GHANA EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES. ANTHONY SIR ANDREW MOTION Pass it on WE OFFER THE BIBLE TO THE WORLD. Unlocking the Bible prisoners

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2 WE OFFER THE BIBLE TO THE WORLD 04 for 06 now GHANA Unlocking the Bible prisoners EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES Four countries we re supporting 10 ANTHONY HOROWITZ SIR ANDREW AND MOTION Pass it on

3 WORDINACTION SUMMER 2015 VIEWPOINT in the news Open the Book reaches 2000 schools Open the Book has announced that over 2,000 registered primary schools are now taking part in the scheme and over 400 schools have registered since October There are also over 11,000 volunteer Bible storytellers now going into schools across the UK. In many ways, the world has never felt smaller. There are more than 140 national Bible Societies worldwide, and it is a profound experience to be able to genuinely say 'their people are our people'. Working closely with these colleagues, overcoming geographical, cultural or economic divides, is one of the many remarkable privileges of working for Bible Society. In May, we spoke with Tej Jirel, General Secretary of Bible Society in Nepal in the wake of the earthquakes there. Mid-way through his update, the call dropped out as the power went down but with your support, we were still able to give our team in Nepal 20,000 towards relief efforts, and we have managed to stay in regular contact with them throughout the recovery process. Last year, I listened as a friend and colleague in Iraq showed me a picture of a Bible Society volunteer, before explaining that this young priest had been killed because of his work. This year we have provided a 4x4 vehicle to Congo Brazzaville and to South Sudan - our colleagues had warehouses full of Bibles but no way to deliver them to remote communities longing for them. These are not things that happen to 'other people', somewhere 'out there'. These are the experiences of our own we rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. There is so much need out there, and so much opportunity to serve. There are so many ways that people ask us for help to access Scripture, and for so many different reasons. You'll hear about just a few of them in this edition of WIA. It is always humbling to hear these stories, and we the team and the communities we serve are so grateful for all the ways you help us offer the Bible to people all over the world. James Catford Group Chief Executive, Bible Society WE OFFER THE BIBLE TO THE WORLD GHANA Unlocking the Bible 04 for prisoners EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES 06 Four countries we re now supporting ANTHONY 10 HOROWITZ SIR ANDREW AND MOTION Pass it on Open the Book began in Bedford in It s a three-year rolling programme of themed and dramatised Bible stories, which are presented by teams of volunteers free of charge to primary schools. Volunteers present Bible stories in an accessible and enjoyable way and provide a resource that assists schools in meeting their statutory collective worship obligations. In 2013 Open the Book became part of Bible Society in a bid to expand the project to more schools. Open the Book programme coordinator, Dianne Brookes, said the 2,000 school target had been achieved much faster than expected. She added: Good news travel fast. Open the Book is exactly the type of good news that people like to tell others about. It s easy to get involved and great fun to do. Bible Society Stonehill Green, Westlea Swindon SN5 7DG Tel Fax biblesociety.org.uk Charity Registration no Patron Her Majesty the Queen Chairman of the Board Philip Green Group Chief Executive James Catford Editor Abbie Doyle wia@biblesociety.org.uk Design Origin Design Consultants Bible Society product order line Free Materials order line Product no PBPM Online ordering shop.biblesociety.org.uk/wia Donations hotline facebook.com/ biblesociety twitter.com/ biblesociety 02 SUMMER 2015

4 IN THE NEWS WORDINACTION Photo: Sir Andrew Motion Charlotte Knee Great Bible Bake Our Great Bible Bake at Easter was a great success with hundreds of people taking part to raise money for Bible Society s work around the world. For those who missed it, there s no need to wait till next year s event as the resources from icing and bunting templates to recipes and labels are available to download and print off at Bible Society s website. So whether you take your cakes into work, sell them after church or just invite friends over for a coffee, you can join in the fun! Organiser Susan Wingrave said, We re delighted with the response to the Great Bible Bake and hope that year on year there will be even more people involved. But please don t wait, keep baking and keep selling 5 will provide a Bible for someone who desperately longs for one. Resources include: Recipes, including Bible-based suggestions and healthy ideas Fun templates Venue decoration tips Template for easy-to-make bunting Price labels A4 poster Download your free resources from biblesociety.org.uk/greatbiblebakewia SIR ANDREW MOTION REVEALS HIS FAVOURITE BIBLE PASSAGE A s part of a new book, Britain s Favourite Bible Verse which will be published later this year, the former Poet Laureate, Sir Andrew Motion, has revealed his favourite passage from the Bible which is Ruth 1: (KJV). And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: 17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. Commenting on the passage, Sir Andrew said: Taken out of context, these words sound like part of a love poem - and so in a sense they are. But they re loving words spoken by a daughter-in-law (Ruth) to a motherin-law (Naomi). So a part of their tenderness is to do with family-feeling. But not the easy sort of same-blood, same-place family feeing. Naomi met Ruth when she (Naomi) was in selfimposed exile after fleeing a famine in her native land. So the larger story is about the affectionate greeting of strangers. And by implication about embracing the largest imaginable idea of human fellow-feeling. A lesson for their own times, and for all time. SUMMER

5 WORDINACTION COVER FEATURE WHENEVER I READ THE BIBLE, I FIND WORDS THAT ENCOURAGE ME 04 SUMMER 2015

6 BIBLE BEHIND BARS K ingsley doesn t like talking about the crime that put him in prison. He stole money from his workplace, he says, but he s evasive on the details. When he gets to the subject of the Bible, however, the conversation comes alive. I want to know more about Jesus and do things in accordance with the will of God, he enthuses. Whenever I read the Bible, I find words that encourage me. Thirty-five-year-old Kingsley Dartey had little experience of Scripture before arriving at St James Camp Prison, in Accra, Ghana. He was involved in all sorts of illegal activity, he admits. But now, halfway through his sentence, he s one of the inmates in charge of leading the daily church services, and says, I dedicate most of my time to reading the Bible... He talks animatedly about his favourite verses (2 Chronicles 15.7 and Acts 4.12), and the other prisoners nod as he explains, These remind me that whatever I am going through, if I remain in the faith, I know that one day God will reward me. Kingsley wants to be an evangelist or pastor when he leaves prison in 2016 and says his family are over-joyed at the change they ve seen in him. Kingsley s story shows the powerful impact of a unique partnership between us and Alpha, the course which helps people explore life and the Christian faith. It shows what can happen when people meet Jesus and are given a Bible to discover more. Thanks to your support, thousands of prisoners like Kingsley, across seven African countries have received Bibles over the last year. Robin Asamuch Fenning, Governor of St James Camp Prison, said the contribution of Bible Society and Alpha is just massive. These prisoners, sentenced for relatively minor crimes, are key targets for rehabilitation and re-offending rates here have dropped from 57% to just 21% since Bible Society and Alpha arrived at the prison in Mr Asamuch Fenning added, Kingsley has transformed since he came here. You can see how much prisoners want to know the Word of God. Without the Bible, we can t easily transform lives. We thank you very much, and our prayer is that you continue to support us. Seventy inmates (out of 411 at the prison) are already signed up for the next Alpha course, which takes place over five weeks. They ll receive sweets and essential toiletries in place of the meal which Alpha participants in this country typically share. There are also plans to expand the course into more prisons beyond the three in Accra which already run Alpha. Prison guards as well as criminals have expressed interest in joining the sessions and receiving a Bible of their own. In fact, Alpha is seeing huge growth right across Ghana. 10,000 are taking part this year, and the number is set to double to 20,000 participants in With this expansion, the demand for Bibles is vast. Kwasi Bobo, National Director of Alpha in Ghana, illustrates how important it is to provide new Christians with Bibles: When you take people through Alpha, they establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ but they also need to be nurtured. It s like giving birth to a baby, a full human being. The baby needs to be fed, clothed and protected to enable it to grow. Providing Bibles to new Christians is like giving spiritual food which is the Word of God. Bible Society s Chief Executive in Ghana, Erasmus Odonkor, added, To supporters, I say thank you and blessings. You will not be able to come to Ghana to visit our prisons, but your money, your Bible, has reached a prisoner. Father-of-two Godwin Tsede, 34, in prison for unlawful entry, said, Before prison I was living life as I shouldn t do. But when I go out I won t. The Bible is important: we definitely need more Bibles in prison. Jonas Tetteh, 27, due for release at the end of 2017, said, I haven t been in prison before and I felt so bad when I was sentenced. But I have faith in God. In prison my faith has increased and even if I die here I will surely go to heaven. SUMMER

7 WORDINACTION RESPONDING TO THE WORLD WITH THE WORD Responding to the world with the word We re passionate about sharing the Bible with every country on the planet David Smith, Head of International Programme D epending on how good your geography is and which source you believe, you ll know that there are between 189 and 196 independent countries in the world today. Incredibly, we have colleagues in 146 of them, and through those bases, we work to make the Bible available in just about every country on the planet. Right now our colleagues in 100 countries are relying on the support that you and other generous people like you, give to fulfil our mission. There are always more requests to work with people than we can meet. This poses some important questions: where do you start and how do you prioritise? We work with up to 19 Bible Society teams at any one time, building relationships, training and fundraising over a five-year period. Relationship is the vital word here. They are key to how we work with our colleagues around the world. There is nothing like sitting in someone s office or chatting over a meal and saying, OK, tell me what you want to do here. What are the dreams you are dreaming? That way we get the passion, the vision, the needs they want to fulfil in their own communities. We listen to that vision and, with your help, work to fulfil it. The ideas always come from the people on the ground and it s an incredibly holistic approach. We love working with people who not only translate the Bible, but produce and distribute it, help people engage with it and teach them to read using it. As well as those who advocate for the Bible at a local and national level. It s a tremendously exciting way to work. We want to empower people to fulfil their community s own needs, not to be reliant on us. That means different things in different places. For example our team in Cambodia can now meet all their core outgoings without our input, which they couldn t five years ago. Meanwhile, we recently bought a 4x4 vehicle for our staff in both South Sudan and Congo Brazzaville. Why? In short, they needed them. There are so few roads in these countries that, in order to get Bibles to communities, they needed vehicles that could do the job. In all sorts of diverse ways, it s wonderful to see our colleagues ideas blossom in the five years that we work with them. I m often moved by our work across the world. We work with staff serving three communities in the Holy Land (Palestinians, Israelis and Arab-Israelis). Everything there is about reconciliation and living in peace with your brother. That work is flourishing despite difficult conditions. In contrast, Ethiopia is a country where as many as 55 million of the 70 million-strong population are Christians. I find it particularly humbling that the Ethiopian government views Bible Society as an organisation that can bring churches and other Christian agencies together. Our part in the journey to help with that has been tremendously exciting. Over the next five years we will support and work alongside our colleagues to develop projects in Costa Rica, Turkey, Guatemala and Laos. All the work is driven by local perspectives. These ideas and actions of local people, teamed with your support will help to reach more communities around the world. 06 SUMMER 2015

8 RESPONDING TO THE WORLD WITH THE WORD WORDINACTION POLAND CZECH REP. SLOVAKIA UKRAINE AUSTRIA MOLDOVA HUNGARY SLOVENIA ROMANIA CROATIA BOSNIA SERBIA RUSSIAN FEDERATION ITALY MONTENEGRO BULGARIA MACEDONIA ALBANIA GEORGIA GREECE TURKEY CYPRUS SYRIA Turkey Christians form just 0.1% of a largely Muslim population in Turkey. Most Turks are misinformed about both Christianity and the Bible as a result of the national education system. But a new generation is asking questions and seeking answers. We re trying to answer those questions through attending six annual book fairs - along with approximately one million othersand running our bookshop in Istanbul. Both offer a tremendous opportunity for us to meet and reach people. The store in Istanbul has become a haven for seekers and shoppers. For many people it s the first time they meet a Christian. Tamar Karasu, from Bible Society in Turkey, said, We ll never know how many people are impacted by Scripture in this way. While some people come to buy, many simply call in to ask questions and debate issues with the trained staff. With your help, we hope to continue and expand this work over the next five years. NEPAL INDIA BHUTAN BANGLA- DESH LAOS SRI LANKA MYANMAR (BURMA) C H I N A VIETNAM THAILAND CAMBODIA BRUNEI MALAYSIA TAIWAN PHILIPPINES Laos Laos is a landlocked country in south east Asia with a population of 6.5 million. It is also one of the poorest places on earth, with a third of the population living below the poverty line. Just 1.5% of the population is Christian in a largely Buddhist society. It was only two years ago in 2013 that the government allowed Bibles to be imported and distributed. Since then the number of Bibles that we ve been able to import has grown steadily. And this year we re hoping to make 42,000 Bibles and scripture portions available to the people of Laos at subsidised rates so that people can afford them. We re working with 10 churches across the country to do this. But it s no use having a Bible if you can t read it. Literacy rates among ethnic minority groups and in rural Laos are just 49%. So, in these regions we re working with classes of 10 students who meet weekly for an hour over three months. The results have been astounding. So far, at the end of the courses that we ve run, some 90% of students could read. With your help, we hope to teach more people to read over the next five years. SUMMER

9 WORDINACTION RESPONDING TO THE WORLD WITH THE WORD Relationships are key to how we work with our colleagues around the world. THE BAHAMAS MEXICO CUBA BELIZE JAMAICA HONDURAS HAITI DOMINIC REPUBL PUE RIC GUATEMALA EL SALVADOR NICARAGUA COSTA RICA PANAMA COLOMBIA VENEZU Guatemala Some 70 per cent of Guatemala s 15 million-strong population is under 30. The Bible is largely seen as irrelevant in popular culture. In a bid to break that barrier, we re working on a Bible entirely written in text language. It will be translated into that language by year-olds in the region. A group of 20 youngsters come to our office in Guatemala every week to translate alongside members of staff. Around the country we re working with 25 schools encouraging students to help with the text translation project. They can take part online and enter their texted version of a chosen verse. The scheme is government-backed, as it s hoped it can help reduce crime rates and violence on the streets, by drawing kids out of gangs and giving them something more purposeful to do. MEXICO GUATEMALA EL SALVADOR COSTA RICA CUBA BELIZE JAMAICA HONDURAS NICARAGUA PANAMA THE BAHAMAS HAITI COLOMBIA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC PUERTO RICO VENEZUELA Costa Rica This Central American country bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south east - has a population of approximately 4.5 million. The area between Costa Rica and Panama has long been inhabited by the Ngöbe people. For years they were considered nomads but in 2000 they were made Costa Rican citizens. The Ngöbe people are now the largest indigenous group in the region without a Bible in their own language. But with your help, we can change that. In 2014, representatives approached our team in Costa Rica to ask for help in translating and producing the New Testament for the Ngöbe people. The team began training a group from the indigenous community to carry out the translation project. This is especially important as the government has introduced a new law stipulating that all indigenous groups must study in their own language. Over the next five years, we would like to be able to offer the Bible and other biblical resources to this community, as a tool for wider learning. With your help, we believe this is possible. 08 SUMMER 2015

10 Q&A WORDINACTION BREAKING BARRIERS TO THE BIBLE Paul Woolley, Bible Society s Deputy Chief Executive shares some of the requests for help we receive and why we do our best to fulfil them wherever we can. Q Can you give us a flavour of the kind of needs Bible Society responds to around the world? A We exist to offer the Bible to the world and we have people doing this across the globe. Obviously, this looks different depending on the country. So, if someone doesn t have a Bible in their language, we produce a translation. If there s a translation, but someone doesn t have access to it, we distribute the Bible. Another obstacle to engaging with the Bible could be illiteracy, so we will help someone learn to read. But the biggest challenge we face in England and Wales is apathy or even hostility to the Bible. Q How do you know that Bible Society is only giving Bibles where they re actually wanted? A Our research indicates that despite the challenges, there is considerable openness to the Bible in the UK. Globally, demand for the Bible outstrips our ability to supply it. The Bible remains the world s best-selling book. Churches across the world often approach us to provide Bibles for people. That s not just a matter of charity; it s a matter of justice. We believe that everyone has the right to access the Scriptures and engage with them. Q If someone has never read the Bible, they don t know whether they need it or not. How do you address that? A People experience parts of the Bible through art, music, or when it is read to them in services which encourages them to want more. There s a real thirst for the Bible out there. That s no surprise. The Bible is, after all, the story of God and the world. It changes people and communities. We hear about Mary Jones desire for a Bible in her own language over 200 years ago and continue to see this desire in people and communities all over the world today. Q How do you do this in the UK where only one in 10 people read the Bible? A In the UK there are multiple programmes to offer the Bible to people, to encourage them to pick it up for the very, very first time. We take the Bible, through Open the Book, into more than 2,000 primary schools. We think every child should be able to experience the Bible. That s what I want for my two boys, so why shouldn t everyone have this opportunity? In our media and campaigning work we want to put the Bible into the mainstream of public conversation. Through our film competition we are offering the Bible to a whole group of people who don t necessarily realise how interesting it can be we encourage them to engage with the text, the stories, the people, the encounters with God and we see that opinion change. Q Why does Bible Society just focus on giving the Bible when there are such massive material needs in many of the countries you work in? A We don t. We work with other agencies, for instance following the recent earthquakes in Nepal, to get people what they need. But we are endlessly humbled by the fact that people in really tough situations tell us that what they want is the Bible. Photo: Paul Woolley with his wife Ruth, and sons Atticus and Amos SUMMER

11 WORDINACTION PASS IT ON continues with five retellings of classic Bible stories We ve already had to reprint our new Pass it on Bible book to keep up with demand. Ben Whitnall, Campaign Manager explores why these modern retellings of Scripture stories are proving so popular. Not long ago, we spoke with a headteacher who told us a rather familiar tale. In an assembly of 420 children, she d asked about the meaning of Easter. All the answers were about eggs and bunnies. Concerned that anything to do with Jesus seemed to have passed the pupils by, the head asked her teachers to help the children understand more about Easter. But the teachers confessed that they would struggle to do this, as they weren t familiar or confident with the biblical story behind Easter themselves. This picture is increasingly familiar: there are lots of people who think it's important to pass on Bible stories but many aren t sure where to start, or lack the confidence to begin. We believe every child has the right to encounter the Bible. As the research demonstrates, a vital part of providing that opportunity is through schools. 10 SUMMER 2015

12 In some ways, this should come as no surprise. Research we've commissioned over the past two years has found, for example: In a survey of 8-15 year olds, teachers are way out in front at the top of the list of people who have ever read a Bible story to me. But less than half of teachers (47%) are confident about including religious or sacred texts in their teaching plans. 38% of 8-15 year olds in England and Wales have never read, seen or heard the story of Adam and Eve. 36% couldn t identify the Parable of the Good Samaritan as a Bible story and 59% couldn t identify Jonah as a Bible story. That s despite the fact that 80% of parents whose children have come into contact with Bible stories think it s important to pass those stories on. So when teachers tell us they find it difficult to know what to do with the Bible, we try to help them. That s why, in April this year, we produced the Pass It On book, featuring five retellings of Bible stories by authors including Anthony Horowitz, Sir Andrew Motion and Beano s Kev F. It was developed to help teachers and pupils feel more confident to get stuck into the Bible, and is available as a booklet and as a free download from biblesociety.org.uk/passitonwia Anthony Horowitz told us why he took time out from writing his new James Bond and Sherlock Holmes novels to retell a Bible story: 'I chose to write about the Tower of Babel because it is such a wonderful image... if you have ever wondered why we all speak different languages, it provides an imaginative answer. It makes a good point about vanity and about the importance of recognising human limitations. In short, it s a small masterpiece and I hope you will enjoy re-reading it. To make sure that as many people as possible had the opportunity to engage with these stories, we sent a free copy of the book to 8,000 schools, and a free sample to every other school in the country. We also dropped one into 50,000 copies of the Mail on Sunday. And we collaborated with The Entertainer, the UK s largest independent toyshop, to put copies of the book in their stores up and down the country for customers to take away for free. Shortly after announcing the book s release, we found ourselves running out of copies! We had to do an additional print run of 20,000 to keep ahead of demand. We ve had thousands of visits to the website where people have been downloading the digital version as well as ordering hard copies. We re really excited about this as a fresh way to pass on Bible stories. Our hope is that it will give people whether or not they consider themselves religious a reason to get into the Bible, perhaps for the first time. If you d like to get involved, you can: get your own free copy of the book from biblesociety.org.uk/passitonwia and share it with a friend or family member. make a donation see biblesociety.org.uk/support-uswia for more information. let local schools know about the book. Pray that they would find it to be a valuable resource. Pass It On This Bible Sunday 2015 And that s not all! Another great way you can get involved in our Pass It On campaign in 2015 is to participate in Bible Sunday at your local church. Taking Pass It On as our theme, we re inviting churches nationwide to join with us in sharing the Bible with the next generation. Celebrate Bible Sunday on 25 October (or any Sunday that works for your church!): get your free resources including a DVD, sermon material and youth and children s activity suggestions from biblesunday.org. We re passionate about opening up the Bible for the nine out of 10 people in England and Wales who have no regular contact with it. But we can t do it alone. It s your support that makes all this possible so thank you! SUMMER

13 WORDINACTION FEATURE A better future for Palestinian children Last year, we asked you to help us grasp an opportunity to enter the Gaza Strip, to support children who ve seen the horror of war. Your response was overwhelming. R eminders of the 51-day conflict between Hamas and Israel were everywhere as our small team arrived in Gaza just before Christmas 2014, where the small Christian community in Gaza gathered to celebrate. A video message from Nashat Filmon, who leads our work with Palestinians was shown on the big screen in the church. Nashat couldn t get a permit to meet the people directly, but his words were powerful. Stay strong and faithful, he told them. Your numbers might be decreasing but your faith is increasing. Take care of your children and young people. You are carrying the torch; you are the light in Gaza. Around 400 children were each given a package containing chocolates, a toy, toothpaste and toothbrush, Scripture booklets and Bible colouring books. It was the first time Bible material had been distributed in Gaza for years. This unique opportunity to reach Christians in Gaza last Christmas hadn t been planned so it was only thanks to your generosity that we were able to do it. That was something extraordinary and people were very excited, said Nashat, reflecting on the Christmas event. It was an extremely joyful moment. I feel like I m in heaven to provide Scriptures in Gaza. This is the cup of cold water people are thirsty for. Overall, your support last year meant 5,000 children in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem were reached with a mixture of Bible puppet shows, plays, arts and crafts, day trips to Christian sites, and Christmas and Easter activities. In fact, 90,000 Palestinian children have been part of the Child of Bethlehem project since The aims of this programme are ambitious: we want to see a generation of young people in the Holy Lands who love Jesus and want to share the Bible. We want to change the story in the region in a way that politics and military intervention has failed to do. With more than half of Palestinians under the age of 18, it s reaching a significant proportion of the population. Your support means the project continues to grow and we are able to reach more children like those in Gaza. 12 SUMMER 2015

14 Use the clues provided to decipher the Biblical characters needed to complete this puzzle. How well do you know the people of the Bible? Using the clues provided, can you decipher the Bible characters needed to fill out the crossword? Cut out this page and send your answers along with your name and contact details to WiA Quiz, Bible Society, Stonehill Green, Westlea, Swindon, SN5 7DG to be in with the chance of winning one of two leather ESV Bibles. With 32 pages of full colour illustrations and maps, and the words spoken by Jesus highlighted in red. Across 1 An epic hero and one of Israel s judges 4 This first century physician also happens to be the writer of the longest Gospel 7 The most famous King Israel ever had 9 Jacob s seventh son and his first by Leah s servant Zilpah 11 The disciple that is mentioned in all lists of the apostles but not anywhere else 13 This remarkable woman is considered a prophet and one of the leaders of the Hebrew people 14 Wife of David and praised for her wisdom 16 The son of God 17 This prophet and Judge helped lead Israel to defeat King Jabin or Hazor 18 Jesus gave this man the keys to the Kingdom of heaven 19 The son of a king who ordered the death of all baby boys during his reign 20 Jacob s second son by his wife Rachel 23 He shared his name with another of Jesus disciples 25 Also known as the twin 26 Known by two rhyming names and received his message directly from Jesus Down 2 The brother of Simon Peter 3 Widely known for his wisdom, this king ruled Israel from about 970 to 931 bc 5 A timid girl who became the queen of Persia 6 This man was killed by his brother 8 According to Luke, Jesus cast seven demons out of her 10 The first man 12 The brother of Moses 15 Wife of Isaac 21 Jacob s eleventh son 22 Saved the animal kingdom and human race from 24 The biological mother of Ishmael SUMMER

15 WORDINACTION YOUR LETTERS AND COMMENTS I think it is great to know that after 200 years Bible Society is still spreading the good news all around the world and I am delighted that at 85 I am still able to have a small part in it. MARGARET, HARTLEPOOL I decided to do a sponsored cycle ride (on my exercise bike) for Don t Give up, Just Give, calculating that I should be able to complete the task in the forty days. I did not ask for specified sums, just that people gave what they thought my efforts were worth. I completed the task on 14th March, cycling 40 miles 327 yards (my bike measures kilometers not miles) and to date I have collected 65 with more to come, I hope. As I have COPD and am in my seventies, I am quite pleased with myself. I look forward to reading about the work you are doing. Practical Christianity is definitely what is needed. PEGGY, SHEFFIELD Hello World people are doing a super job with your Facebook page. Love the trip reports, the variety, stimulating quotes, Scriptures, videos, events, fun, humour, great pics, and five questions - great stuff. Thank you! JOHN, NEW ZEALAND (FACEBOOK) S WARD ENTICOTT, TIVERTON WE TO FROM YOU us your thoughts and comments at wia@biblesociety.org.uk or use the comments form attached. We reserve the right to edit letters for style and length. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Bible Society. 14 SUMMER 2015

16 LAST WORD WORDINACTION One verse He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Psalm (ESV Through the whole of the Old Testament, you see this pattern of humans failing. In one way or another, they hurt people they love and cause chaos. Again and again, God brings them back to himself. I see it in my own life: you try to do good, but it doesn t work out in the right way. But this verse talks about God healing people through his words, the Scriptures. When you are physically hurt and heal, you are restored to your original condition. So when we fail and God heals us, he brings us back to the person he intended us to be. A lot of people think Scripture moulds us to be better people, but I think it takes us back to how God made us. So when I m typesetting or laying out a Bible, I know I m helping to give people that hope and healing. Colleagues from all over the world ask us to help typeset their Bibles, if they can t do it themselves. I ve been working on the Welsh Bible for a year now, and sometimes you can lose the big picture but essentially we re giving people the opportunity to read the Bible in their own language. It s amazing to be part of that. Becky Parsons, 20, is a Bible typesetter at Bible Society and lives in Swindon. Biblepeople: Teresa Smith was helping out in Bible Society s Contact Centre a few years ago when the manager asked her to respond to a stash of voic messages. Sixty phone calls later, she was hooked. I just love talking to people, said Teresa. There s a real buzz when the phones are going, and I love that. Today, Teresa leads a team of four who staff what s effectively our call centre. They deal with 25,000 phone calls every year (250 a day in busy times), as well as s, website enquiries, telephone donations and events bookings. We re the first point of contact for our supporters, she said. Our daily conversations range from taking donations, to responding to one caller who asked if we knew her great aunt who used to work here. We chat with people who may not have talked to anyone for days. The team love the variety: no two days are the same. As a mum to Ruby, 12, and eight-yearold Archie, it s our children s work that inspires Teresa most: such as Open the Book and new ways of sharing the Bible. I really get the feeling we re doing something that s reaching lots of people, she said. We hear from people who are so enthusiastic about the work, it s great....for years I went to Wednesday-night Bible studies with my church group. So I had this peripatetic overview of various faiths, and the one thing I got from that was the intellectual pursuit involved. There was a lot of great stuff to think about. TOM HANKS, ACTOR Photo: usmagazine.com SUMMER