My parents’ church, St. John’s Lutheran in Orange, was kind enough to send a gift to that enabled us to buy 35 children’s Bibles and 20 full Bibles for the church, and a New Testament commentary, a church history book, and two theology books for the pastor and the church leadership here.
Think about how many Bibles or theological books you have sitting at home on your shelves. I know I have many, and worse, a lot of them are unread. Back home people are philosophizing over minutae and debating over terms like “contextualization” (which is needed in many cases to correct error). Out here books and Bibles themselves are luxuries.
They don’t have many materials in their own language and those they do have are often very expensive because they have to be printed in another country. It’s awesome to be able to give things that we take so horribly for granted to people whose access to them is so hindered. I was so stoked when the pastor saw the church history book and his eyes lit up and he said, “I’ve been looking for that one!” Though I get a similar feeling when I find a book on Amazon or at Barnes & Noble, I can’t really relate with what he was feeling.
I’m happy that their gift will help not only an immediate need in the church, but the next generation of Christians in Mongolia as well, by giving Bibles to families and giving teachers more study materials.
God is good.
