The Landuma people of Guinea are a distinct ethnic group in West Africa with their own rich culture, traditions, and heart language—Landuma. While there are few Christians among them, those who follow Christ carry a deep longing: to hear and read God’s Word in the language that speaks most clearly to their hearts. For years, they have prayed for the day when Scripture would no longer feel distant or foreign, but personal and fully understood in their own tongue.
That prayer is steadily becoming a reality.
In West Africa, one Mesa Worker is partnering with a team of believers to help bring God’s Word to life in Landuma. Bagar and his wife, Grace, serve with Mesa in Senegal, but Bagar’s primary ministry takes place across the border in his home country of Guinea—specifically in the very village where he grew up. There, alongside a dedicated translation team, he is helping lead the effort to translate the Bible into the Landuma language.
For the Landuma believers, this work is more than an academic project—it is the fulfillment of a long-held dream. Having access to Scripture not in English or French, but in their own heart language, allows the message of salvation to be clearly understood and deeply rooted. They pray that every Landuma man and woman will one day encounter Christ through words that feel both familiar and life-giving.
The work itself is careful and complex. Translating the Bible from English into Landuma is neither simple nor solitary. The team follows an intensive eight-step process for each verse to preserve the meaning and intent of the original text. Every passage is drafted, reviewed, checked, discussed, and refined. Bagar collaborates closely with fellow translators, local believers, fluent Landuma speakers, and consultants—each bringing essential insight to ensure both accuracy and clarity.
At the heart of the Landuma Bible Translation project is collaboration. It requires diverse gifts, deep cultural understanding, theological wisdom, and linguistic skill. Together, this team reflects what God can accomplish when His people labor side by side with a shared vision.
Today in Guinea, Landuma men and women are reading portions of Scripture in their own language for the first time. Because of this united effort—Mesa Workers, partner ministries, and local believers working together—God is blessing the work. Lives are being strengthened, faith is growing, and a foundation is being laid for future generations to encounter Christ through His Word in the language of their hearts.
Stories from the Field
