Indepth issue 11 - Thankful for a Global Harvest

InDepthTransforming lives through God’s Word

Issue 11 • 2011 Biblica.com

TM

Global HarvestSow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of

unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD… Hosea 10:12, NIV

2010-2011 Annual Report summary on pages 8-14

Freedom to Worship Beacons of God’s Love and RighteousnessCommitted to Spreading the WordGod’s Promises for Moulay

45

6

7

Thankful for a

Keith Danby International CEODoug Lockhart CEO North America

Evelyn Lemly President Global Resource Development and Communication

President Biblica FoundationScott Bolinder President Global Publishing

Bob Dinolfo Global CFOBenedict Omollo Group Vice President Africa

Somporn Sirikolkarn Group Vice President Asia PacificStephen Cave Group Vice President Europe

Esteban Fernandez Group Vice President Latin AmericaMiddle East kept confidential

for security purposes

MISSIONTransforming lives through God’s Word

VISIONThe work of Biblica will be complete when

every person in the world is given the opportunity to encounter Jesus Christ

through God’s Word and be transformed.

CORE STRATEGIESTranslation • Publishing • Bible Engagement

WORLDWIDE MINISTRYAfrica

Asia Pacific Europe

Latin America Middle East

North America

MINISTRY FOCUSBible and Church Engagement

Children and Youth Ministry Scripture Outreach

Specialized Ministry Outreach Translation

The world’s leading contemporary English translation. The New International Version® Bible is easier

to understand, engaging you with the rich meaning of the original text. Most read. Most trusted.

Celebrating more than 200 years in ministry, Biblica provides God’s Word to people through translation, publishing and Bible engagement so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Biblica1820 Jet Stream Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80921-3696719.488.9200

Biblica.com facebook.com/Biblica • twitter.com/BiblicaMinistry

2

BRINGING THE BIBLE TO PEOPLE SINCE 1809

CELEBRATING

200YEARS200CELEBRATING

YEARS

TM

12137

FIVE AREAS of ministry

Understanding that people’s needs are so diverse, our programs are

adapted to age, culture, location, and religious background.

BiBle & ChurCh EngagEmEnt

SCripture outrEach

Children & youth ministry

SpeCialized ministry

tranSlation

Strengthening the Body of Christ

Providing God’s Word worldwide

Reaching youth with God’s Word

Reaching people in times of critical need

Providing God’s Word in major languages

Biblica.com 3

Dear friends,

In 1810, Biblica, once known as the New York Bible Society and International Bible Society, funded our first foreign language translation, the Bengali Bible. Today, we have translated the Bible into over 100 languages!

In pages 4-7, you’ll read testimonies of four global leaders from Africa and Asia. The common theme throughout their testimonies is serving God and placing the Bible at the center of their ministry.

As you review our annual report summary on pages 8-14, you’ll notice that is consistent with all ministry. You’ll see growth in digital and electronic ministry, as we continue to reach more people by providing access to the Bible in multiple formats. Biblica has already translated God’s Word into 27 of the 30 top languages, reaching nearly 3.5 billion people—that’s half the world’s population!

As technology advances, we can be more creative with our approach to ministry. For instance, we released our New International Version® (NIV) update online in November 2010 before the print version was released in February 2011. And that digital initiative was just the beginning.

The trend in evolving digital delivery systems is making the goal of reaching the entire world with God’s Word a real possibility. Digital delivery will allow Biblica to reach more people than ever previously imagined with God’s Word. It also extends our ministry reach and grows Biblica’s impact throughout the world.

You can find seven English translations and 30 foreign language translations online at Biblica.com and at our ministry partner sites. The internet enables us to reach people who might not have access to Bibles otherwise. God’s Word is now available in places where an open Bible could result in political ostracism or outright persecution.

In pages 8-14, we report on our ministry in the last year. But I can’t help but look to the future and think about how technology allows us to reach people like we’ve dreamed about for decades. Technology changes, but God’s Word stays the same. We have an important missional future to embrace as the world moves increasingly to the digital age! Your prayers and generous gifts are crucial as we work together to make God’s Word accessible worldwide.

Sincerely in Christ,

Doug LockhartCEO North America

At Biblica, we serve God and place the Bible at the heart of everything we do. The following testimonies from our global staff express Biblica’s mission for transforming lives with God’s Word. From providing

Bibles in the Philippines to working with children in Senegal, may you be blessed as you read about how they honor God and value His Word.

Lord with all their hearts. I’ll never forget what happened next. When we entered we were given a small piece of paper that contained our Scripture for the night. We were told that we must swallow that piece of paper if the authorities came and discovered the underground church.

I cried after the worship service, because we often take our freedom for granted in the Philippines. I’ll never forget what it felt like to hold that piece of paper in my hand; it changed my life forever. When we returned to the Philippines, I wanted to make sure everyone had access to the Bible. I’m proud to say that a modern Tagalog Bible is now available, giving the 85 million-plus Tagalog speakers in the Philippines access to the Bible in clear, contemporary language.

____________________Rubi T. Lim, leader of Biblica East Asia, lives in Manila, Philippines with her husband, William, and their three children.

One winter night, I was walking home from work and I saw a group of people walking

with flashlights. My husband William and I had recently moved from the Philippines to a gospel-resistant country. I asked my friend, “Where are those people going?” She told me they were going to an underground church. She invited me to join her. The church was a small house, with a few women sitting outside, knitting and chatting. The men were talking to each other, and children were running and playing. I later discovered those people were guarding the church entrance in case the authorities came.

The church was solemn inside; a white cloth curtain with a red crucifix covered the window. There were no grand pianos or musical instruments, yet the members praised the

…But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

Joshua 24:15, NIV

Biblica InDepth • Issue 11 • 20114

Freedom to Worship Rubi Lim, Philippines

Biblica CEO Keith Danby and Rubi Lim dedicate the Tagalog Bible among Christian leaders in the Philippines.

Biblica.com 5

Growing up in South Africa during the seventies and eighties made me realize that there is a

huge difference between understanding God’s Word and living according to it.

As a theological student my main calling was to bring God’s Word to Africa. I soon realized how naïve I was. Africa helped me to understand what God’s love and forgiveness was all about. It showed me what Jesus meant when he said that we must care for one another.

As Christians in Africa we have a daily struggle against crime, corruption, racism and violence. But it is in this struggle that we can be a new voice to the world. I see on a daily basis how God’s Word transforms people’s lives. I see how

a spiritual encounter with Jesus saves a kid from HIV/AIDS. Our Reach 4 Life Bible-based HIV prevention program has changed communities to be beacons of God’s love and righteousness.

Working for Biblica in Southern Africa does not only mean that I have the opportunity to be part of transforming lives, but also to allow God to constantly transform my life through his living Word.

____________________Koos Fouche is the Director of Biblica Southern Africa. He lives in Cape Town with his wife Carla. Koos joined Biblica in September 2010, and has been in Christian Publishing for the last six years.

Beacons of GOD’S Love and righteousness Koos Fouche, South Africa

“I see on a daily basis how God’s Word transforms

people’s lives.”

allow me to take a second set from my home. I was hungry, dirty, and I didn’t know anyone in the city. My initial joy of salvation was wearing off.

But God supplied all my needs. About a month later, I found a job. And six months later, I went back to college. Two months after that I went back to my hometown to talk to my parents. Eventually my family accepted me back. Fifteen years later, I led my mother to the Lord! I shared my faith with my father a couple of times, but he died suddenly. I don’t know what happened in his last moments, but he had a clear change of heart in his perception of who Jesus is.

Today, I am in the ministry not because I fear that God’s work won’t be done—but because I fear that if I were not involved, it would be done without me. The Lord is gracious and good, and it is a blessing to experience it firsthand.

The Lord opened the door for me to pursue my Master of Theology studies at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), majoring in Bible exposition and biblical languages. While pursuing my PhD studies at DTS and University of North Texas, I made a commitment to contribute to the spread of the Word of God by making it understandable to the north Indians.

On the day I removed my turban, cut my hair, and received baptism, my mother looked

at me and screamed. My sister ran to my dad, “Come see what brother has done!”

My father came down with his gun and told me, “If you ever step back in this house again, I will shoot you. You are not a member of this family if this is how you want to live.”

I grew up in a Sikh home in Northern India. Male Sikhs wear a turban, never cut their hair and tie it under the turban. After removing my turban, I became a disgrace to my community. Many people suggested that I should be killed because I was considered a bad example.

When I heard people were trying to kill me, I escaped to New Delhi. For the first few nights, I slept in a park, or under a bridge. I was still wearing the same clothes because my father would not

Biblica InDepth • Issue 11 • 20116

committed to SPREADING ThE Word Dr. Sukhwant S. Bhatia, India

____________________Sukhwant S. Bhatia, ThM, PhD and his team of seven have been involved in producing a fresh translation of the Bible from original biblical languages into Hindi for Biblica. The Hindi NT Study Edition was released in February 2010, the full Bible is scheduled to be released in 2013.

A very poor but intelligent young boy named Moulay made many friends in a

Children for Christ program in the Senegal capital city of Dakar. One day he stopped coming, and we asked some of the children if they had seen him. They said he had begun begging in the streets alongside his blind father, and then the police had taken them both away.

When foreign leaders visit Senegal, the police take beggars, lepers and others they think embarrass the country to one of three places outside the city. I asked a Christian friend in the police department where we might find Moulay, and he led us to the child.

When we found him, I noticed something in Moulay’s hands—one of the small stuffed bears we gave to the children during our program. My police friend said, “Do you know that it is dangerous for you to have that here?” Moulay put his hand in the pocket of the bear and took out a small paper. My friend read the note on it, smiled, and gave it to me. I read a short message from a child in America: “Dear friend, every morning remember that Jesus can give you joy; I will pray for you.”

Moulay learned how Jesus was born; what he made when he was a kid; how Jesus welcomed children; how He fed thousands of people; how He healed the sick; how Jesus was betrayed by one of his friends. His father tells us he is amazed by the stories his son has learned.

We decided to register him in school and made a contribution to the family so that Moulay would not miss out on an education. This gave an opportunity to share with the family God’s promises, a great moment for us to tell them how we can depend on Him. When you look at the promises of His Word, remember that they have been given to us by God. You can count on them. Praise the Lord because through Children for Christ we can minister and make a link between the kids and the parents.

Biblica.com 7

Dear friend, every morning remember that Jesus can give you joy;

I will pray for you.

GOD’S promises for mouLay David Bies, Senegal

____________________David Bies is the Director of Biblica Senegal.

David lives in Dakar with his wife Marie Terese, and has four children.

Dear friends,

Biblica makes the transforming message of God’s Word accessible for people in any life circumstance. At Biblica, we look back at this past year’s ministry efforts and celebrate God’s bountiful harvest as we reached more than 151 million people in over 55 countries and six regions worldwide with His Word and message of salvation. As the world faces serious economic challenges and environmental catastrophes, God’s Word brings lasting hope and personal transformation. Through Bible and Church Engagement, Children and Youth Ministry, Scripture Outreach, Specialized Ministry Outreach, and Translation, we

have “sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest.” From children in Africa to pastors in need of biblical resources and support, the power of God’s Word is bringing many people to encounter Jesus Christ. Be assured we will continue to use every means available to share the life-changing message of the gospel with people worldwide. We are deeply thankful and honored by our global staff, ministry partners, and donors’ prayers and giving. Every dollar you give to Biblica is advancing God’s kingdom in significant ways, as together we bring the life-transforming message of God’s Word to children and adults in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, and North America. Please continue to pray for Biblica and the more than 151 million people worldwide whose lives were touched last year and are being changed by the power and truth of the gospel.

We look back on this harvest and remember God’s faithfulness with a sense of awe and gratitude. We are especially grateful for His provision of ministry partners like you for your prayers and faithful ongoing support. Together, we can bring God’s Word to the world and see lives transformed.

In His service,

Keith Danby International CEO

Biblica InDepth • Issue 11 • 2011 • Annual Report Summary 8

They sowed fields and planted vineyards that

yielded a fruitful harvest; he blessed them, and their numbers greatly

increased. Psalm 107:37-38, NIV

Annual Report Summary • Biblica.com 9

151,176,088 PEOPLE WORLDWIDE IMPACTED BY GOD’S WORDFiscal year 2011(March 1, 2010 through February 28, 2011)

Bringing in a glorious harvest

In our 201 years of mInIstry we continue to focus on the Bible. So that people worldwide may encounter Jesus Christ and mature in spiritual formation, Biblica’s Global Board made the strategic decision to conduct ministry through three core strategies: TRANSLATIoN, PuBLISHING, AND BIBLe eNGAGemeNT.

Regions Full Bibles New Testaments

Scripture portions

Biblical resources

Other books

DigitalAudio*

Internet* Totals (minus Internet)

Impact*** FY2010 Totals (minus Internet)

Africa 326,351 24,086 4,500 22,564 31,989 300,000 5,794 709,490 2,837,960 773,294

Asia Pacific 338,412 58,224 22,385 5,485,741 0 83,889 3,654 5,988,651 23,954,604 7,845,442

Europe 25,750 31,313 8,020 123,235 0 2,000 348,487 190,318** 761,272 4,061,602

Latin America 900,303 1,398 5,465 12,548 8,636 1,000 1,573,712 929,350 3,717,400 2,144,582

Middle East 16,840 29,313 1,190,078 99,525 148,577 33 29,409 1,484,366 5,937,464 866,504

North America 5,687,302 1,976,638 1,274,706 1,702,771 5,597,834 12,252,596 60,660,567 28,491,847 113,967,388 16,437,867

FY2011 7,294,958 2,120,972 2,505,154 7,446,384 5,787,036 12,639,518 62,621,623 37,794,022 151,176,088

FY2010 5,752,864 3,446,154 2,320,417 8,748,197 10,867,846 993,813 46,202,778 32,129,291 128,517,164 32,129,291

*Internet and digital numbers refer to Biblica.com and our ministry partner sites including YouVersion, offering our Bible translations in multiple languages.

**Excludes STL-UK numbers due to divestiture reported FY2010

***Each Scripture reaching 4 people based on external research

2010-2011 ANNuAL RePoRT SummARy

in biblical truth. We provided 653 church leaders with training seminars and 3,661 biblical resources, including study Bibles and training manuals to strengthen the Church. Translation—The Kikuyu Bible translation was completed, giving the nearly 6 million Kikuyu people of Kenya access to an accurate, contemporary version of God’s Word.

Reach 4 Life (R4L)—Biblica’s Scripture-based HIV/AIDS prevention program brought the message of purity to thousands of youth across Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, and Uganda. We provided 24,090 Reach 4 Life New Testaments to young people who participated in a 40-session evangelistic Bible study with their peers, using the study guide included in the New Testament.

Vacation Bible School and Sunday School—Many African churches lack children’s materials and training for reaching children. We provided churches with Scripture booklets and training manuals for 191 leaders in Zimbabwe and shared the gospel with 3,128 children through programs in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

World Cup and Child Evangelism—We provided “whole life coaching,” games, New Testaments and Scripture booklets to impoverished children in Kenya and Senegal. Working with church and ministry partners, we trained volunteer coaches and organized soccer games through which 12,804 kids learned Christian principles and the gospel message.

many young people scored big goals in faith and reconciliation

through soccer ministry.

Biblica engages people with the Bible through Bible and Church Engagement, Children & Youth Ministry, Scripture Outreach, Specialized Ministry Outreach, and Translation so people worldwide will be transformed by the power of God’s Word.

Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

The Church has grown rapidly in many regions of Africa, yet the growth is shallow. Churches lack the resources to equip leaders; war, poverty, drought, and entrenched superstitions hamper spiritual growth.

Equipping Leaders—False and dangerous beliefs can take hold in the Church without a biblical foundation. Biblica ministered in Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda to ground believers


Africa

Ministry Focus Total Ministry Resources Impact

Bible & Church Engagement 6,703 26,812

Children & Youth Ministry 35,850 143,400

Scripture Outreach 330,845 1,323,380

Specialized Ministry Outreach 304,401 1,217,604

Translation 31,691 126,764

Total 709,490 2,837,960

East Timor, India, Indonesia, Laos, Northeast Asia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam

Due to the sensitive nature of this region, some project locations and content are kept confidential.

Asia Pacific is home to more than half the world’s population and all major religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. Many lack access to the Bible and rejoice when receiving God’s Word and learning of its truth.

Biblica Asia Pacific Tour—Biblica conducted a tour through the Philippines, Singapore, China, and Thailand to celebrate Biblica’s 200th anniversary of global ministry and the launch of new Bible translations. Nearly 100 writers, editors, professors, and Christian leaders attended Biblica’s all-day writing workshop near Shanghai led by best-selling author Philip Yancey.

Equipping Leaders—Many Christian leaders often lack the freedom and resources to get pastoral training. To strengthen the persecuted Church, Biblica provided training and other resources for 13,919 pastors and lay leaders in East Timor, Indonesia, Northeast Asia, and the Philippines.

Children for Christ (C4C)—Biblica’s high-energy, high-impact program was conducted in remote, impoverished, and/or Muslim areas in East Timor, Indonesia, Northeast Asia, and the Philippines. More than 200,000 children flocked to hear the gospel. We worked with nearly 300 schools and gave New Testaments and Scripture booklets to children. In Northeast Asia, we shared 35,000 copies of Jesus and his Life Gospel of Mark in a region where children are hungry to learn and children’s biblical materials are scarce.

Reach 4 Life (R4L)—In Thailand, this program helped 3,225 people combat the relentless sexual temptation faced in this culture of pornography, sex trafficking, child prostitution, and drug abuse.

Prison Ministry—Biblica partnered with local churches and ministries to bring 10,053 Philippine inmates the message of peace that comes with knowing Jesus Christ.

Translation—Biblica launched four major Bible translations: The Thai NIV Study Bible, Chinese Contemporary Bible (CCB), Cebuano Bible, and Tagalog Bible provide the hope of the gospel in the languages of nearly 1 billion people.


“We have four generations of Christians in my family but have never had

a Bible in our home. Thank you so much—now we have one!”

—Chinese Christian

Asia Pacific



Children & Youth Ministry 1,525,234 6,100,936

Scripture Outreach 2,063,836 8,255,344

Specialized Ministry Outreach 2,355,437 9,421,748


Total 5,988,651 23,954,604


Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay

Drug cartels and gang activity shatter families and destroy communities. Impoverished children and teens are often left to fend for themselves on the streets in dangerous environments. Churches without adequate resources struggle to minister and survive.

Children at Risk—Widespread poverty takes a toll on children’s lives, and they often seek refuge in gangs and drugs, and turn to crime. Biblica worked in jails and in partnership with other ministries to reach 27,790 youth, bringing hope and spiritual security to them and their families. Programs have had remarkable results: Many children have come to Christ and led their parents to Christ.

Prison Ministry—Biblica’s prison ministry provided 600 inmates with Bibles, New Testaments, and Scripture booklets.

Translation—Biblica completed the Quichua audio New Testament and began work on the Old Testament. Quichua Pastor Luis Asitimbay said, “We have many adults who do not know how to read. The Bible text was hidden to them, but now they will be able to listen and understand the message of Christ.”

Belgium, France, Germany, Moldova, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine

Post-Christian culture in Europe has resulted in abandoned churches, indifference to God’s Word, and openness to false religions.

Children for Christ (C4C)—Churches and orphanages in Russia, Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova partnered with Biblica to give spiritual assistance and a daily meal to 19,430 children last year. C4C became a safe, warm place for children to lay down their painful past and pick up the promise of Jesus.

Bible Adventures—67,980 children were impacted by Biblica’s Bible Adventures program in Eastern Europe.

Reach 4 Life (R4L)—The culture of sexual promiscuity in Romania and Russia puts thousands at risk for HIV infection, unplanned pregnancies, and STDs. R4L’s sexual abstinence and HIV prevention program impacted 7,063 youth through R4L New Testaments and peer group Bible studies.

Europe



Specialized Ministry Outreach 100,990 404,960

Total 90,318 16,246,408

“I really love the times when we learn from the Bible.” —manu B, Romania

Latin America







Total 929,350 3,717,400

Due to the sensitive nature of this region, specific project locations and content are kept confidential.

Christians in the Middle East are among the most persecuted in the world for their faith. Believers in this region need protection and strength from God’s Word as they share their faith.

Children for Christ (C4C)— Over 1 million children in the Middle East have been reached since the inception of the C4C program in 2000. Last year, 120,000 children attended the high-energy, 10-day program. We shared 164,096 biblical resources with the children, who typically share with family and friends, reaching many more with the gospel.

Scripture Outreach—To reach people in rural or gospel-resistant regions, Biblica has developed creative strategies throughout the Middle East to provide God’s Word in print, audio, and visual formats. This past year, we provided nearly 662,000 biblical resources to believers and seekers in several closed countries of the Middle East.

STmiddle

Streams in the Desert—Biblica established three new bookstores to make Christian materials available in gospel-resistant countries. Because our bookstores operate “underground,” courageous local believers often risk their lives to staff the stores. Biblica operates 12 bookstores in nine countries, with a potential reach of 600,000 people.

Translation—The Arabic NIV Study Bible was completed to help the small Christian church grow, as well as provide the 246 million Arabic speakers with access to an accurate, contemporary Bible in their own language.

Middle East & North Africa




Specialized Ministry Outreach 658,676 2,634,704

Total 1,484,366 5,937,464


“Teaching the Bible to kids is like engraving in stone.”—C4C teacher


North America




Scripture Outreach 28,321,633 113,286,532


Total 28,491,847 113,967,388

The average North American home has four Bibles, and many remain unread. The majority of Americans claim to be Christian, yet society is perforated with crime, drug and gang activity, and sexual promiscuity.

Community Bible Experience (CBE)—To help pastors lead their congregations into spiritual transformation, Biblica tested CBE. Fifteen churches participated in an initial program. Together in community, 1,500 participants read the entire New Testament in eight weeks, experiencing God’s Word complete and in context.

Military Outreach—Faith in Christ is the most important gear our military can take into battle. This past year, we granted 96,000 Scripture resources to troops.

Scripture Outreach—STL Distribution North America, a ministry of Biblica, sold more than 8.1 million Scripture materials to help offset the costs of doing ministry worldwide, and engage peoplewith God’s Word.

Through BiblicaDirect.com, we have a strong ministry program in North America that provides high quality pew Bibles and other biblical resources to churches and other ministries for their outreach programs.

Prison Ministry—Biblica reached 4,129 prison inmates through our ministry partners with Free on the Inside Bibles, encouraging them to experience freedom and forgiveness, even while limited to a prison cell.

TM

Most Read. Most Trusted.

GLOBALBiblica serves in over 55 countries across six regions with local leadership to ensure our ministry is relevant to their cultures and needs. In addition to the programs featured in our six regions, we also provided for urgent requests for Scripture as needs arose at times of crisis and disaster. Biblica’s Scripture-based HIV-prevention program and New Testament is saving and transforming young lives in more than 16 nations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. We also provided 108,630 Bible Adventures children’s monthly readers to ministry partners worldwide.

Crisis and Disaster—We provided our ministry partners with specialized resources like When Your Whole World Changes, which brings hope to people affected by natural disasters. Biblica has shared 430,750 biblical resources with earthquake survivors in Haiti. Our partners have reported more than 85,000 professions of faith.

New International Version—The most-read and most-trusted Bible translation worldwide is the New International Version®. We updated the NIV in 2010 with uncompromised accuracy to the original text. Biblica.com had 11,400,000 online page views of the NIV and our BibleGateway and YouVersion ministry partners reported over 500,000 online page views of the NIV.

Biblica.com 15

“Use this gift to provide Bibles for hungry people.” —Kerrville, TX

“This check is given for the glory of God

in honor of my grandchildren.”

—Coon Rapids, MN

Dear friends,

When Jesus saw the widow approach the offering box, he saw that she gave with joy, despite her circumstances. Not only did she give all the money she had, but she may have had no opportunity of earning more. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on, ” Mark 12:43-44, NIV.

We are grateful for our donors who give with the same heart as the widow. I am reminded of the prisoner who anonymously sends a twenty-dollar bill every week. I think of the elderly man with Parkinson’s who faithfully gives to Biblica. His check is barely legible, but he laboriously and lovingly writes his check to make God’s Word available worldwide. I also think of the teenage girl who selflessly gave up her birthday gifts so our Hindi translation could be completed.

We recently received a letter from a donor who shares the passion for why they give toward first printings of Scriptures:

We have not been personally called to foreign mission fields, but we believe we’re all called to support and equip those that are. God’s Word saves and delivers not only from eternal separation, but also from despair and poverty in this temporal life. We know we all stand before Him to give an account in the end, and there’s no acceptable reason to have disregarded His command to spread His gospel throughout the world. None of us are worthy to have received the blessing of His grace and His Word, so it is a travesty to keep others from having the comfort of Scripture in their own language to know Christ as Savior; and to God be all the glory for He is worthy!

God prepares people’s hearts to give and provides them with the resources to give joyfully. Thank you for being an active partner in the impact we can make around the world. Thank you for your sacrifices, your heart for God’s Word, and for your prayers. Because of you, lives are changed for eternity!

Blessings,

Evelyn Lemly President, Global Resource Development and CommunicationsPresident, Biblica Foundation

“God’s Word is the one thing that the Holy Spirit can take and use to change a life…the truth

of God’s love will set the captives free.” —Colorado donor

1820 Jet Stream Dr • Colorado Springs CO 80921 • 1-800-987-3595 • Biblica.com

TranslaTion • Publishing • bible engagemenT

For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:4, NIV

your gift of $20 reaches 5 lives and $100 reaches 25 lives with god’s Word

Strengthening the Body of Christ

BiBle & ChurCh EngagEmEnt

Providing God’s Word worldwide

SCripture outrEach

Reaching youth with God’s Word

Children & youth ministry

SpeCialized ministry

Reaching people in times of critical need

tranSlation

Providing God’s Word in major languages

Documents

Indepth issue 11 - Thankful for a Global Harvest