People
Who they are
The Dumbule, also called Mbule or Mbola, are a very small people of Cameroon, whose identity is tied to the village of Mbola, in the Centre Region of the country, in the Mbam and Inoubou department. They are often associated with the Yambassa, a neighboring group with whom they share ties of kinship and origin, and their language belongs to the southern Bantoid language family.
What sets them apart is, above all, their language: Mbule is considered an endangered language, and everyone who speaks it also knows other languages of the region. Because they are so few, the Dumbule face the delicate situation of a people who may be absorbed by the larger groups around them and who are not always recognized as a distinct community. Records about their way of life are scarce, and so their history and customs deserve to be learned with care and respect, without assumptions.
Where they live
1
Country
200
Population
| Country | Share of the people | Population |
|---|---|---|
Cameroon Minimally reached
|
100%
|
200 |
Language and the Bible
Translation of the Scriptures into Mbule has begun, but there is not yet a complete Bible or widely available materials in the language. Because speakers live alongside other languages in daily life, many may turn to Bibles in the broader languages of the region, but the Word in the heart language of the Dumbule is still waiting to reach their families and remain among them.
The Bible in this people's language
A people only truly understands the gospel when they hear it in the language of their heart. See how far the translation has come.
Mbule
Translation started
- Translation started Current stage
- 2 Portions Still ahead
- 3 New Testament Still ahead
- 4 Whole Bible Still ahead
Audio recordings Not available
Jesus Film Not available
Translation data: Joshua Project.
Gospel progress among the unreached
Christians (all traditions)50%
Evangelicals1%
Barriers to the gospel
The greatest challenge for the Dumbule is not hostility but silent disappearance: with few speakers and the pressure of larger languages, the people’s own identity risks fading before it is fully known. Without complete Scriptures in their language and without materials of their own, the message of the gospel struggles to reach the hearts of those who still speak Mbule at home.
Needs
The Dumbule need their language and identity to be valued and preserved, so that new generations do not lose the heritage of their ancestors. They also need Bible resources in the Mbule language, in written and spoken form, so that every family can hear and read the Word clearly.
They also need communities of faith that welcome and disciple them, so that faith in Christ can flourish without requiring them to abandon who they are, and that their people, still little known, may be remembered and loved before God.
What to pray for
Intercede for this people
For the preservation of the language and identity of the Dumbule people.
For progress in translating the Scriptures into Mbule.
For Bible materials in audio and written form in the heart language of the Dumbule.
For Christians living in Mbola, that they may stand firm in their witness to Jesus.
For sensitive and respectful workers who serve the Dumbule people with love.
For healthy churches that welcome the Dumbule and disciple them within their own culture.
Pray for Dumbule
Intercede for this people alongside Christians around the world.
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