Latest News

Summaries of stories which have been e-mailed in the Latest News series since the publication of World Report 388:

WALES — Delegates representing many different cultures and languages but sharing a common passion to see the world enriched by the Bible gathered at the end of August for the United Bible Societies World Assembly. Throughout the week, they acknowledged the past achievements of the Bible Society movement and considered the challenges of distributing the Holy Scriptures and helping people interact with the Word of God in a rapidly changing world. As they returned home, they took with them a renewed commitment to making the Bible known, loved and respected everywhere. e-288 September 17, 2004 (WR 389/37 - 12.04/01.05)

RUSSIA — Following the massacre of hundreds of schoolchildren in Beslan, North Ossetia, who were held hostage by Chechen extremists, the Bible Society in Russia is planning to distribute over 4,000 Scriptures across the region, benefiting more than 200 schools. Tatiana Vavilova, of the Society’s Information and Fundraising Department, said distributing the Scriptures, which include Children’s Bibles, New Testaments and other material suitable for young children, to school libraries would mean that children would have access to the Bible story at a time when they most needed it. e-288 September 17, 2004 (WR 389/38 - 12.04/01.05)

PARAGUAY — The Finnish Bible Society has pledged US$10,000 towards the costs of New Testaments and Bible Selections which the Paraguayan Bible Society is planning to distribute to families affected by the shopping centre fire which killed more than 400 people in August. Volunteers will visit and talk to some 25,000 adults, sick children and grieving relatives, leaving them with appropriate biblical Selections. They will also distribute 8,000 copies of the Portion entitled Comfort for the Suffering. The pledge from Finland will also go towards the training of the 200 Christian volunteers visiting the sick. e-289 October 14, 2004 (WR 389/39 - 12.04/01.05)

HAITI — The Haitian Bible Society and Christian humanitarian aid agencies are preparing to take Scriptures and food supplies to families left homeless after Hurricane Jeanne raged across the north of the island in September, leaving a thousand people dead and an estimated 250,000 homeless. The Bible Society plans to supply 10,000 New Testaments, 10,000 French Bibles, 10,000 Haitian Bibles and 250,000 Selections. The Scriptures will be placed in baskets of food being distributed by the aid agencies to hurricane victims in the northern city of Gonaives. e-289 October 14, 2004 (WR 389/40 - 12.04/01.05)