Stacey over at Blog for Books posted about the new Voice of the Martyrs Bibles Unbound program. I’ve been a big fan of Compassion, which matches up sponsors and kids who need help. We’ve sponsored kids in Africa for years and it’s a thrill to know that we’ve made a difference. One girl buys a goat every year with her Christmas money. We sent a bit extra this year and she bought a cow and calf! We were pretty excited to think of having an impact on someones daily life in this way – her whole family benefits. The Bibles Unbound Program is similar – you commit to a monthly sponsorship. With Compassion we are able to impact one family, one community at a time. And the ripples from that could be far-reaching – we won’t know until we get to heaven, I guess. The Bibles Unbound Program, on the other hand, allows you to give the food of the Word to many people each month. You can even track where the bibles you provide through the program go, so you can be aware of events in that area and pray for people living there. I can’t imagine what the impact of such a program will be. It will certainly be far reaching. I know of villages in China with just one Bible in the entire community. It is often divided up carefully among many people so that if the PSB swoops in, they can’t get it all. These Christians are starving for the Word.
For American Christians, it’s common to own many Bibles. I have several different translations and versions, as do my husband and daughter – probably ten in our household in all. And I have e-Sword, a phenomenal free Bible study program, so I seldom use a paper Bible except the one I carry to church. That is an unimaginable, almost obscene, luxury to Christians in other parts of the world. Right now there are over 3,200 people who have received a Bible through this program. Commitments have been made to date to provide more than 3,600 each month. Over 42,000 people are waiting.
I had considered donating money to several political candidates, in light of the deplorable political conditions here in New Orleans, and with the 2006 elections coming up. I am now convinced that would be shortsighted, deplorable stewardship. Over 42,000 people are waiting, and I can help at least some of them. So can you.
