Who gave you your first Bible?
Many will remember their parents, grandparents or Sunday School teachers giving them their first Bible. For some this Bible is still a treasured possession, evidence of a legacy passed on from a generation before them. We can look back and see how that gift has impacted our lives.
People all over the world remember their first Bible. Madam Zhou from China remembers that her first Bible was the one her mother shared with her during a very difficult time…
Madam Zhou’s Story
Madam Zhou is 70 years old and loves to read the Bible. She lived through the cultural revolution in China, a time when all churches were closed and Christian activities were not allowed. She owes so much to her mother who shared her Bible and prayed for her…
“In those days, Bibles were confiscated and burned. But I was determined to keep my mother’s Bible and so I hid it in the rooftop of our home. We lived in thatched houses and to prevent my mother’s Bible from getting wet, I put it into a plastic bag before hiding it in the rooftop. The Red Guards came to my house but did not find it… We began to have secret meetings among some Christians in my house and only then did I dare to bring down my mother’s Bible from the rooftop. And my mother would read it every day till she passed away at the age of 96.
“I was influenced by my mother’s prayer life. Because we were very poor, she would pray every day for all our needs. From her life, I knew that the God of the Bible is the true God. She taught us never to abandon the Lord; we are to walk the path of heaven. So the Bible is very precious to me, it is filled with truths to help me live.”
China today
Praise God that the situation for Christians in China is very different today. Churches have been reopened and people no longer have to hide their Bibles away. Madam Zhou still has her mother’s Bible, and it is still as precious to her today as it was when she had to meet with other Christians in secret. She benefitted so much from the legacy passed on from her mother that Madam Zhou was sure to share the Bible with her own daughter.
Today there are many Christians in China who are determined to keep passing God’s Word on to the next generation, but this task is difficult when they don’t have a Bible that they can give them.
You can help give them a Bible
Many in China are living in poverty and they simply can’t afford to buy a Bible. One simple step we can take to make the Bible more affordable is by paying for the paper that is used to print Bibles.
There is a huge printing press in Nanjing, China called the Amity Printing Company. For 30 years it has been printing Bibles. In fact they’ve printed over 168 million Bibles in that time – half have stayed within the country and half have been imported overseas. Bible Societies around the world are working in partnership with the Amity Printing Company by paying for the printing paper.
By paying for a bale of paper over 600 Bibles can be printed. These Bibles can then be sold at a much reduced price or given out for free to those who need it.
Bible Society NI needs to raise £500 to pay for just one of these bales of paper. Supporters here have been generous for so many years, but we need to ask you to keep giving! More and more bales of paper need to be paid for so that more and more Bibles can be printed. 93% of China’s population still haven’t been reached with the Bible so it is vital that we keep raising money to pay for paper.
By paying for paper we are helping parents like Madam Zhou who love the Lord and want to share His story with their children. You could play a part in passing God’s Word on to the next generation. Whether adults or children, they can receive life to the full when they experience God’s truth in his Word.
Please help us pay for bales of paper in China. Click the Donate button now.
Please pray for this important ministry and consider making a donation to help share the Word of God with the next generation in China.