Olga Pilkevich, Executive Director of the Bible
Society of Tajikistan [photo: UBS/Dag Smemo
WR412/13 TAD06DJ-1]
TAJIKISTAN – Employees of the Bible Society of Tajikistan travelled more than a thousand kms (625 miles) and over the two highest mountain passes in the republic during a trip to the north last year.
The purpose of their epic journey was to distribute Bibles, Gospels and other religious literature to Tajik-, Uzbek- and Russian-speakers through public libraries in the remote north.
Unfamiliar
People there are still largely unfamiliar with the riches of Christian culture but some do have an interest in the Scriptures: several years ago the urban and district libraries in this region, despite being very short of funds, managed to acquire a single set of Bibles and Gospels between them. The arrival of the Bible Society visitors with consignments of new books was eagerly anticipated. Although it was the holiday season, people had gathered in central and branch libraries in cities such as Khojend, Isfara and Kayrakkum, Penjikent, Chkalovsk and Taboshar, eager to see the colourful editions of God’s Word that the Society was bringing. Their efforts in making the long journey were highly appreciated and the people expressed deep gratitude for the present of books which will allow them to study and profit from the truths of the Christian faith. And it was not only the recipients who were enriched by the experience. The Bible Society staff were shown rare hand-written editions of Scripture in the Persian and Arabian languages. They learned, too, about the first meetings between Christians and the followers of Islam that took place many centuries ago and about the exchanges between these two great cultures during that time.
Hazards
The trip was not without its hazards, however. On one of the winding roads of the mountain pass the Bible Society vehicle skidded on ice and only the skill of their driver, Viktor Plett, kept it from plunging down the side of the mountain. “The trip has shown us the importance and the benefits of undertakings like this,” said Bible Society Executive Director Olga Pilkevich. “When the warmer days come, making the mountain passes easier to negotiate, we plan to make journeys to the areas of Pamir, Khatlon and the Rasht Valley, where we will be donating hundreds more volumes of Christian literature to local libraries.”
This story refers to project 87400. (WR 412/13 - 06.07) [1 photo]