l IRAQ — This February, the Iraqi government gave permission for the distribution of 10,000 copies of a daily devotional Portion called Meeting with God. This will be an insert in Babil (Babylon), the most widely circulated daily newspaper in Iraq. The newspaper is in Arabic and is read by millions of people. The Iraqi authorities have also agreed that extracts from this Portion can be published in the newspaper every day. “This is a wonderful opportunity to make the Word of God available to the Iraqi people and we thank God for the positive endorsement of the Bible Society’s activities by the Iraqi government,” said Jamal Hashweh, the General Secretary of the Bible Society in Jordan. There is currently no Bible Society established in Iraq, although shipments of Scriptures are sent by the Bible Societies from Jordan to Baghdad for distribution through the churches to Christians throughout the country. (WR 350/IB1 - 4/5.00)

l GERMANY — There are many biblical translations that are carried out by organisations outside the UBS fellowship. Almost all of these projects are undertaken by an established Bible agency. Sometimes, an exception comes to light. One example discovered recently is a New Testament published in East Germany in 1966. A copy of this was recently received at the UBS World Service Center. It was published by Domowina, the cultural institute of the Sorbian people. The Sorbs are a small Slavic people indigenous to the Lausitz region of Saxony. Based in Bautzen (Budyšin), the Sorbian capital, Domowina (meaning ‘homeland’) is an organisation that works to promote national culture and safeguard the civil rights of the 100,000 Sorbs. The vast majority of literature produced in the Sorbian language – mostly educational – is produced by Domowina. The Sorbs were much blessed by their location at the heartland of both early printing and the Reformation. In consequence, extensive translation of the Bible into Sorbian began in the late seventeenth century and continued on throughout the succeeding two centuries. The first translation of Portions of the Bible into Sorbian – the Gospels of Matthew and Luke translated by Lutheran pastor Michal Frencel – were published in 1670 at the pastor’s own expense. (WR 350/IB2 - 4/5.00)

l NEW ZEALAND — The Bible Society in New Zealand has raised more than NZ$3,000 (US$1,475) to send Bibles to Indonesia and the South Pacific by holding a touch rugby tournament. The event, held over one weekend last November, attracted more than 700 people to the East Tamaki rugby grounds in Auckland. Thirty-one teams from local churches competed in the tournament, which received sponsorship and publicity from popular radio station Life FM and local company Sanitarium – a regular Bible Society supporter. The winning team received copies of the sports New Testament Ice on Fire from the BSNZ. The tournament was the first of its kind organised by the Bible Society. “It was such a success that we hope it will become a regular event all over New Zealand,” said Colin Reed, BSNZ Chief Executive. Another unique fundraising idea from Bible Society action groups in rural areas is a potato-growing challenge. Action groups sell people a bucket and two seed potatoes, then challenge them to grow as many potatoes as they can inside the bucket. According to Mr Reed, people have managed to grow “a surprising number” of potatoes in this way. (WR 350/IB3 - 4/5.00)