USA (MNN) — While physical assistance is the priority in many areas where the hurricane hit, spiritual assistance is also a great need right now. That’s the message we’re hearing from the International Bible Society as thousands of Bibles and scripture booklets are on their way to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
IBS’ Sues Hyde describes the situation. “The evacuees themselves are asking for Scripture. So, we have the unique privilege of helping to meet those needs. One of the pastors wife, who is a licensed counselor, called me on Friday and said, ‘I am so desperate for Scripture when I do my counseling I’m hand writing verses on cards to have anything to hand people.”
Requests have come in from churches, counselors, the Coast Guard, relief agencies and others who are helping with the relief efforts. Hyde says this will be a major response by IBS. “We’ve committed at least $250,000 on this disaster response. And, for us, that means probably about a half-million pieces of Scripture we’ll be sending out. We’ve committed to that even though we don’t have funds in hand right now.”
Hyde says churches outside the hurricane zone are already proactively thinking how they can help. “If had one church all me and said, ‘We have extra Scriptures lying around that had ordered from you that we’ve not yet used, tell me what church to send them to.” Hyde hopes many churches will commit to helping churches replace their pew Bibles when they decide to rebuild.
IBS would like people to pray for these shipments. Hyde says, “That His spirit would go before these pieces we’re sending out and work in people’s hearts, so that when they read them they would be comforted, that more people would come to faith in Christ.”
To help IBS send Scripture into the region go to their website, or call 1-800-987-3595.
