LttN Ministries Inc

Equipping Christian Leaders in the Developing World

Bibles for Zambia Project

Over several recent visits to the Northern Baptist Association of Zambia (NBAZ) on Zambia's Copperbelt, Glenda and I have observed have observed a very troubling situation. Most people in the churches do not have Bibles.

As we visit the village churches most Sundays, it has become our habit to ask those who have their Bible with them to hold it up. This has revealed that few have Bibles and even fewer bring them to Church. In one congregation of over 200 people, there were only 4 Bibles. In another congregation we visited in July of 2011, we found that of 130 people present there were only 7 Bibles. Only 3 more had Bibles at home which they had not brought to church. We have discovered that people have not simply grown lax in bringing their Bibles to church. Most do not have a Bible in their own Lamba language. This is deeply disturbing.

The Lamba Bible has been available for decades. In the 1980's a more updated translation was published by the Bible Society. But far fewer than 10% of the people in the rural churches have Bibles. Why? There are several reasons:

Firstly, village life is hard. Things that might last someone in the west for many years, will often last only a year or two in the villages. This is true for Bibles. The average life of a Bible in the hands of a rural believer may well be only 3 to 5 years. The Bibles one does see are often badly battered with covers long gone and front and back pages falling off one by one.

Secondly, during the 2000's Lamba Bibles were 'out of print' for more than 5 years. You simply could not purchase a Bible in the Lamba language. When they were finally republished, the price had more than doubled. The price is currently around US$10 or Australian Dollars per copy. For people who had grown used to being without a Bible, such a price is beyond the reach of many. The priorities of feeding and educating their large families overwhelm their available finances.

Thirdly, a whole generation of young people and young adults who have never owned or had access to a Bible is now emerging and some even coming into places leadership in some churches. They are accustomed to the preacher and may be few older folks being the only ones who have a Bible.

The Bibles for Zambia Project is an initiative of Dr Gavin and Glenda Williams and LttN Ministries Inc to change this situation. We are seeking the help of Christians in Australia and other countries to put Bibles into the hands of the people of the rural Copperbelt at a price that is not only affordable but which will encourage them to own and read their Bible. The Northern Baptist Association is currently engaged in a program to get people to read their Bible every day. But scarcity of Bibles is thwarting this most commendable initiative. We want to work with the leaders of the Association to change this situation.

Bibles in the Lamba language are available. More than 1700 are being held in the warehouses of the Bible Society of Zambia in Lusaka. But the churches of the NBAZ do not have the capital to purchase and transport those Bibles to where they are needed. And the few that do make their way to the Copperbelt are at a price that is beyond many of the people in rural areas.

So here is the plan. We are asking Churches and individual Christians to donate to the Bibles for Zambia Project. We are asking churches to hold a 'Bibles for Zambia' Sunday in late August or early September to raise funds for the project. We believe that people will willingly respond to this project. A gift of just $5 will subsidize a Bible. We know that many who love the Word of God and know it's benefit in their own lives will want to do more. This is a project in which everyone can be involved. This is a project that will change lives and draw people closer to Jesus.

All funds received will be used exclusively for the project. We will purchase as many Bibles as possible from the Bible Society and make them available to people at 50% of the cost price. Those funds which are received from the people will be used to purchase more Bibles and so on until the fund is exhausted.

'Why not give the Bibles to the people?' you may ask. Africans are by nature people who seize the opportunity. That is how they survive. Long experience in Africa has taught us that when things are free, people will take as many as they can get their hands on regardless of their capacity to use those items. Sadly, some will even attempt to capitalize on the generosity of others for personal profit. By requiring people to pay an affordable price and making a limit of 1 Bible per person, we hope to make sure that every Bible remains in the hands of the person who purchased it. We may well require that the Bible is inscribed with the person's name on purchase.

Distribution of Bibles: In discussion with leaders of the Northern Baptist Association of Zambia, we have devised a distribution plan that we hope will enable us to meet some of the areas where need is greatest. If funds are available we hope to purchase significant supplies of the Bibles in Lamba and some in English by the end of September 2011. Bible Conferences will be called in specific areas over three weekends in mid to late October. People from surrounding churches will be invited to come together for the events. Gavin and Glenda will be present for these conferences to be involved the process.  People will be invited to come and listen to teaching on the importance of the Word of God in their lives. Each person who buys a Bible will receive a copy of a Daily Bible Reading plan in their language which Gavin prepared earlier this year. In this context we will make the subsidised Bibles available. We are sure that this will be a cause of much celebration and rejoicing.

Depending on the availability of supplies, we hope that local leaders will conduct other such conferences in other areas in the following months.

It is our personal request that you join us in this project. The spiritual lives of thousands of our brothers and sisters in Christ depends upon us helping them to get the Word of God into their own hands.

Sending Funds: Funds for this project may be sent to the LttN Ministries Inc - Missions Fund through which the resources will be processed.

Electronic Funds may be sent to : LttN Ministries Inc - Income Account. Bank: Baptist Financial Services Ltd. BSB: 704922. Account Number 100009139. Reference: Bibles for Zambia.

Your personal cheque may be sent to LttN Ministries Inc. 14 West Kahala Avenue, Budgewoi, NSW, Australia 2262. Please be sure to signify that it is for the Bibles for Zambia Project

Overseas friends may prefer to send funds through PayPal: Please send to PayPal account gavin@lttnministries.org.au. Please notify us by email that your gift is for Bibles for Zambia.