Society reaches far beyond Jamaica

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The 2.7 million people of Jamaica are the largest group served by the Bible Society of the West Indies, but they are not the only ones receiving its Scriptures – or its prayers and ministry. The Society is also striving to meet Scripture needs in the Bahamas (population 300,000), Belize (110,000), the Cayman Islands (35,500) and the Turks and Caicos Islands (18,100).

From this two-storey Bible House in Kingston, the Bible Society of the West Indies serves churches in Jamaica, Belize, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Kingston, Jamaica. Photo: UBS/Larry Jerden (JAM01DJ-50.JPG)

“In the Cayman Islands the challenge is to get the churches to support the Bible Society,” says Bible Society General Secretary the Rev Courtney Stewart. “But the Caymans are not a very ‘churched’ society. The more we can get the churches involved, the more we can subsidise the Bibles.”

The Bible Society needs a representative in the Caymans, however.

“We have talked with a couple of organisations to see if someone can spearhead the work there, but so far we’ve not had much success,” Mr Stewart admits. “We need to find people who are sympathetic to the Bible cause.”

In the Bahamas, where there is a solid work headed by volunteers (see World Report 367/18), the schools are already using the Good News Bible. Attention is now focusing on reaching the growing Haitian population in the Bahamas.

“We have the opportunity to partner the Haitian Bible Society to provide Scriptures there,” Mr Stewart comments. “The Bahamas also has a growing incidence of HIV/AIDS, and that is another area for ministry.”

Preparation for work in Belize is continuing, with a survey of the churches and a focus on Bibles for schools.

“The next step is to have a meeting between the Belize Council of Churches and the evangelical churches,” Mr Stewart says. “If we can bring them together under the umbrella of the Bible Society and focus on the schools, we could reinforce their witness. And for those churches which don’t have this ministry, perhaps we can open their eyes to see the opportunity.”

Bible work in Turks and Caicos is in the formative stages, and the Bible Society is looking for someone there who “has the kind of passion and commitment and who will make the time to get the work started,” Mr Stewart concluded. (WR 372/8 - 11.02)