ABS Donates Scriptures to Help Bring Hope to U.S. Crisis Victims (USA)
UBS Hurricane Appeal Helps Bible Societies in Central America
      Rebuild and Share Scriptures
‘When God Has Set the Course, Man Cannot Change it’ (El Salvador)
Riots Close Jamaica Bible House Before Situation Returns to Normal

New York, USA — The American Bible Society (ABS) is sending special Scriptures to both Littleton, Colorado, site of the high school shooting disaster, and to Oklahoma, where victims of the recent tornadoes have seen their homes destroyed. In both locations, are people dealing with lives torn apart by the deaths of friends and family members.

ABS is sending more than 18,000 Scripture resources to offer support and comfort to residents of Littleton, Colorado, in the wake of the shooting tragedy at Columbine High School.

“We hope that the Word of God will provide you with solace during this tragic time and that these Scripture resources will assist you as you begin the healing process. Our prayers are with you.”

The Bibles and other resources will be distributed through Hope International, an outreach ministry in North Glenn, Colorado, that was founded by ABS volunteers, the Rev Joseph Lemoine and his wife Diane. The Rev Lemoine and the Rev Aaron Jamal are coordinating the distribution effort for Hope International with churches and ministries in Littleton and beyond.

In addition to compact Bibles and New Testaments in the Contemporary English Version, an easy-to-understand ABS translation, the American Bible Society also is offering Families Under Stress, The Lord Is Near, The Word for Life, Beside Still Waters and other Scripture Portions; The Lord Is Near You, The Lord Is Faithful to You, The Lord Helps You, The Lord Keeps You Safe and other Scripture tray cards, and Scripture bookmarks.

“The American Bible Society offers its heartfelt sympathy to the people of Littleton, Colorado,” said Dr Eugene B Habecker, ABS President. “We hope that the Word of God will provide you with solace during this tragic time and that these Scripture resources will assist you as you begin the healing process. Our prayers are with you.”

ABS has also sent more than 7,500 Scripture resources to offer support and comfort to residents of Oklahoma in the aftermath of the tornadoes that devastated that state. 

God is Our Shelter and Strength: Words of Comfort and Hope from the Bible (Scripture Portions), along with Scripture tray cards and bookmarks are being distributed through the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma offices in Tulsa.

“The American Bible Society offers its heartfelt sympathy and prayers to the people of Oklahoma,” said Stephen L Shanklin, director of the ABS Southwestern Regional Office in Houston. “In such difficult times, many people find hope and strength in the Word of God. We want to be sure that the healing power of Scripture is available to all who want it as they begin the process of rebuilding their homes and their lives.” (WR 341/19 - 6.99)

MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Following the tragic devastation of Hurricanes Georges and Mitch late last year, UBS launched an appeal to replace lost or damaged Bibles and to share God’s Word as a source of hope and comfort to those who had been affected by the disaster.

The immediate need at the time was for US $426,250. This included the cost of finding new premises for the Bible Society of Honduras, equipping offices, and replacing lost computers and other expenses.

Fortunately, the neighbouring Nicaraguan Bible Society (NBS) fared a little better, and has been instrumental in helping those who lost everything in the storm. The Evangelical Emergency Committee, for instance, established temporary headquarters in the courtyard of Bible House here in Managua. Numerous containers with food, medicines, clothing and even toys for children are being distributed to thousands of families.

In every instance, abundant Scriptures have been included with the help packages. Illustrated Bible books for children, New Testaments, Gospels of John, and more than a million Selections with Psalms, Proverbs and Job – all focusing on hope in the face of suffering – are being distributed. The NBS is also helping churches to replace Scriptures damaged in the floods as well as individuals who lost their own Bibles.

NBS is also preparing an important project to open the Bible to Miskito and Sumu congregations in the Atlantic coastal area. Bible study seminars are being planned throughout the region, which was also severely affected by the hurricane.

All of these efforts, however, received new life when, by last March, the UBS fellowship had raised $293,801 to help meet the needs of the stricken Bible Societies. And the giving itself was a story of sacrifice. It included gifts from countries that themselves are under considerable security or economic pressure: countries like Tanzania, Kazakhstan, Romania, Belarus, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, and the Philippines all gave to the fund.

The efforts of these societies, combined with gifts from the American Bible Society, the National Bible Society of Scotland, and neighbouring Latin American societies, all acted to encourage other members of the fellowship to support each other when going through trials.

Thanks to this giving so far, the UBS has been able to reduce the contribution needed from the Rapid Response Reserve fund to $132,449.

All the while, the work of rebuilding Bible work in Central America and the Caribbean goes on. In El Salvador, one million Scripture Selections have been printed and are being distributed to those who suffered loss. Half a million Selections went to Honduras and 300,000 to Nicaragua, while 200,000 were given to the people in El Salvador.

“Many people lost their livelihood, even if they did not lose their belongings,” said Raúl Durón, General Secretary of the Bible Society in El Salvador. In addition to 240 people who lost their lives there, 84,000 were made homeless, 326 schools were destroyed and more than 10,000 homes were flattened.

“We have provided pastors with 2,000 Bibles as a gift from the Bible Society to help replace Bibles for those who have lost them in the hurricane damage,” he added. And according to Mr Durón, the Bible has never been so popular in El Salvador.

“In 1968 the total amount of Bibles we distributed over the whole year was a little more than 7,000,” Mr Durón said. “On May 2, the Bible Society distributed 10,000 Bibles in one day, with 4,000 going on May 1. We have known 12 years of crisis but Bible work has grown and not taken a step backwards. Even if the people are poor, they want the Bible. It is a life-line for them,” he added.

But, noted Guillermo Luna, the UBS Regional Secretary for Central America, Bible Societies in the area “still have a long way to go to recover from this disaster. Please remember to pray especially for the Bible Societies of Nicaragua, Honduras, Belize, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the Caribbean Islands as they try to respond to the spiritual needs of those who have suffered.” (WR 341/20 - 6.99) [PHOTOS]

READING, England — Raúl Durón, General Secretary of the Bible Society in El Salvador, has led his Bible Society through some difficult times. And one of the lessons he says he says he has learned is that “when God has set the course of the ship, man cannot change it.”

When Mr Durón makes such statements, it comes from experiences that many others have never faced. One such experience came during the civil war that devastated El Salvador for years.

One evening, some guerrillas came to his office wanting money. “I don’t have money for the violence, nor does the Bible Society,” he told them. They replied that if he did not give them money, they would destroy the Bible House.

To their surprise, Mr Durón told them they would not be able to do that. When pressed he explained: “Even some Christians have been trying to destroy the church over the years, but until now they have never succeeded.”

The bandits then told him that he had better leave the country or he would be killed. He said it would be up to God whether he could carry on with the work or was killed. With that, the guerrillas left.

Eight days later Mr Durón met a government soldier he knew, the son of a friend. The soldier told him about an ambush they had made on a group of guerrillas. They had killed all the guerrillas and then, searching through their affairs, they had found what appeared to be a ‘hit list’ of people they wanted to assassinate. Raúl Durón’s name was on the list.

“Then I knew that I was safe,” he said. “Like in the Old Testament, I had been told that my would-be killers were dead.” That event only spurred him on in his Bible work, and to see his dream fulfilled that the Bible Society be a real servant to the churches.

“I think I have been able to achieve that now,” he said. “We are truly helping the churches fulfil our Lord’s great commission. Last December, everyone was happy with Bible Sunday, which all churches now celebrate. And thanks to the financial support of the churches, the Society no longer has to be supported by the UBS fellowship. In fact, we have moved now to being among those Societies that contribute to the work.”

Today, the Bible Society in El Salvador, which is Spanish for ‘The Saviour,’ is not only reaching out to its own people, it is helping its neighbour Bible Societies in Honduras and Nicaragua recover from the damage they sustained in the hurricanes of 1998. (WR 341/21 - 6.99)

Social unrest on this Caribbean island seems as unlikely as a storm on a sunny day. But the storm of anger burst upon the island in protest when the government raised the cost of fuel. Riot police were quick to react to demonstrations organised by the opposition party. Many people were afraid of a repetition of the previous unrest in 1978 and 1985, when several people were killed and the country was paralysed for days, with damage to property running to millions of dollars. The latest fuel price increases of at least 30 per cent were announced in mid April to help reduce the country’s growing public debt.

The next day, angry motorists in the capital blocked major roads for several hours with their vehicles. Hauliers and taxi drivers, whose living is badly hit by any fuel price increase, reacted strongly, refusing to move when ordered to do so by the police. Riot police then used teargas to disperse the roadblocks, and eight people were arrested. The opposition party then planned a protest march and motorcade with the slogan, “bury the axe: cut the tax”.

At that point, BSWI General Secretary the Rev Courtney Stewart reported, “Most roads are blocked in Kingston. There is no public transport, and international and local flights have been suspended or delayed. Schools are closed, hospitals are operating below par with a skeleton staff because medical personnel are unable to get to work. The army is out on the streets. People have been told to stay indoors.

“The Bible House is closed. There is a great fear of looting. I and my family are forced to stay indoors, virtually under siege. We have three other children and a friend who have been unable to reach their own homes due to the roadblocks across Kingston. Some people have suffered from the effects of teargas used by the police against demonstrators. Our friends were able to wrap themselves in blankets to reduce the worst effects of the gas, but it was an unpleasant experience.”

By the end of the month, however, the government had rolled back the increase by over 40 per cent, and tensions were easing. “There is still a real sense of despair and frustration in the country,” the Rev Stewart noted. “Please continue to pray for us as there is much that we as the Bible Society need to do to bring God’s Word of hope and reconciliation to our people.”

Regional Secretary Marco Herrera added, “We must not stop praying for the situation in Jamaica because the confrontation has only been appeased. The cause of the trouble is still there and could spark further reaction at any time. The Bible Society is examining ways of bringing words of hope from the Bible to the people of Jamaica in a format they will most appreciate.” (WR 341/22 - 6.99)