India (MNN) — Ro and Mawii Pudaite of Bibles for the World recently visited India. On that trip, they met with representatives of a rural church in Manipur state.
The representatives included a pastor and two of his elders who brought with them a
donation for Bibles. Knowing the area from which they came, Ro asked them, "How can you afford to give any money for Bibles when your village is among the worst-affected famine areas in Manipur?"
They responded: "When we heard about the need of printing Bibles for the people of a nation who have never had the Word of God in their language, we could not help but sacrifice. We don't know what we would do without God's Word. We would rather go without food than deny these dear people from having the Word of eternal life."
The sacrificial money that they gave will be used to help Bibles for the World distribute 1.2 million Bibles. They have already distributed 600,000.
Where are all of those Bibles going? To subscribers of India Today, "Perhaps the most prestigious and widely read news-weekly magazine in India," according to Mawii Pudaite. Because of this, the publication does hand-deliveries on the same day every week. Now their delivery people are also delivering New Testaments.
The publishers of India Today gave Bibles for the World the free use of the names and addresses
of all their subscribers. Since India does have freedom of religion, they did not need permission to do so.
However, persecution is a threat. But as families receive the Bibles at home, they can be read without that risk.
The response has been good thus far. This may be in part to the addition of "Frequently Asked Questions" which were added to the back of the book, such as Who is God? Who is Christ? What is faith? "Some have received Christ as Savior and Lord. We have had many response letters. Many of them are seekers, wanting to know more, and we follow them," said Mawii.
"As the funds are made available to us by the Lord through His people, we will be able to do it. The press itself, the delivery, they can do it in a very short time." The New Testaments cost just $2.00 each.
Even if you can't provide funds, Pudaite says your prayers are needed. Pray that God will make His Word clear to those who are receiving the New Testaments.
