Oloikoboi Listening Group
International (MNN) ― Roughly half the world's population is illiterate. Oral cultures make up most of those illiterate populations, which makes storytelling key to learning.
Ken Edwards of Faith Comes By Hearing says that approach to evangelism is what's behind their "Every Church, Every Village" program. "We provide solar powered audio Bibles with the complete New Testament, a word-for-word reading in a dramatized format so that they can listen to the Word of God in their own language and understand what God is saying to them."
The Proclaimer was developed primarily as a playback device for poor and illiterate people who may not have any other source to hear God's Word.
The units are free. What's the catch? Edwards says, "We are able to provide these without cost to the churches for their short term trips. All we ask in return is to make sure they get used. Also, since we have donors that have generously supported this project;,we need to be accountable to them. We are asking the churches to give us some feedback on how they were received."
For example, more than 100 groups have taken Creole Proclaimers to Haiti. These groups range from medical professionals, feeding ministries, rebuilding and construction experts, and well-drilling teams to dental specialists, grief counselors and water filtration teams.
One aid worker named Ty took four Proclaimers along with his water purification group. While there, he met Pastor Gregory and gave him a Proclaimer.
"Pastor Gregory, once an orphan himself, now is the pastor for the surrounding community and neighboring villages," reported Ty. "His orphanage, normally home to 80-100 orphans, now is home to over 1,000 families--mostly children who have evacuated Port-au-Prince. I can only imagine the stress he is under to lead in a trying time."
"With a massive influx of refugees, the immediate need to provide hope and direction to new refugees and existing community through God's Word was just as vital as clean water," he said.
Ty continues by describing what happened when they turned on the Proclaimer.
"The expression on his face was priceless. I could feel his excitement radiate from him. As a desperate but faithful pastor of a devastated, overcrowded community, he now had a way to communicate to the masses who were not only thirsty for clean water but thirsty for God's Word."
During the first year of the Every Church, Every Village program, more than 6,500 Bible Listening programs have begun in 80 countries.
The short-term mission trip season is right around the corner. FCBH has Scripture in 435 languages to choose from. If your team can take some Proclaimers with them, please allow at least three to four weeks to receive them. Click here for more details.
