Dreaming dreams for Bible work in Syria

George Andrea (right), who leads the Bible Society in Lebanon’s work in Syria, in the Scripture warehouse with Dag Smemo, Bible Mission Director at the Norwegian Bible Society. Photo: NoBS/Dag Smemo (SYR03DJ-6.JPG)

ALEPPO, Syria — George Andrea, who heads up Bible Society in Lebanon’s work in Syria, is full of enthusiasm when he talks about his work. He says ‘miracles’ happen during the annual Damascus bookfair, talks with joy about the impact of the Society’s two Bible shops, and has many dreams and ideas about expanding Bible work in Syria.

One of his favourite dreams is to be able to provide Bibles for the libraries of every one of the 17,500 schools in the country. But there is no funding for this work at the moment, and he has not yet approached the Ministry of Education for their approval.

“Prayers are needed for both [these objectives],” he says.

Unable to buy books

Mr Andrea also strongly feels that every church should have a library stocked with Bibles and Christian literature, including children’s Scriptures and Study Bibles. Many churches are too poor to provide this facility and Mr Andrea would like the Bible Society to help. However, there is only enough money to help 50 churches, but Mr Andrea feels that it is a good starting point.

“Many people are poor and unable to buy books,” he explains. “We want to give them a chance to borrow books from the churches. By doing so, they will meet God. We want them to find salvation and know that there are others who care for them by making books available to them.”

Another dream is for the Bible Society to provide 3,000 Bibles for the Syrian Orthodox Church, which is running projects in small villages across the country. If he could provide these Bibles, says Mr Andrea, he would accompany the priests and help distribute Bibles to the villagers, and gather new ideas for Bible Society projects.

Despite the challenges facing Bible work in Syria, much is being achieved and Mr Andrea speaks positively about working conditions in the country.

Can discuss faith

“We don’t have any problems distributing our Bibles and have no problems related to being Christians,” he says. “We do not, of course, go out into the streets and hand out Bibles, but neither do the Muslims hand out their holy writings – this is not part of our culture. But once we are on friendly terms with people we can discuss our faith. Even if people hear from others that the Bible is not true, they still come to buy copies – they want to find out for themselves if the Bible contains truth or not.”

They do this either by going to one of the Society’s two Bible shops in Aleppo and Damascus, by visiting the Bible Society’s stand at the Damascus bookfair, or by encountering the Society’s travelling exhibition. This exhibition, which is taken to churches around the country, includes the showing of films about Jesus, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and a wide selection of Scriptures.

In recent years, the Damascus bookfair has become a major event for the Bible Society. More than half a million people visited the bookfair in 2002, many coming to the Bible stand, which sold 3,200 Scriptures. In 2001, the Bible stand was profiled on national television.

“We have a good relationship with the bookfair organisers,” says Mr Andrea. “We have been praised for taking good care of people who visit our stand by spending time talking to them.

“At the bookfair you can witness the way God works. I remember one customer who said that he had come the previous year and bought a Bible. He came back and told us that he had read it, adding, “I saw that your book was really holy.” (WR 378/10 - 7/8.03)