Four countries receive shipments of Scripture

International (MNN) — Thanks to Christian Resources International, people in four different countries will have the chance to hear about Christ and grow in their faith.

CRI recently sent out five sea containers, each containing about half a million dollars’ worth of free Bibles and Christian books. The containers were sent to Kenya, Mozambique, Mankessim and Takoradi, Ghana, and Calcutta, India. They were recently unloaded and are being distributed to those thirsty for God’s Word.

“There are materials in there for the person who’s not saved, to the one who just gave their life to the Lord, to the person wanting to be a leader, and then ongoing information for pastors,” CRI Executive Director Jason Woolford says. “We’re excited that we’re making a difference, not only in individuals’ lives, but [in the lives of] pastors, leaders and the next generations, as we are giving these to orphans as well.”

This was the first time CRI has sent shipments to both Mozambique and Kenya. In Kenya, the container was the first of many to arrive at CRI’s newest distribution center. It is CRI’s third distribution center, where shipments are sent monthly and the books distributed to anyone who needs them. There is also a CRI missionary there who will soon begin training up pastors

“He’s training them regularly,” Woolford says. “Every month, we’re training pastors, and then we’re sending them out with the Gospel and Christian books to seed into that community and outlining areas.

“Our goal is to send one million dollars’ worth of free Bibles and Christian books, purchasing the sea containers and sending them to our Kenya distribution center, annually.”

It costs about $40,000 to support a distribution center. Woolford asks that you consider contributing toward this financial need because he understands the powerful impact God’s Word can make.

“We just got our e-mail back with pictures and an update. They had pictures with children sitting around, reading the Word of God and Christian books,” Woolford says. “The thing that stood out to me the most was when they told me they were able to read John 3:16 out of their own Bible for the first time in their life. Instead of just hearing about what God said, they were reading it out of their own Bible for the first time, and that really blessed me.”

Want to see how you can help change lives like this? Even if you can’t give financially, CRI still needs books to fill their containers. Click here to see how you can give your gently-used, no-longer-needed Bibles and Christian books, or find other ways to get involved.