A few cents to save a life

KINGSTON, Jamaica — How valuable is a Scripture Selection which may cost only a few cents to print?

Dalbert Laing, a promoter for the Bible Society of the West Indies, told the following story.

“A lady called me after working hours and said, ‘I’m going to commit suicide. I can’t take it any more. Life has become meaningless.’”

Guessing that because she had called his office, the woman had been involved with the Bible Society, Mr Laing asked how she could be considering suicide since she was involved with Bible work. But the woman said he was wrong on that point.

“Last night a lady passed my house as I was standing by the gate,” the voice on the phone said. “She gave me a Scripture Selection entitled Jesus Christ Died for Our Sins.”

The woman had accepted the Selection, but did not read it until later that evening, when she started to wrestle with her problem.

“After she read it, she became concerned,” Mr Laing says. “She was contemplating suicide, but decided to give us a call. We talked for about half an hour, then we went to her and shared the Scriptures with her.

“She made a commitment to the Lord and we gave her a Good News New Testament. Later we tried to encourage her to join a church near her home. The last time I saw her, she thanked us for sharing with her.