Bibles are a desperate need in Haiti.

Haiti (MNN) — This week marks the inauguration of Haiti’s new president, Rene Preval. There’s hope that the new government will bring stability and calm to this beleaguered Caribbean nation, after more than two years since the former president Jean-Betrand Aristide was ousted in February 2004.

The poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has struggled with staggering poverty, unemployment and violence that have paralyzed the nation and made it unsafe for visitors and nationals alike.

The Bible League has continued its ministry of training national church planters and providing Bibles to believers there. At a recent training session, of 50 church planters in attendance, only one had a Bible, and it had been given to him by a Bible League worker.

The Bible League’s Scott Thunder says the violence has impacted their work, but God is still working. “It has been violent there, but Bible League has been able to do some great ministry there, and there’s some exciting developments. We’re in the process of opening a fourth center in southwest Haiti, and we have about 1000 churches that have been planted there. But there’s still a great need for Bibles.”

They have seen the power of God’s Word, and that’s why Thunder says the need for Bibles is so great. “It’s exciting just to see how God’s Word continues to progress, and continues to change lives even in the midst of terribly violent times in Haiti and political unrest and things like that. So it just shows you the power of God’s Word and what it can do even in the midst of dark times, sometimes because of dark times.”

Safety is still an issue the Bible League reckons with. They have to be careful in their work, which makes the ministry difficult. Partnerships with national believers ensures that the ministry keeps going. “It’s unsafe for us to travel to that area, so we have to rely on the Haitian nationals there to keep the faith and be safe and just wait for things to clear up a little bit and they can get back out to the regular work that they do.”

Pray for calm and peace as the new president leads Haiti. Four dollars provides one Bible, $20 gives five Bibles for Haitian believers. If you’d like to help provide Bibles, contact the Bible League using their information listed below. Earmark your donation for new Haitian churches and believers.