Special Bibles for needy families
in the Philippines

A resident of North Hills Village with her baby. The Philippine Bible Society distributed Bibles to local families through its Light to the Home program. Manila, Philippines. Photo: Philippine Bible Society/Edna Mae Rabago (PHI03DJ-13.JPG)

MANILA, Philippines — It is now two years since Filipino President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo launched an initiative to provide 150,000 housing units for needy urban families, resettling them from slum areas to new locations with better facilities. Since December, the Philippine Bible Society has been lending its support to this initiative through a program of its own, Ilaw sa Tahanan (‘Light to the Home’).

So far, families in two resettlement areas have received copies of the special Light to the Home Bible, which is based on the easily accessible Tagalog Popular Version text and also contains articles about family and community issues.

All 4,500 families at North Hills Village in Norzagaray, some 50 kms (32 miles) north of Manila, received this Bible in May through a joint distribution program by the Bible Society, 12 local churches of various denominations and the Department of Public Works and Highways. Most of the recipients had never previously owned a complete Bible, and for this reason the churches were particularly grateful for the distribution program.

God’s will

“We always encourage our members to read the Scriptures, because this is their way of knowing God’s will in their lives. But how can they read God’s Word if they don’t have a copy of the Bible, or if they don’t have the complete Scriptures?” asked Pastor Elvira Darjuan of the King of Resurrection Church at the launch ceremony that preceded the distribution.

The Rev Diomedes Jose of Jesus Reigns Ministries, the guest speaker at the launch, was equally enthusiastic. He explained how, before he came to faith, he was notorious in his neighbourhood for stealing. Despite the concern he caused his parents, he refused to stop, “even after they chained me to a tree without any clothes on”. It was only after he eventually read the Bible that he found the strength to begin a new life.

“Real life comes from feeding on the Word of God,” he told the local people and government and Bible Society representatives who attended the launch. “I encourage you to read your Bible as soon as you receive it. Reading the Scriptures produces faith, it will make you wise, it gives you power over things, it has the power to build you.”