Bibles help build communities in new housing settlementsMANILA, Philippines — Just two weeks after American missionary Steve Siebert made one of his regular visits to the offices of the Philippine Bible Society (PBS), he was out on the streets of two new settlement areas in Batangas City distributing copies of the Society’s special Light to the Home Bible. Once it became clear to Father Siebert and other local church leaders that collaboration with PBS could satisfy a great hunger for Bibles in Barangay* Balete and Barangay Puyo, they wasted no time in arranging a day-long door-to-door distribution campaign. [*A Barangay is the smallest local government unit in the Philippines, very similar to a village or town.]
For several years, churches working with families who had been moved by the government from the port area of Batangas City to Barangay Balete and Barangay Puyo had been struggling. The new settlement areas lacked a strong sense of community and crime was rising. The churches had tried to establish contact with families through initiatives such as feeding centres and pre-school education facilities, but had made little real progress with meeting people’s spiritual needs. Bible study sessions had been set up, but efforts to bring God’s Word into the community had been hampered by the fact that most people did not own a Bible and therefore could not study it alone. Father Siebert and his fellow church leaders prayed fervently for God’s guidance as they daily faced the many challenges of ministering in these communities. An answer came during one of Father Siebert’s visits to PBS, where he was introduced to the Light to the Home program, under which needy urban families are being supplied with a special Bible based on the easily understandable Tagalog Popular Version text and also containing articles about family and community issues. Father Siebert was quick to share news of this program with his fellow clergy in the Elders of the City ministerial fellowship. Recognising the particular value of Light to the Home in giving families biblical insights into dealing with practical issues, his colleagues were equally quick to obtain and distribute the Bibles. “Light to the Home is the answer to our prayers,” says Pastor Jun Aballa of the Remnants of God Family International Ministry. “We’ve been conducting Bible studies among the parents of our students but we find it difficult to share God’s Word without copies of the Bible. This partnership with PBS is truly an answer to our prayers.” After distributing 875 copies of Light to the Home, Elders of the City is anticipating a very busy follow-up period. “The people were very happy to receive the Bible,” reports Pastor Mars Verano, who chairs the fellowship. “We are now looking forward to following up these families.” Light to the Home is part of PBS’s
mission to, in the words of General Secretary Dr Medarlo Rivera, “help
build a godly nation.” The Society aims to provide every family
relocated by the government to a new housing settlement with a special
Bible, and so far has provided 8,890 copies. (WR 381/8 - 11.03) |
