Eleven learners in training after half a year at PAC
At the end of July 2026, the evaluation of the performance of potential trainers will show whether a sufficient number of trainees have been active in order to allow for the planning of a next course in Kenya by around mid September. At that time trainers would continue to the next level to learn basic Biblical Hebrew. Furthermore, The goal is for The Online Professor to issue a certificate as “TOP Trainer for Beginners´Biblical Hebrew” based on the tracking of the performance of the trainees.
The ultimate vision and mission is to certify and support a team of trainers that can advance the learning of Biblical Hebrew in East Africa and globally. The results from the Train-the-Trainer pilot project in Nairobi are very promising.
There are no actual plans nor any funding for a next phase in Kenya at the moment except for the online instruction for trainees.
However, Dr Victor Lonu, the local Hebrew teacher at PAC, participated in the intensive courses as much as his schedule and even serious illness in his family would permit. He expresses his sincere interest in having PAC host intensive courses of Global Biblical Hebrew at regular intervals in the future.
I will also continue to explore further local interests in collaboration in order to enhance implementation of Biblical Hebrew for East Africa.
Dr Lonu wants to use BibleOL in his teaching at PAC. He is an example of how a professional can use the course material as a teacher-in-trainer.
Dr Lonu has a passion for oral education of pastors in Congo. In his home area friends are now dying from the Ebola Epidemics, and this Summer he will not be able to teach and serve. He is also a translation consultant for the Kenya Bible Translation Trust (KBTT).
At two points the train-the-trainer concept is more effective than other alternatives.
The Global Biblical Hebrew (GBH) learning material can help trainees to do on-the-job training of Biblical Hebrew in life-long learning as translators, students or teachers. After participation in a week long intensive course, they return to their jobs as translators and students to deepen their understanding of the Hebrew Bible and enhance their skills to master the language.
Trainees are motivated by engaging with the Hebrew Bible as readers from day one. They can learn to spell their way through the Creation story in a week, and they can over the coming weeks and months refine their reading skills through continuous practice.
And then there is the achivements. In fact, a vast majority of students who learned Biblical Hebrew previously cannot even read Biblical Hebrew. The new approach with practice based on learning activities for BibleOL enables serious learners to read in a few days and then refine this skills for the rest of their life!
The beginners’ grammar and vocabulary can be introduced very well in a week. Committed and self-directed students will then be able to master a slim grammar and a core vocabulary.
Furthermore, trainees who engage onsite or online in assisting other learners in practicing the exercises will as trainers learn far beyond the average learner in most other Hebrew courses.
Dr Victor Lonu, responsible for teaching Biblical Hebrew at PAC University, Nairobi, explains the strength of the new Global Biblical Hebrew course material developed for Bible Online Learner and now used in the training course at the university.
The new course is developed for testing in a learning project for East Africa in 2026 and the results are very promising.
Blending courses and individual practice work according to Dr Lonu, PAC
Meet some of the Bible translators who is participating in the PAC pilot project