A Bible Society takes the Gospel to Czech young people.

Czech Republic (MNN)–In 1993, the Czech Republic underwent a “velvet divorce” into its two national components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The move also represented a shift away from Communism.

Now a member of NATO, and anctipating joining the European Union this week, the Czech Republic has moved toward integration in world markets, a development that poses both opportunities and risks.

Among those risks, a people now spiritually adrift. International Bible Society’s Communications Director for Europe, Pavel Novak says the Czech Republic is one of Europe’s countries with the largest concentration of unbelievers.

Because the Czech government could see the repurcussions of a lost generation, they welcomed IBS into the schools. “The distribution of Manna Bible is always presented along with exhibition of children’s pictures and cartoon program. This way, we are trying to introduce the Gospel to Czech schools.”

IBS will give thousands of students Manna Mini Bibles and hundreds of teachers Czech New Testaments. Novak says the need is great. “Forty years is a long period of Communist ideology that negatively influenced the present middle generation. The children are most ignorant of the Bible and Christianity. So, that’s the reason why IBS organized that Manna Bible project.”