Distribution to MPs ‘a milestone’

“the book of the law made perfect”

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay — A distribution of Scriptures in the august surroundings of the Chamber of Deputies of the National Congress was a landmark in the history of the Paraguayan Bible Society and made an unforgettable experience for the college students who undertook it.

A pupil from the Filadelfia College hands a Bible to a Member of Parliament (MP) on October 9, 2003. The school donated Bibles for distribution to the 80 MPs after a fundraising campaign lasting six months carried out by the pupils. Asunción, Paraguay. Photo: Paraguayan Bible Society (PAR03DJ-1.JPG)

The handing out of Scriptures, as part of the project called The Transforming Power of God’s Word, took place at a plenary session of the 80 Deputies on October 9.

In an address prior to the distribution, Alfredho Altamirano, the Society’s Communications Director, told the lawmakers that the Bible was “the book of the law made perfect” which “will serve as a pattern and guide for your work … to help you do it wisely.”

The six months prior to the occasion had seen a strenuous effort on the part of students at the Mennonite Filadelfia College to raise funds not only for 80 Bibles for the Deputies, but for a further 230 which were given to Congress employees and security staff.

Afterwards, the students who had been chosen to take part were delighted.

Marcelo Hildebrand, a student in the sixth year, said, “It is a very significant day for us, representing Filadelfia College in this distribution of Bibles. It is thanks to the Paraguayan Bible Society which organised it all, including meeting the Senator for our district, that we achieved our objective.

Unique

“It was a unique experience and one which we shall not forget,” added fifth-year student Debora Duerksen.

Marika Neufeld, from the sixth year, found a significance to the day which others failed to mention. “The most important thing of all,” she said, “is that we are not only doing a distribution to the Deputies but also to the employees and the security guards.”

Ronad Boschmann, the College’s Professor of Christian Education, said the whole project had made a strong impact on all the donors who supported it as well as on the students visiting the Congress. He added that the College and the Bible Society were hoping to undertake another distribution soon to the members of the other house, the House of Senators.

The Rev Pedro Escobar, General Secretary of the Paraguayan Bible Society, said that it represented a milestone in the history of the Society to have been received by a plenary session of the Chamber and to have had the Deputies listen to a Bible message and receive the Word of God.

“The other – more important – point is that the young people achieved a fundraising record thanks to the work of their friends,” he added.

“Finally, we managed to establish a credibility for the work which we are doing in this part of the country and it will help the execution of future Paraguayan Bible Society projects.” (WR 382/4 - 12.03)