August 1, 2024
The Bible Society of Benin (ABB) celebrated a significant milestone with the official launch of the French edition of the African Women Devotional Bible (known in French as the La Bible de Méditation par les Femmes d’Afrique – BMFA) on July 31 in Calavi. A collaborative effort among dozens of African Bible Societies, this special publication is designed to meet women’s spiritual needs and aspirations across the continent.
Held appropriately on African Women’s Day, the launch took place at the Centre Jésus Pour Réussir – Betsaleel Israel Temple in Calavi. The event attracted a large audience which included prominent church leaders and devoted members of the community. Watch the livestream of the launch event, via the Bible Society of Benin’s Facebook page, here.
The event was presided over by Pastor Edgard and Hermione Guidibi, with the opening prayer offered by Pastor Médard Godonou, the ABB’s Treasurer. The ceremony also featured the national anthem and a warm welcome from Raoul Idohou Afoudah, ABB Board Chairman, who highlighted the significance of celebrating African Women’s Day with this launch, emphasizing the central role of women in spiritual reflection.
Translation Consultant, Emmanuel Kogon, provided a comprehensive presentation on the ABB, while speakers such as Huguette Bokpe Gnacadja from the National Institute of Women (INF), Augustin Ahoga from Presse Biblique Africaine (PBA), and Pastor Hermione Guidibi discussed the challenges facing women and the importance of supporting their spiritual growth.
Rev. Dr. Fifamè Fidèle Houssou Gandonou, ABB General Secretary, officially unveiled the French edition of the BMFA, emphasizing its spiritual and practical significance. This unique Bible offers daily devotions tailored to the realities of African women, covering essential themes such as faith, love, family, forgiveness, integrity, leadership, and social commitment.
“The BMFA is more than just a book; it is a life companion encouraging women to develop their full potential and actively contribute to their communities,” Houssou Gandonou stated.
In addition to the biblical text (using the Nouvelle Français courant version), this Bible features an original introduction to each book, a plan for reading the whole Bible in one year, daily meditations, around 50 portraits of women from the Bible, and themed articles that take a biblical approach to one of the 52 everyday subjects identified as essential by the groups of African women consulted at the start of the project.
The BMFA serves as an empowering tool, providing both men and women with spiritual guidance and emotional support. By combining biblical texts with insightful commentaries, it helps readers navigate the challenges of everyday life. The ABB has also announced upcoming competitions to promote engagement with the BMFA and encourage deeper spiritual reflection.
The launch received widespread acclaim, with Huguette Bokpe Gnacadja, President of the National Institute of Women, praising the BMFA as a vital tool for the empowerment of African women.
“This Bible is a real empowerment tool that will enable women to boost their self-esteem and take their place in society,” she remarked.
As the event concluded with a prayer of blessing by Father Damien Ogue, ABB Board Vice-Chairman, the ABB issued a call to action, inviting civil society, religious leaders, the media, and the public to embrace the BMFA and help spread its transformative message. This publication is expected to strengthen Christian values and promote gender equality across Benin and beyond, contributing to social transformation in the region.
The successful launch of the BMFA marks a significant achievement for the Bible Society of Benin and a new chapter in empowering African women through faith.
History of the African Women Devotional Bible
Since its launch in 2021, the African Women Devotional Bible has blessed thousands of African women. The English version of the Devotional Bible is the result of more than four years of work, begun by the Bible Society of Kenya in 2016 – building on collaboration from twenty-five Bible Societies around Africa.
The African Women Devotional Bible was first published in English, but this edition now reaches more women with the message of strength, joy, hope, and many other lessons the Bible provides.
In 2021, the translations into French and Portuguese started, and it took the team two years to adapt the Devotional Bible to these languages. These translations bless women from another 18 African nations. Across the three editions, 286 contributors were involved, demonstrating the size and effective collaboration throughout Bible Society translation networks.
