Egypt (MNN) – When it comes to methods of sharing the Gospel, it is not a one-size-fits-all. Ministries must assess needs, recognize opportunities, and be ready for their methods to shift. Among refugees in Egypt, for example, there is a specific need for audio Bibles.
“Inspiring the Body of Christ to rise up and join the new great awakening among Jews and Muslims in the Middle East and in uncharted territories around the world.” Caption and photo courtesy Uncharted Ministries.
Erik Ouimette of Uncharted Ministries says that the literacy rate in Egypt is about 75%. And it’s the 25% who cannot read who need special consideration for how they will learn about Jesus.
“They tend to be the same population that don’t have access to smart phones or much technology,” Ouimette explains, “And so, our team constantly is meeting with folks, having these wonderful experiences and then not being able to give them a paper Bible because they’re not able to read it.”
The impact of an audio Bible
Through ministry connections in the United States, Uncharted Ministries was able to get hundreds of Arabic audio Bibles to Egypt this fall.
While the situations that cause displacement are not to be celebrated, they do offer a unique opportunity to reach people with hope. And it’s not unreasonable to think that someday, they’ll be able to go back home and share that hope with others. This could change a nation from the inside out.
So, what is the impact of an audio Bible? It could be an isolated housewife having the opportunity to meet Jesus for the first time.
The Gospel of John through earbuds
On a recent trip to Egypt, Ouimette tagged along on a visit to the home of a Syrian refugee couple. The husband and wife, now living in an apartment, have been displaced for the last eight years.
Photo courtesy of Erik Ouimette of Uncharted Ministries.
This was the third or fourth visit from Uncharted Ministries. The husband seemed interested in the Gospel. But turning to Jesus comes with a price. Ouimette says to do so, they would lose their ummah—their Muslim community and identity.
During this visit, the husband spoke with the team while the wife served tea and coffee, entering the room several times. Eventually one of the men noticed that she was standing in the kitchen with an ear to the conversation.
He invited her back into the room and put an earbud in both the husband and the wife’s ears and started playing the book of John. And so, for the first time, she got to hear the Gospel.
Ouimette describes the scene: “They’re quiet. They’re not doing anything. They’re not asking questions. They’re just listening. And afterwards, there’s some discussion.
“And the husband tells our team […] ‘This is good, that you would bring this Bible for my wife, because she cannot read, she cannot write. And so, a paper book is no good. It is good that you bring an audio book so that she can hear this.’”
Before they left, the team leader showed them that their tv remote had the same batteries as the audio Bible. Later, he explained to Ouimette that women in Arabic cultures often stay home all day while the men work. This was his way of letting the wife know where she could always find new batteries for the audio Bible. That way, she could listen to the Bible all day long if she wanted.
Ask God to work in the hearts of this husband and wife. Pray for them to find hope—and even community—in Christ.
To learn more about this ministry and how you can partner with them, click here.
Header photo courtesy of Erik Ouimette of Uncharted Ministries.
