AFRICA

Bible Leaders Killed in Air Disaster (Côte d’Ivoire)
Life-Saving Telephone Call (Bénin)
Christ's Challenge to Bénin’s Youth
Women Make a Statement in Bénin
Bible Launch Follows Miracle Escape (Sudan)
Rwanda: the Search for Real Reconciliation Carries On
Reaching Angola’s ‘Lost’ Generation
Bibles Brings Change to Angola’s Jails


Bible Leaders Killed in Air Disaster

READING, England — January 30 was a bleak day in the history of the UBS. Until that day, despite all the air travel done by UBS and Bible Society personnel, no-one had been lost in an air accident.

Rev Dr Stephen NiyangRev Gaius MusaHowever, on that Sunday night, Kenya Airways flight 341 from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, crashed violently into the sea only three minutes after take-off. On board were two of Nigeria’s pre-eminent Bible men whose combined talents and contribution will be sorely missed in the UBS Africa program.

In the week that followed the bodies of the Rev Gaius M Musa, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN), and the Rev Dr Stephen Niyang, UBS Media Consultant for Africa, were recovered from the sea. The funerals were due to take place on Friday February 11 and Saturday February 12 respectively.

Wife and daughters

The Rev Fergus Macdonald, the General Secretary of the UBS on behalf of the fellowship extended deep sympathy to Sarah, widow of Mr Musa, and their two daughters, Hannah and Gloria, and to Ruth, widow of Dr Niyang, his four daughters – Sekyen, Kusan, Piring’ar, Angmun – and their son, Ansi.

Mr Musa, who was 50 years old, joined the BSN as its General Secretary in June 1996. He had previously been Director of Personnel and Administration at the Evangelical Church of West Africa in Jos, Nigeria.

On his appointment, he began a crusade to improve staff relations and productivity which, within a few months, showed clear indications of success. The BSN has recently become a net contributor to the United Bible Societies’ World Service Program which funds Scripture projects around the world.

Paying tribute to him, the President of the BSN, David O Bolade, said, “I have known several General Secretaries but this man was special, with leadership skills which were much needed at the time he became involved.”

Dr Niyang, who was also a Nigerian and was the same age as Mr Musa, had been UBS Media Consultant for Africa since 1997. The same year he graduated with a doctorate in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary, California.

Earlier in his career, under the auspices of the Nigerian Translation Trust, he had worked on the translation of the New Testament into his native Mwaghavul. Since joining UBS, he worked closely with the UBS Media Consultant, Dr Viggo Søggard.

He recently organised and led two media workshops for Bible Society chief executive officers, one in Johannesburg, the other in Abidjan, where the Kenya Airways crash took place.

The two men had boarded the plane in Nairobi, Kenya after attending UBS meetings there. They were to disembark in Lagos, Nigeria, where the plane was scheduled to stop en route to Abidjan.

Bad weather

However, bad weather in Lagos forced the plane to head directly for Abidjan. Mr Musa and Dr Niyang remained on the plane after it landed there, and were among the 179 passengers aboard when Flight 431 took off again for Lagos.

In Abidjan Ruby Pearce, Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in Sierra Leone and her Personal Assistant, Miss Rachel Clarke, together with Miss Laverne Winker, Personal Assistant to the Executive Secretary of the Bible Society in Liberia, had disembarked.

Shortly after take-off the passengers started to realise that something was wrong. One of the 10 survivors said that the plane did not feel “quite balanced”.

Eyewitnesses on the ground watched in horror as the plane crashed into the sea, breaking into pieces. The wreckage caught fire and slid for about 15 feet before sinking. Local boat-owners and soldiers from a nearby French army base began a rescue operation to search for survivors. But the darkness of the night and the strong waves made their task difficult.

The Rev Fergus Macdonald, UBS General Secretary, attended the funerals held in the Abuja and Jos areas on behalf of the UBS fellowship.

Other key Bible people who did not survive were Canadian missionaries Robert and Ruth Chapman. Mr Chapman was Africa Director of the Summer Institute of Linguistics – a translation arm of Wycliffe Bible Translators. They were survived by their daughter, Erin, a college student in Canada.

Daniel Bitrus, UBS Anglophone Africa Regional Secretary, who was close to the two Bible Society men, flew to Abidjan to help identify the bodies. (WR 349/25 - 03.00) [PHOTOS]


Life-Saving Telephone Call

COTONOU, Bénin; January 2000 — When Grace Amegah, who is a secretary at the Bible Society of Bénin (BSB) went to answer the phone, she did not realise that this action probably saved her life.

What happened next has left an indelible image in her memory: the ceiling – which was known to be in a state of decay – fell in. Several large pieces of concrete came crashing down into the room flattening office equipment while Ms Amegah looked on horrified.

Certain death

“When I heard the noise of the ceiling breaking up I was able to avoid the falling concrete by squeezing myself in between my desk and the shelf unit where the telephone is kept,” she said.

“Only moments before I had been standing where there was now a pile of rubble. I thank the Lord God who created heaven and earth, the great ‘I am’, for saving me from certain death,” she added.

The noise of the collapsing ceiling could be heard in neighbouring offices, and everyone came running to see what had happened. The incident occurred in late December, but it was fresh in the minds of staff as the BSB began the new millennium and made final preparations for an important public gathering at the end of January.

When the engineer came to examine the caved-in roof he declared the building to be unsafe and urged the staff to move out as soon as possible. It would appear that the reinforcing iron rods have completely rusted and the whole of the first floor ceiling has decayed beyond repair.

For the present, members of staff who were working on the first floor have moved in with the translation staff at ground level, but conditions are too cramped.

“While we thank God that no-one was injured, everyone is feeling the pressure of working on top of each other,” said the Rev Daniel Hounzandji, the BSB General Secretary. “We long to see the new Bible House finished so that we can move there.”

Lack of funds

However, a further cause for concern is that the new building project has had to be halted because of lack of funds.

“We do not even have sufficient funds to complete the first phase of the new building,” said Mr Hounzandji. “We are appealing to the UBS for help to enable us to complete the first phase of the new Bible House as quickly as possible. Once that is done we will be able to move in and have a secure environment in which to continue our work." (WR 349/26 - 03.00)


Christ’s Challenge to Bénin’s Youth

COTONOU, Bénin — "Despite the influence of Marxism in Bénin, there are many young people today who want to learn about Jesus," says the Rev Theopholis Houmenou, in whose growing church young people count for the majority of the converts.

The youth of Bénin see a world of moral disintegration, widespread corruption, drug abuse, indifference to others, unemployment and violence. And this is causing severe anxiety for many young people. It also produces a spiritual hunger hard to satisfy without the Word of God.

Bénin gained its independence from France in 1960. The seventh coup after independence brought a repressive Marxist government to power and a whole generation of young people grew up under this influence. But the collapse of communism in central and eastern Europe in 1989-90 led to multi-party elections and the first democratic replacement of a head of state in mainland Africa.

“When young people are shown how ignorant they are of Christian teaching, they will take time to look into it.”

The UBS is funding a Scripture distribution program in Bénin which aims to reach the young people with the biblical message of hope and salvation. Mr Houmenou says that in general, young people are not opposed to the Word of God.

Keen to learn

“There are some who are not properly informed about it, but even they are keen to learn,” he says. “Sometimes it seems that young people are not interested in the Bible.

“However, when challenged and shown how ignorant they are of Christian teaching, they will take the time to look into it. Then they almost always end up reading the Bible seriously, and such a response invariably leads some of them to faith in Christ,” he added.

The Rev Dewanau said that by conducting door-to-door evangelism his church found young people quite willing to listen and learn about Jesus. Which is one good reason why pastors and church leaders are warmly receiving the Bible Society of Bénin (BSB) plan for a special distribution program throughout 2000.

“It will never be a waste of time or money to embark on a special outreach to youth,” said one member of the BSB Youth Committee. “The majority of the congregation of new churches in Bénin is composed of young people and for this reason alone such a program will be of great benefit to Bénin,” another added.

Popular Portions

The BSB produces low-priced Bible Portions which are a great hit with young people. These cover a wide variety of topics including peace, the family, health and the life of Jesus. The BSB bookshop confirms the popularity of these Portions. “Young people always go for these Portions when they come into the shop,” say the BSB sales staff.

A young boy from Ganvie, Bénin, shows his new Moses Bible ComicOf the total population of the country, which is estimated at 5,325,000, about three million are young people and children. The BSB is preparing for a special Bible month which will offer a variety of communication programs throughout the country. Activities including theatre, films, games, competitions and recreational outings will be aimed at the youth of Bénin, and will focus on God’s love for every individual and the love Christians are called to show to their neighbour.

Media

The project will involve different media such as radio, television, posters and circulars. It is intended to distribute 3,000 Bibles and 2,000 New Testaments in simple French (français fondamental).

A Portion entitled Lord of the Millennium will be given to 10,000 youngsters while 5,000 copies of the Portion The Peacemaker, 50,000 T-shirts and caps with Bible verses, and 300,000 Portions entitled Peace, will be distributed. This distribution will take place mainly during the month dedicated to Bible events.

O-21 Program

The cost of these Scriptures will be met through the UBS Opportunity 21 (O-21) program, which is funding Scriptures and Bible work development in some 65 countries worldwide. This is over and above the yearly Scripture program funding through the UBS World Service Program.

Gu-speakers

The BSB also hopes to provide Scriptures for the Gu speaking people of south-eastern Bénin. There are more than 300,000 Gu living in villages and small towns from Alada to Porto Novo and in Weme Province. There are half a million speakers of Gu or Gun Alada, and the BSB is preparing to publish a new common language translation of the New Testament. Work is also being done on the common language edition of the Old Testament.

“These young people want to see what the God of the Bible can do for them.”

“I only wish it were ready now,” said Mr Zossou of the Methodist Church. Some of the current Gun Alada Bible dates back to the 1880s.

Young People

“The young people want to see what the God of the Bible can do for them, and the key to that is in the Word of God,” he said. They have seen the effect or the lack of effect of the voodoo beliefs of their parents and know that there is no spiritual satisfaction there,” he said. Voodoo is the term given to animistic beliefs and rituals in Bénin and it has been a major export. It was carried to Haiti and Brazil by slaves captured in Bénin.

Mr Zossou was pleased to hear that the BSB was bringing together and helping to train four local translators to work on the common language translation of the Gun Alada Old Testament.

A UBS representative and staff of the BSB visited Mr Zossou’s village in the Gun Alada-speaking area. The village of Ganvie is a collection of houses built over a lagoon. Mr Zossou said that many young people in his village wanted to know about God and would greatly benefit from the availability of more Scriptures.

Volunteers

Before they had reached the village the visitors were met by a group of men who have been Bible Society volunteers for 11 years. They guided the visitors across the lagoon to their village.

The proceeds from the sale of these fish go the Bible Society

The crossing was made in a small boat, and on the way they saw an area of the lagoon where the people had put a certain kind of dead tree in the ground near the water’s edge. The fish are attracted to the rotting bark and find food in it. A few weeks after putting the trees there the villagers come and catch great quantities of these fish in their nets and the proceeds from the sale of these fish go to the Bible Society.

As the visitors neared the village three boats suddenly appeared loaded mostly with young people who were singing and dancing. There was a young women’s choir dressed in bright yellow, a group of very young girls who danced and sang, and a group of ferocious-looking young men who staged some very active dancing on top of the boats. All the time the tiny boats were rocking and swaying.

Enthusiasm

Once ashore the visitors were given a very enthusiastic welcome at the local school. Two headmasters greeted them and were overjoyed to see the large carton of Scriptures the Bible Society team had brought.

With 15 classes in the school, the Scriptures had to be rationed – 15 copies to each class. The carton also contained French Bibles for the two headmasters and simple French New Testaments (français fondamental) for each teacher.

No time to prepare

Despite what the visitors thought had been a most dramatic welcome, the headmasters apologised for what they termed a ‘poor’ welcome they had given the visitors. They explained that they had only heard of the visit the previous day and so they had hardly had any time to prepare. (WR 349/27 - 03.00) [PHOTOS]


Women Make a Statement in Bénin

COTONOU, Bénin — Even the briefest visit to Bénin, a small country in West Africa, adjacent to Nigeria, will reveal the important place that women have in that society.

They control the local food distribution system, including the transport of produce to market and the subsequent barter and sale. That is a considerable part of the nation’s economy – some 36 per cent of the nation’s GNP is agriculture.

Experiencing the joys of worship, this woman clutches her Bible while taking part in the Women's Bible club singing and dancingBénin has produced many intellectuals but despite this, illiteracy is still a major problem. Estimates by the United Nations suggest that only 33 per cent of the population can read – among the lowest in the world. However, this figure is worse still among women, with only 16 per cent of them able to read. And this will hardly improve very quickly because only 35 per cent of school-age girls actually attend school.

‘Revolt’

Although women have a strategic role to play in both the family and society, they are excluded from the political and administrative decisions of the nation. Because of this, women’s organisations are multiplying, determined to assert the rights of women in the decision-making process. However, this movement is perceived as a ‘revolt’ against men and causes many problems.

The Bible Society of Bénin (BSB) recognises that women play a key role in the family, and if they can be reached with God’s Word, the message of salvation will be passed on to the whole family. The Women’s Committee of the BSB considers the new millennium a perfect opportunity to launch a program which aims to reach the women of the country with God’s Word.

"We will certainly reach more women than ever before with the help of the UBS and this new program," said Mrs Tamou Iradath, who chairs the Women’s Committee. Judging by the statistics it would seem that literacy programs among women must be a priority.

Support groups

The Women’s Committee is planning to link with churches involved in literacy training and promote the series of New Reader Scriptures produced by the BSB. They have established support groups in different areas and there are women’s church fellowships in most of the villages which they can contact.

The popular Christian radio station Radio Maranatha will be recruited to support this program. Another Scripture the women – all volunteers for the Bible cause – hope to use is the Bible Comics series, which have great appeal for the children as well due to their colourful illustrations.

More spiritual

However, there are still many women who can read and who have never understood the Christian message. In general, non-believing women in Bénin are not opposed to the Bible. They know about it even if they have not been able to read it. Some have husbands who have discouraged them from going to church, fearing the displeasure of their ancestral spirits.

But as one member of the Women’s Committee said, “Generally, women have a stronger spiritual nature and desire for spiritual things. If we can give them the opportunity to read God’s Word then many of them will begin to believe, and that would be a splendid way to enter the new millennium.” A special ‘Week for Women’ is being planned and the main theme will be ‘Self-fulfilment for women of the new millennium’.

Conferences

“During this week, we hope that women will gather in their churches or other congregations for a week of conferences and debates which will cover many aspects of what goes into a woman’s self-fulfilment especially as found in the Word of God,” said the committee representative.

“We will be encouraging women to look at their roles in the family, in the larger society, and in politics. This will be very popular given the current debate over the role of women here in Bénin. There will also be a number of rallies. We hope everyone will hear about what women are doing for the Bible cause in our country.” (WR 349/28 - 03.00) [PHOTOS]


Bible Launch Follows Miracle Escape

“It was an experience none of us wants to go through again, ever.”

MADING, Sudan; January 12, 2000 — “It was a miracle! We all agreed, as we stood there, looking with disbelief at what was left of our plane, having crawled out through various apertures in the fuselage.” Dr Jan Sterk, UBS Translation Consultant based in Nairobi, Kenya, had just lived through one of the most terrifying moments of his life.

Crash

The Antonov plane carrying him from Nairobi, along with church leaders, missionaries, translators and their families, including many small children, had just crash-landed on Mading airstrip and ended up a mangled wreck. It was January 8, the day before the launch of the first Bible in the Nuer language.

“Wind shear caused it,” Dr Sterk continued, “and it was an experience none of us wants to go through again, ever. The plane ended up minus one wheel, both wings broken off, one lying underneath what was left of the plane, gashes and holes everywhere.

“It was lying upside down across the fence of a yard bordering the airstrip. The solid poles of the fence had pierced the fuselage in several places at the back, and one of the propellers had cut a wide gash in the fuselage up front. There was no fire, no panic, and no-one was injured.”

Plans abandoned

In the meantime, however, plans to have the launch of the Nuer Bible in a more important town in the Nuer region were abandoned. Mading, a small town on the border with Ethiopia, had no great significance until the day it was decided to hold the dedication service there. The difficulty of getting the guests to the original venue, coupled with the dangers of the ongoing war in southern Sudan, convinced the organisers that Mading should be the new venue.

And before the Saturday was over people had started arriving from the outlying villages. Nuer-speaking people came from all around to greet the arrival of the first Bible in their own language. Most of them made arrangements to sleep outside in the tropical night.

That evening, the passengers from the morning flight gathered at the wreckage of the Antonov plane for a time of prayer. “We all thanked God for letting us escape unharmed from that terrible accident,” said Dr Sterk. “It did not dampen any of our spirits, and despite the difficulties faced by the launch organiser, the Rev Tut Wan Yoa, the launching went ahead as planned the next day.”

Upper Nile

Nuer is spoken mostly by people in the Upper Nile valley region, which stretches from the White Nile in the west to the Ethiopian border in the east. It is also spoken across Sudan and among Nuer communities in other countries. More than 850,000 people speak this language, making it one of the most important in southern Sudan.

“Twenty years of Bible translation work came to a joyous end outside the low, mud-walled and thatch-roofed building that is the Presbyterian church in Mading,” said Dr Sterk. There were speeches, prayers and songs punctuated by steady drumming, and several readings from the new Bible. Copies of the precious book were sent out simultaneously to the other towns of the Nuer community.

Service

“The next day, the day of our departure back to Nairobi, there was a service inside the church. I asked the congregation how many had bought the Nuer Bible. About 10 hands held up their new Bibles. When I asked them how many wanted to have the Bible, 500 hands shot up,” he said.

“So we held a meeting after the service to discuss how the distribution of the Bible could be achieved. These people have suffered from an ongoing war and do not have the funds to purchase anything – during the service on Sunday, I had seen many who gave a cup of maize seeds as their offering.

Classes

“Giving a Bible in return for community service was one of the ideas put forward,” continued Dr Sterk. “Another was to have the ‘purchaser’ attend reading classes and Bible instruction for a certain time before getting a free Bible. Or these ideas could be used jointly. The church authorities will have to look at the situation and decide.

Efforts

“Something needs to be done, however, to ensure that the efforts of the translators over 20 years come to a fulfilling end. And this end was envisaged when the project was started: to give each Nuer speaker the chance to read the Bible in his or her own language,” he concluded. (WR 349/29 - 03.00)


Rwanda: the Search for Real
Reconciliation Carries On

KIGALI, Rwanda — The end of 1999 saw two remarkable events take place in Rwanda. Many now believe that the consequences will be deeply beneficial for this nation recovering from the ethnic hatred and genocide of the mid-1990s.

Although it is too early to measure people’s responses, the recent broadcasting of the Jesus film in both French and Kinyarwanda will no doubt have an impact upon the broader Rwandan community. Campus Crusade for Christ organised the showing of the film on three separate occasions on national television. This film version of the Gospel of Luke went out on December 24 at 10pm, and again on the 25 and 26 during the day, enabling younger viewers to see it.

Seeds

Christian leaders now face the task of following up with Scriptures and Bible teaching that will help to nurture the seeds that have been sown. According to Anasthase Kajugiro, General Secretary of the Bible Society, they anticipate a renewed interest in the Scriptures thanks to the showing of the film.

In another wonderful effort of co-operation, churches joined Christian organisations in what has become known as Explo 2000. Their aim was to involve as many people as possible in a week of prayer, fasting, meditation upon Scripture and Bible study, with special emphasis on intercession for the nation.

Prosperous

The theme was taken from II Chronicles 7:14: “If they [my people] pray to me and repent and turn away from the evil they have been doing, then I will hear them in heaven, forgive their sins, and make their land prosperous again ...”

The event took place across the country from December 25 to January 1, with intercession and Bible study in the mornings, and in the afternoons Bible exposition, preaching and public prayers for the nation. According to Mr Kajugiro the main Amahoro stadium in Kigali was always full of people thirsty for the Word of God.

Repentance

The overall aim was to bring people back to repentance following the terrible events of the last decade. "Many people know that it is only through a reconciliation with God himself that the Banyarwanda people will reach a position of reconciliation between each other," Mr Kajugiro said.

Even politicians realised the significance of Explo 2000. The President of the National Assembly as well as several government ministers attended the opening ceremony.

On December 31, the Vice-president of the Republic and Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Paul Kagame, gave a speech full of quotations from Scripture. The same evening, Pasteur Bizimungu, the President himself, chose to offer the nation his good wishes for the New Year from the stadium. Mr Kajugiro said the stadium was overflowing, and there was a real atmosphere of prayer.

He said he felt that this prayerful beginning to the new millennium carried with it a sense of hope that the people can overcome their ethnic rivalry, can find the true reconciliation that comes only from Almighty God and can rebuild their nation.

He called upon the worldwide Bible Society fellowship not to forget Rwanda in its prayers, and expressed thanks for the support received in provision of God’s Word for the Rwandan people. (WR 349/30 - 03.00)


Reaching Angola’s ‘Lost’ Generation

LUANDA, Angola — Students of the Roman Catholic University were streaming off the campus at the conclusion of morning lectures.

Students eager to get their copy of John's Gospel just outside the university campusThe Bible Society in Angola (BSAng) team had parked outside the gate and staff began offering the students copies of the Gospel of John in Portuguese – the official language of Angola.

At first some students hesitated: was this a distribution exercise being done by Jehovah’s Witnesses? Then a BSAng representative explained that they were being offered a Gospel in Portuguese, which was a book from the Bible. One of the students shouted, “Oh good! That is a Catholic book!”

Then there was no holding them back. Everyone wanted a copy. Some were especially delighted because they were currently studying John’s Gospel in one of their courses.

Missed out

Muma Makondekwa, son of a former BSAng Executive Secretary, said that his generation had missed out on the Bible while at school. The Marxist government had prevented religious teaching. However, many were now turning to God. Most of my school friends have become active in the church,” he said. “Probably 50 per cent of the young people of my age that I know are now attending church.”

Madaline Almada, 27 years old, concurred. She had started school at the time when the first President of independent Angola, Dr Agostinho Neto, had vowed to eradicate Christianity within 20 years.

Liberal

However, there was now a more liberal attitude of the authorities towards Christianity, and many of Ms Almada’s age group were flocking to church to learn about God’s love and salvation.

Students delighted with their Bible Society PortionsToday’s young people in Angola have grown up with an ideology of Marxism. Churches had been forbidden to form youth organisations and to teach young people the basics of Christianity. A whole generation today has no knowledge of Christian ethics and there is a parallel decline in human morals and relationships.

0-21

Supported by Opportunity-21, a new project entitled ‘Scriptures for Youth’ aims to provide new direction through the Scriptures. The BSAng will distribute approximately 2,000 Bibles to university students, and 1,500,000 Scripture Portions to secondary school students in the next few years.

Almost all those who come into contact with the Bible are challenged – many benefit by developing a true sense of democracy, concern for their fellow human beings and a more moral attitude. Distribution of these Scriptures is in conjunction with Scripture Union and the Christian Students’ Union. (WR 349/31- 03.00) [PHOTOS]


Bibles Bring Change to Angola’s Jails

LUANDA, Angola – “I know that the Bible changes people,” said Dr Manuel Freire, Director of one of Luanda’ s jails. “We want to see these criminals changed so that when they go back out into society they will be good people.

Kindness

“And that is why I appreciate your kindness more than I can say,” he continued. The church plays a big role in helping to provide volunteers who distribute the Word and teach the prisoners. Some groups come to preach to the prisoners, but giving the prisoners the Word of God is even more important. We wholeheartedly support the work of the Bible Society.

“Most of the men in this prison are ill. This is not a prison hospital but we try to give the prisoners special food to build them up. Many are under-nourished physically when they come. We try to do something about that, but your concern to give them the Bible will help to build up their spiritual strength.”

Civil war

Angola’s long civil war has brought about a state of violence that has led many people to crime. Food shortages and lack of employment have aggravated this. But in prisons they hardly fare any better: prisoners live in a state of despair and malnutrition, and have no hope.

The prisoners had gathered in the courtyard and stood in the burning sun listening to the Bible Society General Secretary, the Rev David Nkosi. He spoke about the importance of the Bible and how it was the intention of the Bible Society to celebrate the new millennium by giving all prisoners in the country a copy of the New Testament. This news was greeted with great approval.

The project, which is supported by the O-21 program, aims to offer the Christian way of forgiveness to both male and female prisoners, to help them discover Jesus and accept him as their personal Saviour.

Prisoners

By distributing 30,000 New Testaments the Bible Society will be providing prisoners with an opportunity to seek change that will affect both their relationship with God and the way they behave towards their fellow human beings.

Stood out

One group of about 50 men stood out among the 400 prisoners; they looked cleaner and tidier, and had a quiet peace about them. These were all men who had become Christians since coming to the jail.

One of the inmates explained that when men attended the prison church they were often convinced of their sin and felt the deep need for forgiveness – many cried out to God for forgiveness and salvation.

A tall elegant man, whose name was Silvento, spoke about his experience. He was a lawyer by profession and had been in the prison for only three months. However, in that time he had become a strong believer in Christ. “I am in here but I am a changed man,” he said. “I was given a Bible and I have read it carefully. I believe all that it says about Jesus Christ who is the Saviour of the world.”

Bias

No photography was allowed in the prison because a television crew had filmed the men who were still ill and under-nourished and given a biased picture. This had upset the government.

However, when he realised that the Gospels of Luke were being received by the prisoners with such enthusiasm and that it would be good publicity for the prison service, the director agreed to allow photographs of the distribution to be taken.

Many are looking

While the distribution was going on the jail church choir sang: one verse was, “Many people are looking for the Bible but cannot find it.” The young inmate interpreting for the visitors reminded them before they left of what the choir had sung.

“So many people are looking for the Bible and they cannot find it,” he said. He was glad to learn that every prisoner would have the chance to read God’s Word in the New Testament thanks to the O-21 funding. (WR 349/32 - 03.00) [PHOTOS]


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