Kup an Duniya (The Beginning of Creation)

Kup an Duniya, The Beginning of Creation, is a first exploratory phase of a storying project that will depict salvation history through illustration and text, designed as an evangelistic tool for proclaiming the gospel to the Bagirmi people of Chad.

This first phase will cover the first three chapters of Genesis. Full page colorful illustrations, by Sara Ronnevik, are matched with accompanying text in the Bagirmi language, translated by LBIM missionary Nathanael Szobody. The text will be available in two formats, depending on the literate capabilities of the readers, namely Roman text or Arabic script.

This initial printing is high quality, beautifully designed with a heavy emphasis on quality color illustrations and well bound with a hard cover. This is intentional for the following reasons:

1. The harsh climate in Chad is hard on book bindings, and this quality will increase the longevity and usefulness of these books.

2. A book such as this, heavy on artwork and offering both Arabic and Roman script will be useable by the largest demographic (illiterate, Arabic only literate, Roman only literate).

3. It is hoped that these books will be used in community and passed around and shared. A higher quality book with hard cover and solid binding will increase the longevity of the book in this context.

The plan is to initially print 100 copies of this first phase of Genesis 1 – 3. Once completed, the product will be evaluated in the context of ministry. This evaluation will decipher the receptivity of the book by the Bagirmi population and its effectivity as an evangelistic tool in a rural and largely illiterate Muslim context.

The art work will also be evaluated to determine its effect as an evangelistic tool in a Muslim context which traditionally does not place emphasis on images as a part of religious literature, particularly images of historical people/prophets.

It is hoped that the printed material in the Bagirmi language will also spark interest and motivation for Bagirmi people to embrace the value of literacy in general and particularly in their own heart language. Depending on the results of the evaluation and future funding potential, the project will proceed, either with the same format or a more modest one.