How a helicopter helped carry
the Bible to children in hospital

n (Left to right) Gavin Drew, Bible Society Scripture Use Consultant, the Rev Graham Juden, Chaplain at Wanganui Hospital, and Bill Flavell, Bible Society volunteers group coordinator, show the new leaflet

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — “I was sitting in my office when I heard the rescue helicopter land,” said the Rev Graham Juden, chaplain at New Zealand’s Wanganui Hospital.

Comfort for children

“That’s it!” I thought. “So you’ve landed up in hospital — that’s the title!”

The episode gave him the idea what to call a Scripture leaflet designed to help and comfort children who find themselves in hospital. He had had the leaflet in mind for several years.

“I would visit the children’s ward with literature suitable for adults but it didn’t cut any ice with the kids,” he said.

Then the helicopter landed!

After that it was a case of finding someone to develop the idea. That is when the Bible Society came into the picture. Local representative Bruce Peterson caught the vision and with the support of Colin Reed, Chief Executive of the Bible Society in New Zealand, things started to happen.

Embraced the idea

Mr Peterson contacted his colleague Gavin Drew, the Scripture Use Consultant with the Bible Society, who produced a design for the leaflet. The money for it was raised by local Bible Society volunteers who embraced the whole idea very enthusiastically.

Following the launch of the leaflet in Wanganui, Graham Juden had it approved for use in hospitals all over New Zealand. “I’m from Britain and I’ve never seen anything like it there,” he declared.

Helicopter pilot

The leaflet compares God to a helicopter pilot and has some eye-catching artwork, a prayer and two simple Bible texts.