Underground Scripture Smugglers Target Middle Eastern Nations
How do people in Middle Eastern countries where it is illegal to possess a Bible—countries where being caught with one could mean prison or death—get their hands on the Word of God? It’s not easy. It’s even dangerous.
The process often looks something like this: The Bible-seeker must have a contact who can share information about a bookstore that sells Bibles. The contact must then introduce the Bible-seeker to the shop owner, so the shop owner knows that this is not an undercover government official. Then the shop owner takes the Bible-seeker to a back room, since the Bible cannot be on public display.
Many people aren’t ready to take the risk of providing God’s Word. But Biblica has a brave contact who plans to put his life on the line for the sake of the gospel.
The manager of one bookshop in a Middle Eastern nation requested that Biblica send as many Scriptures to him as possible, certain that there is a great window of opportunity in his country to share the good news. In response, Biblica endeavored to send 11,000 Scripture pieces to the store owner.
Typically, Biblica can only get about 30 or 40 pieces into such a hostile nation at a time. In addition, the ministry certainly did not have the $70,000 it would cost to provide and distribute the materials in their budget. The Lord overcame both of these hurdles, however, when a ministry partner offered to pay half of the cost, and another organization offered up empty space in their containers to send the large shipment.
The materials are now all going to stock an underground bookstore that could reach tens of thousands with the Word of God in a nation that is seldom able even to see one copy of it.
Biblica establishes bookshops to make Christian materials available in gospel-resistant countries. This year, Biblica will establish bookshops in four countries, with a potential to reach 150,000 people. Within three years, these shops will become self-sustaining wellsprings of hope in the form of God’s Word.
