Lynell Zogbo: A Bridge-Builder of the Bible Translation Movement in Africa

Every great human endeavour is rooted in a story—in a figure, in a life given for a cause greater than itself. In Greek mythology, Prometheus embodies this radical act of self-sacrifice: one who dares to cross boundaries to bring humanity the fire necessary for its progress.

From a very different perspective, yet with comparable strength, the Bible translation movement in French-speaking Africa has also known its own figures of sacrifice and transition. At a time when this movement was sorely lacking in resources and struggling to develop as it had in the English-speaking world, bridge-builders were needed. Lynell Zogbo was one of them.

Without exaggeration, but with deep conviction, I believe I can say that she was one of the great “Promethean” figures of Bible translation in French-speaking Africa—a woman who devoted her life to making possible what seemed out of reach. My companionship with her, spanning nearly thirty years, gives me that assurance.

A Life Dedicated to Training and Nurturing

When SIL International and the United Bible Societies, in partnership with FATEAC (Faculté de Théologie Evangélique Alliance Chretienne - now known as Université de l'Alliance Chrétienne d'Abidjan), established a master’s programme to train Bible translators, Lynell responded with generosity and steadfastness. Alongside her role as a translation consultant at UBS, she devoted herself to teaching—but went far beyond academic expectations.

For Lynell did not merely teach; she shaped lives.

Those who crossed her path remember a woman of brilliant intellect, but above all, a heart deeply moved by concern for others. To her students, she was at once a teacher, a mother, and a guide. She welcomed, accompanied, and supported—often far beyond the classroom—men and women from across French-speaking Africa, sometimes uprooted, and in search of a future.

She took the time—the time to listen, the time to encourage, the time to hold the hand of those who hesitated until they found their own path.

Her vision was clear, and she pursued it faithfully: to see a generation of Francophone African translators emerge—competent, rooted in their cultures, and capable of carrying the future of Bible translation on the continent themselves.

It was with this same vision that she taught at the Jerusalem Center for Bible Translation and at the University of the Free State in South Africa. There too, her aim was not academic recognition, but the transformation of people. She longed to see French-speaking scholars reach the highest levels of training, master the biblical languages, and enter the global Bible translation conversation with confidence.

Today, the many translators serving across French-speaking Africa are, each in their own way, living witnesses to her legacy.

A Builder of Resources and Hope

Lynell clearly perceived a painful reality: the lack of resources in French to support the work of translators. Where others might have seen only difficulty, she chose to act.

Through Le Sycomore, which she led with passion, she offered French-speaking translators a space for reflection, sharing, and growth. Like the biblical tree that enabled Zacchaeus to overcome the limitation of his short stature, this journal lifted up an entire community, giving it both voice and vision.

She also made a decisive contribution to the United Bible Societies’ translators’ handbooks—those invaluable tools that accompany, verse by verse, the patient and demanding work of translation.

Her intellectual commitment was never abstract; it was always in service of a mission. Her research into Hebrew poetry, a field as complex as it is fascinating, had a clear and practical aim: to help translators—especially French-speaking ones—render the richness of Scripture faithfully and beautifully into the languages of the world.

To the very end, she remained faithful to this calling. Even in the midst of illness, she never ceased to serve, to write, and to pass on her knowledge. Her own words, imbued with gratitude and faith, bear witness to a life fully given—and gratefully received.

A Shared Vision for the Church

Among the many legacies she leaves behind, one is particularly close to my heart. Together, we observed the tragic absence of Bible translation from the curriculum of theological seminaries.

We dreamed of a different world—and, with the support of other colleagues, that dream became a reality in the form of an introductory textbook on Bible translation, used since 2009 in many institutions across French-speaking Africa.

Since then, this initiative has continued to bear fruit. Teachers have been trained, generations of students have been reached, and Bible translation has gradually established itself as a true ministry of the Church.

What was once seen as a marginal and specialised field has, little by little, become a shared responsibility.

A Living Legacy

To speak of Lynell is to speak of a life given, a vocation fully embraced, and a faithfulness that endured through years and trials.

For me, knowing her was a blessing. Working alongside her was a privilege. Being her friend is an honour I cherish with deep gratitude.

She leaves behind far more than writings or institutions. She leaves transformed lives, awakened vocations, a strengthened movement, and a deeply rooted hope.

If one day we were to engrave a few words to sum up her time among us, they might be these:

“Here lies a woman who lived, without reserve, so that the Word of God might become accessible to all in French-speaking Africa.”

And that would be true—profoundly true.