of celebration.
“This is the sweet and rich fruit of many years of service shown by many, many people,” Anna reflects.
At the dedication in the town of Bafoussam, the arrival of Scripture was marked in a culturally powerful way. Men acting as traditional “town criers” carried in the New Testament copies, symbolizing the delivery of a message of greatest importance. They presented the books to a representative of the Bamunka church for ongoing stewardship. A heartfelt prayer of dedication followed. It was a touching and powerful experience for Anna and the other guests.
God’s Word has already brought hope, comfort and peace to many Bamunka speakers. People are increasingly open to the gospel, and new churches have been planted in recent years. Now, with the New Testament in their own language, those roots will only deepen.
Anna’s connection to Cameroon has also grown—in 2025 she became a Wycliffe member and returned to her childhood home to join Scripture engagement efforts, and to help finish the translation work that her parents started. She was thrilled to attend the Bamunka celebration and to see the impact that God’s Word is already having in Bamunka communities.
“It was beautiful to see the community receive their newly translated full New Testament—the Good News of Jesus Christ in their mother tongue—to read, hear, memorize, love and share,” she says. “Through [this translation] we know more about the faithfulness of God—His faithfulness to keep and preserve His people and His church, to provide and send workers into His fields.
“He is faithful to bring about His promises, including His promise that all nations will come to Him (Psalm 67, Isaiah 2:2-4)) and that every tribe and tongue will be represented before His throne (Revelations 7:9).”
Written by Ruth Richert