The Bible at workSower

SOUTH PACIFIC: God’s Word carried on the high seasAUSTRALIA: Getting school kids to look inside the Bible SECRET COUNTRY: Taking the Bible into closed places

MOZAMBIQUELiteracy changing lives for good

WINTER 2013

...“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:15

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Do you agree with this statement? It sounds a bit optimistic, perhaps naïve. How could this possibly be the Golden Age of the Word? After

all, fewer and fewer people seem toread the Bible or even know anything about it. There’s talk of trying to remove the Bible from the education system, and of making life harder for charities that shape their work around the word of God. Surely it’s a time of Bible ‘famine’, not Bible ‘harvest’?

Like most views, it depends on your vantage point. Yes, many 21st century societies are turning their back on the Bible and the biblical worldview. Christian organisations, including churches, are under increasing pressure to bow to the spirit of the age. Today we have to struggle to have the Word heard.

But there is another story, and a much more encouraging one. There’s an exciting rumour going around that the mission to reach every tribe and nation with the gospel of Jesus is one that could be completed in our generation. When you look at Bible mission from a di!erent angle, we’re living in a time of immense blessing.

Technology is spreading the Word around the globe at

mind-boggling speed. It’s reaching into every nook

and cranny of the globe (even countries where the Bible is forbidden). Via satellite, the internet and mobile devices, more people have a!ordable access to the Bible than

Bible Society Australia is a not-for-profit interdenominational organisation. It is a member of the United Bible Societies, a fellowship of 146 organisations working in more than 200 countries. Our mission is to achieve the widest possible, e!ective and meaningful distribution of the Bible; also, to help people interact with it, and to have their hearts lightened by the Bible’s message of unconditional love in Jesus Christ.GPO BOX 9874 In Your Capital City P: 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537) ISSN 1839-7425 W: biblesociety.org.au E: sower@biblesociety.org.au ACN 148 058 306

‘There’s never been a better time for mission.’ever before. Technology is also assisting translation work—still a long and di"cult task—by helping translators share resources and accelerate the process.

It remains true that the Bible is the world’s best-selling book in all formats. And in Africa, Asia and South America, it’s greatly sought after. Demand still exceeds supply. We have plenty of work to do.

There’s a spirit of cooperation among many Bible agencies around the world as we sense that God has given us the provisions to complete the task of taking the Word to the world. These include translators, technology, and you— our supporters who believe that the job is worth doing. Thank you, and please continue with us as we take the heart-lightening message of God’s love in Christ to every tribe and nation.

Dr Greg Clarke,CEO Bible Society Australia

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BSA Update

Keep getting the word to Rwanda Thank you to all who attended the Get The Word Out launches across Australia (Adelaide event, above) and also for the donations that have come in so far: $103,000 as of mid-May. We’ll fundraise all of 2013 to help rebuild this nation ravaged by a violent past.

Films compete to best depict Joy Entries are rolling in for the Ignite Christian Film Festival, run this year by Bible Society Australia in conjunction with Festival Director Allan Dowthwaite. The competition asks filmmakers to communicate the truths of the Bible in a creative way, and the theme for 2013 is Joy. Entry deadline is July 31. If you’d like to enter, or know someone who would, please visit www.ignitefilmfest.com for details.

A present help in times of trouble They’re just pocket-sized, but these calendars mean a lot to youth in several Australian juvenile justice centres. Besides using them to count down the days to release, the detainees take comfort from “The Lord’s Prayer” and a “Prayer before going to court” printed on the back. The little calendars are also special to the youth as they produced the art themselves. Chaplain Graeme Liersch from Riverina Juvenile Justice Centre says this gives the youth a sense of ownership of the calendars. “But above all else, it seems to give them hope.” So far this year, more than 22,000 pieces of Scripture have been given to the juvenile justice centres, and to other grant recipients like hospitals, prisons, Indigenous ministries and the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

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By the time Antonio Fanifusse turned eighteen, he’d already done a lot of growing up. His father had passed away years before, forcing him to work and support his mother and siblings. His meagre earnings didn’t allow him to return to school, or learn to read and write.

Close to where Antonio lives, another young person had faced enormous challenges. Orphan Rosa Paúlo Castigo never had the chance to go to school at all. At fourteen she was married to an older man, giving birth soon after. Before her child turned two, Rosa’s husband left her. She worked in the market to earn money but, unable to even count, she didn’t do well at all.

Stories like Antonio’s and Rosa’s are a just a part of everyday village life throughout Mozambique.

Changing a nation, The Bible helps Mozambique read

Centuries of colonisation, a 20 year civil war and multiple natural disasters have ravaged life in general. 80% of Mozambicans live a subsistence lifestyle, trapped in a cycle of poverty. Many have little or no access to electricity, sanitation or running water.

44% of the population is illiterate, and education for more than one million children is but a dream. Even after 17 years of peace, illiteracy remains one of the nation’s great challenges and Mozambique is still among the world’s poorest nations. It’s placed 185th out of 186 positions on the United Nations’ Human Development Index (HDI)* report for 2013.

The Bible Society is working to change these awful statistics through a Bible-based rural literacy project.

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A young single mum improves her lot When a literacy class began at her local church, Rosa (left) jumped at the opportunity. “I went to the class, and through the lessons I have learnt many new skills. Most of all I like learning Portuguese, our national language.It’s made me more aware of things thatsurround my life and community.”

Together with local churches, we’re using Bible-based literacy materials to help children and adults learn to read and write. Students who finish the eighteen month literacy course receive their very own Bible, fully equipped to read it for themselves.

Teachers also help them learn to count, and learn more about health and agriculture. By helping them acquire vital life skills, the Bible Society and its supporters are giving the poor in Mozambique greater confidence, and hope for the future.

These tools for a better life are changing not just individuals, but entire communities as well.

* The HDI is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education and income indices that ranks countries into four tiers of human development.

one life at a time

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Antonio’s workmates read the Bible too Now at 20, Antonio (above, centre) has received the education he always wanted. Before the literacy programme, a book meant nothing to him but squiggles on a page. “Now that I’ve graduated, I’m the proud owner of a Bible, and I read it to my family and friends, and at my workplace whenever I get the chance! I’m so excited with the education I’ve received, which is equivalent to Grade 4 in school. One day I aim to be the clerk at my workplace. There’s no looking back now!”

907 students participated in the 2012 literacy programme. In just the first month of the 2013 programme, there were 1,247 who’d enrolled in 68 villages! Enrolment in the literacy programme is exploding. The Bible Society needs your help to break the poverty cycle through this free Bible-based programme that sees lives transformed.

Your tax deductible donation will help buy literacy materials and Bibles, as well as subsidise the living allowances of pastors and teachers running the course on the ground. Will you support this vital ministry in Mozambique and help change lives for good?

To donate please call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537), submit the Sower donation form on the back page or visit biblesociety.org.au/mozambique.

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As I write, I’ve just completed three days on the Munda Biddi bike trail with a group of Christian friends. This track runs from Mundaring in the hills behind Perth, and follows the hills close to the coast all the way to Albany. While climbing in gravel, or meandering through the tall Jarrah forests we met other bike riders who liked the great outdoors. All of the riders acknowledged the rugged beauty and intricate balance of nature, but none acknowledged the creator God. All these Aussies were good people, ones I’d be pleased to have as friends, but they lacked a connection with a higher power, the ultimate power.

The people I met reflect most of the Australians that I observe and interact with in cafés, o!ces, building

sites, universities and shopping centres – basically good people without God. Unlike other countries that su"er from poverty, hunger, epidemics and financial hardship I see Australia’s greatest need as a spiritual one. My prayer for my country is that God will help Australians realise their spiritual need and awaken a revival of the soul amongst us. I also pray that God will raise up leaders who will enable this to happen.

Will you join me to pray for good Australians to become God followers?

This devotion is by Glenn Townend, Pastor and President, Western Australian Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

Our greatest needDevotion

“The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.” Psalm 6:9

Markus Nyberg

’

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Aggie Russell recalls how eager people would be at the sight of the yacht Dayspring drawing near their South Pacific island. “We couldn’t anchor against the smaller wharves, so the islanders would jump into their boats and come out to us, to gladly take the Bibles!”

For more than 30 years, New Zealand-based Ron and Aggie Russell sailed their yachts—successively, Dayspring I, II and III— to remote islands in the South Pacific, distributing Bibles and Scripture materials.

The English sailor and his Fijian-Chinese wife first

found faith in Christ in 1967. Ron so cherished reading the Bible, he wanted everyone to have the same privilege. He soon felt it was his calling to take Bibles by sea to the South Pacific island nations—not to their main islands, but to the more isolated, outlying ones.

“There were thousands of people on those islands, and they weren’t being resourced like those on the bigger islands,” says Aggie. “Christian agencies sent materials to the capital cities and the main ports. However the books weren’t forwarded to the smaller,

Risking the high seas to deliver Scriptures

Crew of the Sea Hawk take Bibles to the South Pacific, to islands so remote they’re only reached by boat

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Risking the high seas to deliver Scriptures

remote islands which you could only reach by boat. Some books would sit in bulk stores for months!”

And so began the Russells’ great journeys of faith. “We didn’t ask for any money, we just prayed.” Soon, though, with support from their church, as well as from Bible Society New Zealand and the United Bible Societies, they were ministering to people in lesser-known islands like the Lau Group in eastern Fiji.

Neither uncharted waters nor shipwreck stopped them for very long. When their third yacht foundered

in 2005 between Fiji and Western Samoa, four former crew members picked up the baton, refusing to see the ministry die. After four years of persistence, they set out on the maiden mission voyage of the Sea Hawk.

The Russells’ ministry continues today with the Sea Hawk. It’s operated by New Zealand’s Dayspring Ministries, in partnership with the Bible Societies of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. “In the islands you have to go under the auspices of something that’s known – and that’s the Bible Society,” says Aggie.

When the mission yacht can’t anchor closer to shore, islanders race out to collect the Bibles themselves

(Above) Isolation’s great for holidays, but (right) is a challenge when getting Bibles to people on the islands

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Tourists love the far flung islands of the South Pacific for their seclusion. It’s quite a di!erent thing altogether for a pastor or school teacher wanting to see the spiritual growth of those in their care.

“Working on remote islands is a challenge,” says Reverend Ravagna, minister for the island of Cicia in Fiji. “Ninety per cent of school children here have no Bible or New Testament; not in Lakeba, either, and I would guess the whole of the Lau group. There is a great need for good children’s materials.”

Both children and adults alike face a dearth of Bibles in parts of the South Pacific. There’s a desperate need to buy Scripture materials—that precious cargo ferried

so faithfully by the Sea Hawk, and the Dayspring before that. In March this year, the Sea Hawk delivered 3,000 Bibles to people in remote islands in Fiji— to the Lau groups, Yasawa and Kadavu.

The yacht is getting ready to sail again for the most remote of the Solomon Islands, with 2,250 English Bibles and 3,140 vernacular New Testaments.

The Bible Society needs your help to fund such a large distribution of Bible resources to the islands.

To donate, please call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537), visit biblesociety.org.au/southpacific or submit the Sower donation form on the back page.

Did you know you can save for a rainy day and help take the Scriptures to others as your money grows? You can do this by participating in our Bible Society in Australia Trustees’ Deposit Fund* which safely and conservatively invests your monies. You choose one of our per annum interest rates for your savings; the di!erence between the interest earned on the accumulated funds and the actual interest you have chosen goes towards the Bible Society’s charitable work. The interest rate (per annum) choices are: 0% or 1% or 2% or 2.5% (e!ective 1st May 2013). Your investment is held at call, and you can add as much as you like at any time.

How would I make withdrawals? Anytime you need to make a withdrawal, send us a written, signed withdrawal request, and funds can be transferred to your bank account, usually within one working day.

Is my investment safe? All monies deposited with the Trustees’ Deposit Fund are held in authorised trustee investments with a minimum ‘AA-’ rating by Standards & Poor’s. Since the inception of the Trustees’ Deposit Funds in the 1960s, all savers’ withdrawals have been paid on demand.

Are there any restrictions? To keep administration costs reasonable and, consequently, the Trustees’ Deposit Fund e!ective in supporting the work of the Bible Society, we require a minimum balance of $1,000 at all times and a maximum of 12 withdrawals per annum.

How do I get started? For more information or an application form, call us on 1800 688 001 (Freecall), e-mail bsatdf@biblesociety.org.au or complete and mail us the coupon on the right.

Grow your money and spread the Word

* Exempt organisation under the Corporations Act as a Charitable Investment Scheme. Information and interest rates are current as at 1 May 2013 and are subject to change.

Please: Call me and tell me more Post me more information

Name:

Address:

Postcode:

Email:

Tel:

Mail to: Bible Society in Australia Trustees’ Deposit Fund, PO Box 375 North Ryde, NSW 1670

Yes, I am interested in the Bible Society in Australia Trustees’ Deposit Fund

ABN 68 740 351 622

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RwandaLearning reconciliation from the scriptures

LebanonBible resources, advocacy and engagement

ChinaRural literacy programme

MozambiqueBible-based literacy programmeABC

ABC

48INTERNATIONALPROGRAMMES

2012 Annual Review2012 was highly productive for the newly nationalised Bible Society. In partnership with 2500 Aussie churches, we createdthe '25 Words' Bible reading campaign, and grew our dollar contribution to international and domestic mission programmesby 19%. Your donations and your prayer support made it all possible – thanks for helping us get the Word out!

Dr Greg Clarke,CEO Bible Society Australia

36,500 children participated and 210 new teacherswere trained, distributing over 40,000 Bible-basedmaterials and 8,000 Bibles to children. Students arereceiving healing and reconciliation through theprogramme while improving their literacy skills!

The interactive ‘Bible World’ in Beirut received its 30,000thvisitor! Children are experiencing the historical contextand message of the Bible in visual and engaging ways.

309 literacy classes in Henan, Chongqing, andShaanxi province had 29,000 people in attendance – many of these locals are unravellingGod’s truths by themselves for the very first time!

1,100 students are participating in 61 villages acrossthe nation, empowered through new skills, opportunities,and the confidence to share the Gospel with others.

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Bible engagement – publishing,media & digital environment

Youth & schoolprogrammes

Remote & indigenousprogrammes

With mission partners, Bible Society has helped the proofing andpublishing of translated Scriptures in 4 indigenous languages, andreleased audio scriptures in two others. Bible Engagement resourcesare equipping and blessing thousands of children and their familiesin many languages across outback Australia. Bible storytellingworkshops have also proved very successful.

46,000 free Bibles andscripture books were given toChristians working in 760public schools nationwide todistribute in their scriptureclasses.

PROGRAMMESAUSTRALIA

all over

Bible resourcesand ebooks

were published

56newBiblesFinancial

Live light in 25 wordsBible Society ran a Bible readingcampaign called ‘Live Light in 25Words’ encouraging AustralianChristians who weren’t readingtheir Bibles to build a better Biblereading habit through reading 25words from the Bible each day.

Campaign highlights:10,000 individuals,2,500 churches,25 partner organisations1,500+ people attendedcampaign events71,000+ resources accessedfrom the campaign website

Please continue to support us, “…confident that the word of Godwill spread widely and grow in power”.

Want to know more? Want to provide feedback?Visit: www.biblesociety.org.au/2012COSTSDONATIONS 6.4% | 9%

Total donations & bequests: $8,271,808

Acts 19:20

InternationalYouth & SchoolsPublishing, digital & contentCampaigns, advocacy & eventsChurch & community relationsRemote & indigenous communityScripture Grants

43.3%14.2%12.7%11.1%9.8%7.1%1.8%

Mission Expenditure

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Remember your favourite teacher at school? It’s most likely the one who made learning fun, who helped you understand, and who had a passion for what they did.

That’s what the Bible Society’s Children’s, Youth and Education (CYE) team aims for as they share the Bible. Each year, the CYE team makes 350 presentations, sharing the gospel story with children in public schools. They bring the Bible alive in an interactive way that gets children interested in what it has to say.

The CYE team also works closely with thousands of religious education teachers in public schools. These teachers play an important pastoral role. Many school children never step into a church, but week after week they have this amazing opportunity to interact with a Christian role model. They build good relationships with Scripture teachers, who help them explore what the Bible says about things going on around them.

Together, the CYE team and Scripture teachers hand out 50,000 free Bibles to children in public schools— all because you give. The Bible Society is continuing to put this challenge before you—the Great 100 Challenge to help us provide 100 schools with 100 Bibles each. We’re about half-way through our 18-month target of raising a total of $200,000.

Will you help us reach this target, and give more children the Bible? To make a tax-deductible donation, call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537), visit biblesociety.org.au/schools or complete and submit the Sower donation form on the back page.

Getting kids to look inside the Bible

The CYE team’s Rick George brings the Bible alive for kids

Primary schools kids ask Bible Joe for more“I enjoy visiting schools, churches and youth groups across Queensland, sharing the Bible. It’s always a pleasure to see the kids’ excitement as they receive a Wild Bible Gospel of Mark. I’m constantly blessed as I watch them discover the truths of the Bible, and the fun they have in that discovery. This is typical of what many children have to say: Dear Bible Joe, thank you for coming to our school to tell us about Jesus and stu!. I thought you were very funny and I loved your stories and the singing. I have been reading my new Wild Bible and I really love the stories. I’m looking forward to helping my class raise some money for Bibles, so that we can send them to poor kids who don’t have one. Please come back again soon!” Johannes Knijnenburg, CYE in Queensland

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Getting kids to look inside the Bible

High school students dig deeper into the Bible story of ‘Jesus and Zac’“Standing in front of a pretty boisterous group of 300 high school students, I launch into my re-telling of a Bible story: Welcome to the job interview. There are many of you applying for this one job—but only one of you will be successful I’m afraid. This is a job that can make you incredibly wealthy, but you might be so hated, people might try to kill you. And so, with a hint of drama in my voice, I tell the story of Jesus and Zaccheus. The group is intrigued, listening closely. You can read their expressions... this is a di!erent sort of religious education… it may even be fun!

This method of interactive storytelling is one I often use when I’m presenting a seminar in a high school. Afterwards I discuss with them the significance of Jesus having a meal with this man. Did Jesus and Zac talk lots, I ask. What might they have talked about that would cause Zac to radically change?

There are some crazy suggestions by way of response – but this group of young people who’d never ordinarily read a Bible themselves, are soon discussing a Bible story

Afterwards, a large group gathers around me, asking questions about the story and about Jesus, and asking for the free comic book ‘The Story of Jesus.’

These are high school students, wanting to know more about Jesus, and the Bible.... yes, right here in Australia!” Adrian Blenkinsop, CYE in South Australia

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Bible reading guide

July 1-11Matthew 10–1210:1–1610:17–3110:32–4211:1–611:7–1911:20–2411:25–3012:1–1412:15–2112:22–3712:38–50

July 12-212 Samuel 1–91:1–161:17–272:1–7; 3:15:1–165:17–256:1–116:12–23

7:1–177:18–298:15; 9:1–13

July 22-August 2Matthew 13–1513:1–1713:18–2313:24–30,36–4313:31–3513:44–5213:53–14:1214:13–2114:22–3615:1–915:10–2015:21–2815:29–39

August 3-122 Samuel 11–1711:1–2712:1–14

12:15–2513:1–2213:23–3915:1–1215:13–3716:1–2317:1–1417:15–29

August 13-17Psalms 86–8986878889:1–1889:19–52

August 18-27Matthew 16–1816:1–1216:13–2016:21–2817:1–13

17:14–2317:24–2718:1–918:10–1418:15–2018:21–35

August 28- September 3Amos1:1–5; 2:6–3:23:3–4:35:1–276:1–147:1–178:1–149:1–15

September 4-142 Samuel 18–2418:1–1818:19–3319:1–18a

19:18b–3019:31–4322:1–1622:17–3022:31–5123:1–724:1–1724:18–25

September 15-19Matthew 19, 2019:1–1519:16–3020:1–1620:17–2820:29–34

September 20-301 Timothy1:1–111:12–20

2:1–153:1–73:8–133:14–164:1–165:1–165:17–6:26:3–106:11–21

The readings in this guide are taken from Series 2 of the Scripture Union Bible reading notes, “Daily Bread”. The whole Bible is covered in four years (Series 1-4).

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BSA DiaryDATE EVENTS & HAPPENINGS VENUESJune 1 Bike For Bibles Hunter Valley One Day Classic Ride NSWJune 21 Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast Ryde, Sydney NSWJune 30 – Sept 1

BFB Australia Big Ride Broome WA to Sydney NSW

July 24 Masterclass for high schools Chatswood, Sydney NSW

July 28 Hymnfest Bairnsdale /Sale VICJuly 31 Closing date for entries to Ignite Film Fest

(sponsored by Bible Society Australia)See ignitefilmfest.com for details

Aug 8 CMA Breakfast Melbourne, VIC

Aug 11 - 25 Hymnfest 11th - Albury NSW/Wodonga VIC18th - Redcli!e QLD 25th - Drouin/Warragul VIC25th - Adelaide, SA

Sept 7 Ignite Film Fest Awards Night Sydney NSWSept 9 - 25 Mary Jones Tour Tour to Wales and England

Like to donate to the Big Ride, or need information on any event? Call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537) or visit www.biblesociety.org.au

The Australia Big Ride from Broome to Sydney starts Sunday 30 June. Please pray for safety of the riders and crewas they travel 7,200km. Do support them too as they fundraise for Bible work in Australia and for the “Read to Live” literacy/anti domestic violence programme in South America.

Support Bike For Bibles on the Big Ride!

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Man rules, but God’s word The Bible is at work in secret places

Would you give so that the Bible is sent throughout this country, to help more people like Ivan read God’s word? To donate call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537) visit biblesociety.org.au/secretcountry or use the Sower donation form on the back page.

“My name is Ivan*. I am 46. I was born into an ordinary working class family. I learned the law of the

street from young, and had a ‘don’t trust, don’t fear, don’t beg’ attitude. At age ten, I was at

the bottom of the class in school, unwilling to study and obey teachers. At age

14, I was in a gang and committed a series of robberies. I was in

detention for five years. This was the start of a life behind bars, a

total of twenty years before I reached forty. I started

using drugs at 19, and even in prison I found ways of getting drugs, never thinking about the consequences. During my years in prison, my mother, father and brother

all died, and I was left alone, with no

relative at all. When in prison, I had

plenty of time to think

Our “secret country” appeals take the Bible to people living under tight government control. Bible Societies there operate under close scrutiny. In order to protect the work, we refrain from naming the countries. Ivan* lives in one such country, a former communist state. Laws about foreign funding put the local Bible Society at risk of closure for receiving foreign assistance. Yet this financially-strapped Bible Society needs help to print and distribute more Bibles. It’s a tense and controlled climate. However, it’s in di!cult places like this that Bibles are especially treasured, resulting in changed lives. Ivan knows this truth, having turned from drug addiction on the strength of the Scriptures alone!

There are about 80,000 “Ivans” in this country, needing rescue from a life addicted to drugs. In the past five years, the Bible Society has distributed Bibles to more than 700 organisations like rehab centres, homes for the children and elderly, colleges and universities.

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Man rules, but God’s word overrulesabout my life. I needed peace, tenderness and warmth. I wanted to forget about prison, and never be in one again. But every time I was set free I went back to my old habits, using drugs and committing crime. It was such a vicious cycle I could not break. Never in my life had I even worked. My hands had held nothing but syringes, playing cards, and ill-gotten money. How would I live, if not by crime? Things looked absolutely hopeless, and using drugs seemed to be the only way out again. I did it more frequently, injecting bigger doses. My life was just a lie, and empty. No light, no hope, and no sense of purpose.

I spent a lot of money in vain at addiction clinics. One told me: ‘You shouldn’t bother coming here anymore. Your case is hopeless.’

More than once in the past I’d heard about Christian rehabilitation centres, and that God worked miracles there. So I decided to go to one. When I got there, they gave me a Bible, saying, ‘Thanks to these Scriptures many drug-addicts have had their lives completely changed’. These words persuaded me to start studying the Bible at once. Its message deeply touched me,

and I turned to God with all my heart. I prayed, ‘My God please help me... I want to serve you just like those other people you’ve saved!’ Within two months, I experienced a personal encounter with the Creator. Peace and tranquility I’d dreamt of for so long filled me. I wept, tears of remorse streaming down my cheeks.

That was two years ago, and God has set me free from every addiction—drugs, smoking, drinking. I don’t even swear anymore. God has given me total freedom and peace for my tired heart. I now serve at a Christian drug treatment centre. I’d once been an addict, but now I want to help others find freedom in Christ.

God’s love alone is able to set anybody free. God gave me a beautiful lady and we will soon marry.

God is so gracious. He has granted me far more than I had ever hoped for! I am thankful to Him, and to those who worked so sacrificially in the rehabilitation centres. Also, I am deeply thankful to the Bible Society and its supporters for the Scriptures given to us. May God abundantly bless you!”

* Not his real name

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June – August 2013

2-8 JunePakistan: Please join us in praying for Pakistan, where over 100 Christian homes have been attacked and burned. Ask for peace in this troubled nation. Peru: Two out of three children in Peru live in poverty, and one in four su!ers from malnutrition. Pray for Bible Society’s Pan de Vida project, which provides hundreds of children with a nutritious breakfast each day while also teaching the Scriptures.

9-15 JuneUSA: Pray for ‘EXPOSED’, a call to action ministry that promotes practical steps for ethical behaviour in business, government and the church. Pray that it will position Christians as advocates of justice and transformation across the world.Bolivia: Thank God for the distribution of Scriptures to various churches in the Cochabamba valley in the Andes Region. Please pray that these Scriptures will bless the many families who received them.

16-22 JuneEgypt: Pray for the Bible Society’s latest billboard campaign, proclaiming ‘The Word is near to you’ at a busy city intersection. Ask that the Bible Society will reach people from all walks of life with the Bible’s message of hope and peace. The Caribbean: Please pray for the Bible Society’s ministry to fight domestic violence in Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao and for the support of local churches.

UBS prayer points 23-29 JuneSpain: Praise God for the success of Bible Month in Spain earlier this year. Please pray that people from all walks of life will come to know, love and be transformed by the living Word of God.Mozambique: Praise God for the recent graduation of five rural literacy classes across Maputo and the northern provinces of Mozambique. Pray for the programme underway in 68 rural villages.

30 June- 6 JulyLiberia: Thank God for the Bible Society’s ministry of encouragement through football. Men who were left disabled by Liberia’s brutal civil war gather each week to play football. They are also given Scriptures. Pray that this ministry might bring hope to all involved. Jordan: The current Bible Society o"ce in Jordan is a rental property, and di"culties with the property owner make a move highly likely. Please pray for wisdom as the Bible Society seeks new premises.

7-13 JulySyria: Pray for all the families who have lost loved ones as a result of war, and ask God to console their hearts. Pray for the safety for all Bible Society sta! and volunteers still at work in the country. Malaysia: Thank God for the distribution of more than 200,000 copies of Alkitab Berita Baik, a local translation of the ‘Good News Bible’. Pray for the churches and organisations distributing the Bibles to those who most need them in the local language.

14-20 JulyIsrael: Please pray for the production of a Hebrew audio Bible, and children’s materials in Hebrew. These resources are eagerly anticipated by Bible Society sta! for use in their various ministries. India: India has the largest population of children in the world. Praise God for the distribution of 190,000 Bibles to Indian children in 2012. Pray that the on-going children’s programmes will make an impact.

“We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you.” Colossians 1:3

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21-27 JulyAustria: Praise God for contact made with donors during the Bible Society’s donor-phone-call campaign. Many increased their support and expressed renewed interest in the Bible Society’s mission. Morocco: Please pray for the ongoing Moroccan translation of the Old Testament, and for the team working on it. Ask that people living in Morocco and abroad will have access to the newly-published NT.

28 July- 3 AugustCambodia: Thank God for the Bible Society’s literacy programme. Pray that it will continue to expand and see many more people learn to read and write. Pray also that the gospel message will come alive for them as they learn to read. Lebanon: Pray for children attending Bible World, an interactive biblical programme for schools and youth groups. Thank God for this e!ective ministry tool and the creativity of Bible Society Lebanon.

4 -10 AugustRwanda: Please pray for the Bible Society’s Bible distribution ministry in Rwanda’s overcrowded prisons. Ask that the peace and reconciliation found in Christ might be made known to those serving sentences for participating in the 1994 genocide.China: Please pray for the work of Amity Printing Press in providing Bibles to China’s growing population. Pray that funds will continue to become available to see this important ministry continue.

11-17 AugustLibya: Please pray for the very di"cult situation in the country. Many Egyptian Christians have been jailed or deported from Libya, accused of proselytism or for distributing Bibles in Libya. Canada: Please pray for the Bible Society’s distribution ministry among diverse ethnic groups in Canada. Pray that their e!orts will be well received and will further enhance the e!ectiveness of Bible distribution.

18-24 AugustAustralia: In a Federal election year we are more mindful of the importance of politics and policy that guide our nation. Please pray for the Bible Society as it seeks to help people think through some of the bigger issues, and to do so in the light of Biblical values such as justice, mercy, and humility (Micah 6:8).Algeria: Pray that legal restrictions on the churches will be lifted, and remember the Bible Society’s ministry in this country, especially the di"culties with importing Scriptures.

25-31 AugustPalestinian Territories: Please pray for the safety of the Bible Society team in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Pray for wisdom, e!ectiveness and e"ciency in Bible distribution. Turkey: Please continue to remember the conflict in the Middle East, especially in Syria. Turkey has received 200,000 Syrian refugees. Pray for the Bible Society’s ministry of peace during these times.

22

Bible Society Australia Locked Bag 7003 Minto NSW 2566T. 1300 139 179 F. +61 2 9829 4685 E. directsales@biblesociety.org.auwww.biblesociety.org.au

Health & WholenessHealing Stories from the Bible.

Call 1300 139 179 or visit us at shop.biblesociety.org.au to order

Wealth & ProsperityMoney Stories from the Bible.

Your Own JesusBy Mark HallWill liberate readers from basing their foundation on someone else’s faith.

The First Drop of RainBy Leslie ParrottExplores the downpour and the deserts we all encounter in life.

The Space BetweenBy Dr. Walt MuellerBrings parenting experience and over 30 years of research to help you through the adolescent years.

Essential ChristianityBy Bill HybelsPractical steps for spiritual growth. Regret Free

ParentingBy Catherine HickemTeaches principles every mother needs to confidently raise her children.

Better Together DevotionalBy Rick WarrenA 6-session study that will help you learn how to fulfil God’s 5 purposes for your life.

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23

Bible Society Australia Locked Bag 7003 Minto NSW 2566T. 1300 139 179 F. +61 2 9829 4685 E. directsales@biblesociety.org.auwww.biblesociety.org.au

Health & WholenessHealing Stories from the Bible.

Call 1300 139 179 or visit us at shop.biblesociety.org.au to order

Wealth & ProsperityMoney Stories from the Bible.

Your Own JesusBy Mark HallWill liberate readers from basing their foundation on someone else’s faith.

The First Drop of RainBy Leslie ParrottExplores the downpour and the deserts we all encounter in life.

The Space BetweenBy Dr. Walt MuellerBrings parenting experience and over 30 years of research to help you through the adolescent years.

Essential ChristianityBy Bill HybelsPractical steps for spiritual growth. Regret Free

ParentingBy Catherine HickemTeaches principles every mother needs to confidently raise her children.

Better Together DevotionalBy Rick WarrenA 6-session study that will help you learn how to fulfil God’s 5 purposes for your life.

Only$2ea Only

$7ea

Only$3

Only$9

Only$6

Order $0 - $30$31 - $60$61 - $250

Postage $6.95$7.95$9.95

Postage Charges

GOOD BOOKS FOR LESS

Only$6

Sower Ad Winter 2013.indd 1 10/05/2013 10:35:28 AM

Consolatta (above) was raped while fleeing from violence in the troubled Democratic Republic of Congo. The brutal attack left her wheelchair-bound. She’s one of thousands of women being helped through She’s My Sister, a Bible-based trauma healing programme. It helps survivors deal with their deep spiritual and emotional wounds, and seeks to build “beauty out of ashes”. The programme has been implemented in 15 countries.

Recent UNHCR data says that more than 350,000 Syrian refugees have fled to Lebanon as a result of the escalating conflict in their homeland. “They’ve had to flee with literally nothing, hoping to find a safe place for themselves and their children,” says Bible Society of Lebanon General Secretary, Dr Mike Bassous. The Bible Society there is providing relief packages containing blankets, food and other essential items, as well as Scripture tracts and New Testaments. More than 2000 packages have been delivered so far.

Refuge in Lebanon

Healing from trauma

35,000 people have visited the Bible Centre in Vienna since doors opened in 2005. This Bible Society centre holds exhibitions for school and church groups, and the 35,000th visitor was a young boy who went there with his confirmation group in March.

He was delighted to receive the gift of a dramatised audio edition of Luke’s Gospel. Rev Andreas Lisson, who accompanied the children, says that he takes a group there every year, and that it’s a great place for them to learn about the Bible in a vivid and hands-on way.

Austrian centre a hit

UBS Update

In the Autumn 2013 Sower we looked at on-going UBS Bible translation work in PNG. UBS aims to provide a complete Bible for two PNG communities: the Motu and Gogodala - the “Christians longing for a full Bible” referred to in the headline. While we focused on these two groups, we’d like to clarify that there are nine full Bibles (like the Buka Helaga, left) already serving other PNG language groups. We gratefully acknowledge everyone who’s helped produce them, to blesspeople in Papua New Guinea.

Nine Bible translations in Papua New Guinea

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