Sower - Summer 2015 by Bible Society Australia

Help women in Pakistan shine a light

SUMMER 2015 –16

Sower

Making tracks in wilderness

or the past 18 years, a group called Bibbulmun for Bibles has been walking different sections of the Bibbulmum Track, a scenic trail that winds for 1000km from the Perth hills to Albany through the heart of southwest Western Australia. “A group of us take four days at the end of each September to hike a section of the Bibbulmun Track,” says Peter Goodall, a member of the group since 2004. “It is as much about fellowship and camaraderie in God’s beautiful creation than it is about the actual walking,” he says. Peter, an active member of the Kalamunda Church of Christ in Perth, says the group does a different stage of the track each year. When he joined, they had reached the halfway point. Six years later, in 2010, the group finally made it to Albany. Now on its second rotation, this year’s four-day walk from 26 to 29

September went from from North Bannister, 94km southeast of Perth, to Dwellingup, covering a total of 62.7km, or about 15km a day. The group (pictured below) was made up of three women and seven men aged from 13 to 67. “Half of us were first-time hikers while the other half were experienced,” Peter noted, adding that one novice had to be evacuated by the SES with heatstroke. This year, the group raised funds for Bible Society’s frontline services, which support chaplains in hospitals, emergency services,

prisons and in the armed services. In earlier years, the sponsored charity was Flying Bibleman, which took Bibles to outback Australia. “Our first few hours were walking through magnificent jarrah forest and then the ascent up Boonerring Hill – giving expansive views all the way back to Mt Cooke off in the distance,” Peter recalls. “After Boonerring Hill we strolled through dense grass tree forest and finished near the top of White Horse Hills at the White Horse campsite. “For me the time at camp is the highlight. First, when we arrive, From left: Jon Haslam, Kim Pascoe, Michael Charnley, Matthew Charnley, Jordan Clarke, Sheryl Edwards, Peter Goodall, Tanya Hutchinson, Bill Hunt and Lorraine Rowe

Dear friends, all scatter and find places nearby to set up our tents and then we gather at the hut for a cup of tea and to share our experiences of the day. As the sun drops towards the horizon, we bring out our cooking gear and prepare our own dinners. After dinner we all gather for a devotional and prayer. By that time the campfire is burning merrily and we sit around enjoying the evening and each other. Marvellous!”

Would you like to join the group next year in hiking another section of the Bibbulmun track, making new friends and doing your bit to support the Bible Society frontline services?

It may be controversial to say it, but Christians have done more to improve the lives of women around the world than any other single group. I will be the first to admit that there has been, and still is, terrible mistreatment of women by churches and Christians in power, usually men. But the difference that Christianity has made overall to the place of women in society must not be ignored. New Testament scholars regularly note how extraordinary it was that Jesus socialised easily with women, and welcomed them into his circle of friends. Furthermore, the teaching of the New Testament marks a radical departure from the treatment of women in the surrounding Greco-Roman society. For Jesus, women were made in his Father’s image, precious in God’s sight, and valuable whatever their age, marital status or situation. In the Bible, mothers are honoured, daughters are treasured, widows are protected and women of industry admired (see Proverbs 31:10-31, Acts 16:14, Romans 16:1-2, if you are in doubt!) In recent history,

the teachings of the Bible have been important to the movements for women’s voting rights, the legal reform of their status in marriage, disrupting sexual trafficking and slavery, and education for girls. It is wonderful when we see the job that the Bible does: bringing truth, freedom and purpose, all to the glory of God. Bible Society Australia is delighted to play a part in this work around the world, in particular in our literacy work with women in Pakistan. This admirable project sees Pakistani women given the dignity of literacy via encounters with the light of Scripture. Furthermore, the industrious nature of these women multiplies the impact of the programme, as mother teachers daughter, sister teaches sister, grandmother teaches granddaughter. Thank you for partnering with us in transformative work such as this. The results will make a difference to the lives of thousands of women, and everyone they come into contact with, for years and years to come.

Dr Greg Clarke, CEO Bible Society Australia

Women change futures T

housands of poor women in Pakistan have experienced a grassroots change in their lives: before they learned to read the Bible through home-based literacy courses, they didn’t understand the value of education and were not interested in sending their children to school. This year, Pakistan Bible Society’s Beacon of Light project helped almost 7000 impoverished women in rural and slum areas to read, thanks to Australian donors, and the new graduates are zealously encouraging their friends and families to join the programme too. “It is essential that a woman learns to read

Cotton pick able to readers Arati,* left, and Sa cotton they the weigh scale, knowhana are now have picked h and avoid b ow much eing cheate d.

and write because then also the wider family is educated, but if a man is reading and writing that is only for him,” says supervisor Aslam Masieh. Anthony Lamuel, Pakistan Bible Society general secretary, says the Bible-based literacy programme is helping to raise the status of women in Pakistan in many different ways. “Fifty-two per cent of the population are women and I think once they are literate it will make a big difference in their whole psyche and their contribution to the community, in their own family, in the society, in church life,” he says. *Women’s names have been changed.

“Education is a bouquet of flowers that fragrances the family,” says a pastor’s wife. “The first school is a mother’s lap.”

women to read Our vision is to teach 7000 les so they’ll be in 2016 and give them Bibtheir communities. in ht beacons of God’s lig

“Boys are pushed to be educated in our culture but girls are ignored,” says Sonia, 16, who persuaded three friends to do the course.

Sunita, right, urged and mother to take her older sister Parveen Parveen says she di the literacy course. d it for her children’s sake.

the heart of the In Pakistan, a woman is ataverage seven people, on s ha me home. Each ho whole family. so one Bible can reach a

The women in this poor touched a book until thevillage had never class. Now they read the y joined the literacy Bible to their families.

$80 $240 $480 to read it.

will provide Urdu New Testaments to two Pakistani women and teach them

could teach six women to read and provide them with Scripture to share with their families. could fund 12 women waiting to join our literacy classes, and open up Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s word for them.

Sahana receives from Pakistan Bible Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anthony Lamuel a huge stack of large-print Urdu Bibles to give to her students.

Please call 1300 242 537, use the donation form, or visit biblesociety.org.au/sowerpakistan

Devotion

Praying for Christmas? Christmas produces strong feelings. We long for it, we dread it, we love every second of it or we are determined to avoid it. Tacked on at the end of Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth, we find two people who are deeply passionate about Christmas – so much so that they are praying for it – and then tell us to pray in the light of it. In Luke 2:25-32, Simeon has been praying for many years that God would do as he promised and send his rescuing King, his Messiah. When Simeon holds Mary and Joseph’s boy, he knows that all his cries, and the prayers of all those who have gone before him, have been answered. Likewise, in Luke 2:36-38, Anna has been longing for God to fulfil all his promises. When she sees this young family, she gets the fact that God’s grand plan to bring his people home to him has just taken a massive leap forward. So she encourages everyone who has been asking God to deliver on his promises to keep going. In the Bible, prayer is simply asking God to do what he has promised. It is asking God to work through the gospel. Luke points out that Jesus’s coming at Christmas is an answer to this most basic prayer of all. It is also an encouragement to keep praying that God would continue to roll out his great plan, as he brings people to new life in Christ through the gospel, until that day when all creation will be straightened out and made new, under the beautiful lordship of Christ. Gary Millar, Principal, Queensland Theological College

This word is clear and it flows

The Fijian New Version is welcomed with joy on Bau Island

Joseline, left, and Marie love their Marquesan Ne-Madeleine w Testaments

Flickr_PRO Duncan Ra wlinson

Wikimedia_Jeyan

ijian dockworker Faijielo Mara was delighted with the simple, clear language of the Fijian New Version Bible he received at a launch ceremony in the chiefly village of Bau two years ago. Since then he has been trying to lead a life that honours God, attending his cell group faithfully and tithing his income to the church. “It is very easy to read, clear to understand and just flows when we read. This Bible talks just like we talk today,” Faijielo says. “I am reading it like the president of the Methodist Church said, to read the Bible continuously from cover to cover – covering a few chapters in a day and allowing the word to speak to me from my reading.” The Fijian New Version, completed over a 45-year span, is one of the first fruits of a programme to produce new Scripture translations and revisions in contemporary language for about 1.5 million believers in the eastern part of the South Pacific. The vast area takes in Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Wallis and Futuna, Tuvalu, Cook Islands and the countries of French Polynesia. Most of these countries have Bibles in their mother tongues from the time of 19th-century missionaries, explains Apenisa Lewatorou, translation officer at the Bible Society of the South Pacific. The great need is for

Bibles in accessible contemporary language. The Marquesan New Testament and Psalms, which arrived in Papeete, Tahiti, in April was enthusiastically received with 1000 copies of the first print run of 2000 sold within two months of their arrival. The next priorities are the Kiribati New Bible (part of the 100 Bibles in 1000 Days project) and Tuvalu Revised Bible, both scheduled for launch in first quarter of 2016. Meanwhile, comics telling the story of Abraham are providing a launch pad for the gospel in the Solomon Islands, where very few of the 70 languages are available in written form. Comics are now being printed for eight dialects in Fiji, one in Tuvalu, one in Kiribati and seven Vanuatu languages. Other comics in the pipeline include the stories of Moses, David and Paul as well as the prophets Elijah and Jeremiah. It is hoped that having easy-to-read resources in their heart language will help people of different language groups grasp the salvation message. To help people in the eastern South Pacific read the Bible in contemporary language, call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537), use the donation form on the back page or visit biblesociety.org.au/sowerpacific

Our event toolkit Events for Bibles is a new online resource to make group fundraising for Bible Society easy and fun. In the past, anyone who wanted to raise funds through a group event had to be self-sufficient in producing their own promotional material such as invitations and posters. On Bible Society’s side, the process was laboriously manual. But now the process has been streamlined so you can concentrate on the fun aspects of your fundraising activity. “Sometimes fundraising can be quite overwhelming, so it’s nice to have a guideline to help you think about this, this and this,” says Mary Tran, Bible Society’s digital marketing coordinator, pictured above. “The goal is to create a portal to make it easier for anyone who wants to fundraise on our behalf, but also to equip them with the right tools.” Our new online fundraising toolkit takes you through every stage of the journey from registering your event to planning and promoting to praying and hosting. There are guidelines on what is and is not legal and a list of ten top tips and ideas. Events for Bibles makes it simple to turn any activity you enjoy, from walking to baking to cycling, into muchneeded funds for Bible Society’s work. Last year, your donations helped us complete Bible translation in more than 51 languages and literacy classes that graduated more than 4000 students. For details, see eventsforbibles.com

Save, donate and help spread God’s Word. The Bible Trust savings account conservatively invests and guarantees the capital. While your savings grow, a proportion of the interest earned is used to fund Bible work in Australia and throughout the world. You choose how much.

For further information call 1800 688 001 or visit biblesociety.org.au/winwin Minimum investment $1000. The Trust is not required to be approved or regulated by ASIC or APRA.

Holy land through indigenous eyes A study tour of Israel in September enriched the faith of a group of Pitjantjatjata translators from remote South Australia, says Paul Eckert, translation adviser for the Pitjantjatjata Bible Translation Project. The 15 translators, who have been involved for four years in translating the Old Testament from English to Pitjantjatjata, were keen to see as much as possible as they criss-crossed the country, Paul says. The group saw where David hid from Saul in the desert country; they sailed on the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus walked on the water; saw where David and Goliath might have confronted each other, and Shiloh where Samuel lived as a boy. And they discovered how mountainous a country Israel is. “The Bible talks about men going up from Jericho to Jerusalem. We don’t think too much about the up but it literally is. It’s about 35km from Jericho to Jerusalem and it goes from 1000ft below sea level to 3000ft above sea level in a short distance, so it’s quite a climb,” says Paul. While a Bible translator from Elcho Island took a group of indigenous Christians (including some translators) to Israel many years ago, this tour was

designed especially for mother tongue Bible translators and included translators from PNG and Africa. They stopped at more than 45 biblically significant sites in typically 40C heat over the ten days. “I’d like to go back and spend more time at less sites, but it was certainly worthwhile going and I think it’s enriched the faith of us all, being there. “We found ourselves connecting to the stories in a new way and connecting ourselves to the story. “It was very affirming for them, and confirming, that this story that they’ve been hearing about since they were young and now translating is true and happened here in this place.” For Paul, the connection was most real at Shiloh, where the tabernacle was set up for 300 years. “They had this incredible building overlooking the site and they showed a movie about Hannah praying to have a child and going to this tabernacle. The screen had holes, so occasionally the movie would disappear and you’d see through the holes to the landscape behind. And it was the same landscape you’d just been watching in the movie. So it was fantastic the way it made that connection with so long ago.”

To South Africa with Bible Society Australia’s Kaley Payne travelled to South Africa to see first-hand the work Bible Society is undertaking.

as South Africa lived up to your expectations?” asked my travel companion as we drove to the airport. “I wasn’t sure what to expect,” I replied. Before I visited, I would have said, “It’s like Australia, isn’t it? Similar climate, similar landscapes. Gosh, they’ve even got the same sporting colours!” My most recent encounter with South Africa was the video of surfer Mick Fanning punching a shark off the coast of Jefferys Bay in the Eastern Cape. That video of Fanning’s shark escape has had over 17 million views

cross the country, in many schools, we’re running Bible memory verse challenges,

engaging children living in some of South Africa’s darkest places with the living word of God, which they can carry with them in their hearts for the rest of their lives.

online. But if you’d told me that just over the sand dunes at Jefferys Bay, thousands of people were living in squalor – many without basic toilet facilities – I wouldn’t have believed you. And yet that’s what I saw. South Africa is a place of extremes – extreme sport, extreme wildlife, extreme beauty. Mixed in with that are extreme poverty, violence and a history of extreme racism. World news sources report that South Africa is suffering from “endemic corruption”, dubbed the Achilles heel of a country that is still

considered a developing one. Twenty-five years after the end of apartheid, many of those I spoke to in South Africa are disheartened by the lack of change. Inequality in South Africa is in some places worse than it was 25 years ago. The gap between the rich and very poor is widening. Bible Society South Africa’s project manager, Mims Turley, knows this. She’s lived in South Africa all her life and, like most South Africans, she’s proud of her country and believes there’s hope for change. But her hope rests in the

e’re helping children from disadvantage schools start learning from an early age

With Bible-based resources, children aged four and five who mi otherwise be left behind in their learning will gain basic literacy numeracy skills in preparation for Grade 1. It’s an opportunity h of thousands of South African children miss out on because of a teaching resources and school funding in the country’s flailing e system. Through Bible Society, not only will these children learn alphabet and numbers, they’ll learn that they are valued and lo their Heavenly Father, through stories from the Bible.

h love

You can download GTWO resources online at biblesociety.org.au/gtwo2016

power of God to change lives. “There are things that not one of us can change on our own. But there are little things we can do.” Throughout 2016, Bible Society Australia is seeking to Get The Word Out in South Africa. Through seemingly small actions we know big things can happen, in God’s strength. Here’s a taste of what we’ll be doing. We’re starting a Bible-based literacy programme to help ensure equal access to early education There are systemic problems in education in South Africa. Grade

ed e.

ight y and hundreds a lack of education n their oved by

R (for four- to five-year-olds) used to be optional and available in only some schools – usually in wealthy areas dominated by white people. It meant that children from poorer backgrounds were starting school already one year behind their peers. Now, Grade R is compulsory but only on paper. In practice, poorer children are still being left behind. Regulation is lax and teaching materials for Grade R often don’t make it to poorer or independent schools. When we visited some of these schools in September, we saw children using

colouringin books as their main “textbooks” for Grade R. That’s babysitting, not learning. And once a child falls behind, it’s very hard to catch up. Bible Society has created a series of Bible-based literacy booklets to help children in disadvantaged schools learn basic literacy in preparation for the next grade. Not only do they learn the alphabet and numbers, for thousands of children it’s one of the only opportunities they have to learn from the Bible.

e’re providing hope through the Bible to thousands of South African prisoners.

Far from the smiles and eager eyes of South Africa’s children are the dark halls of the country’s crowded prisons. God’s word is changing lives here: a man serving 16 years for armed robbery and hijacking opened the pages of another inmate’s Bible and found hope and a future in Christ. Bible Society is partnering with a local church ministry to run a discipleship course within the prison walls, teaching prisoners the love of God and offering a Bible in their own language upon completion. For those who have lost all they have, even their freedom, receiving a Bible is a precious gift. Receiving Christ is the best reward of all.

BSA Update

Team Jesus grows in faith There was an overwhelmingly positive reaction of Year 10 and 11 students to a day of quality input from four Christian leaders at Bible Society’s Masterclass series held in NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia from July to October. “Life-changing,” enthused a participant in the NSW session. “My testimony starts here from this experience,” wrote another. “It was an amazing day which challenged my faith and helped it grow to another level,” summarised a student after the Queensland Masterclass. “So much growth in only one day,” wrote another. “Best day of Christian learning that I’ve received,” was another response. Students loved the open and insightful approach to teen sexuality by sex therapist Patricia Weerakoon. Teachers were equally impressed with the speakers. “Practical and thoughtful insights,” wrote one. Another commented: “A renewed commitment to get the students to think deeply and critically about their faith – why they believe, what they believe and what that means for their life.”

Singing the Father’s love Christians across churches and denominations came together in Hobart in September to sing the truths of the Bible through songs they had written. The Word in Song event showcased wonderful new Christian songs by homegrown Aussie talent while raising $1100 on the night for Get the Word out to South East Asia. “Thank you for providing an opportunity for musicians in Tasmania to share their work and messages from God,” wrote one of the 100-plus attendees. “What really blew me away was the diversity of the performers and the depth of their songs,” commented Mark Barry, Bible Society’s Tasmania coordinator. “They were either taken directly from the pages of the Bible or reflected on the gracious character of the God of the Bible, through the lens of personal suffering and pain,” he said. Musically the songs ranged in style from folk to contemporary worship to hip-hop with Malachi John (above). Mark said he would love to see the event extended to a song-sharing event between churches. “A Christian Eurovision would be wonderful,” he said.

Koorong joins the family Bible Society acquired renowned Christian book retailer Koorong in July and the two organisations have started to work well together, thanks to the enthusiasm of Koorong managing director Paul Bootes and his staff. Here Bible Society Group CEO Greg Clarke answers some of the most common questions raised by supporters about the venture. Why is Bible Society buying Koorong? We believe it will advance our mission to increase access to the word of God across Australia, as well as attracting as many Koorong customers as we can to support Bible Societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work. Will Koorong change? One of the reasons we bought Koorong is that it is a really strong business. It has a dedicated staff of about 300 employees, and has been successfully selling Christian resources for nearly 40 years. We want that to continue. Of course, we will always be looking for ways to improve our service, and to ensure that everything we do aligns well with our commitment to the Bible.

Will Bible Society get distracted from mission work? We sincerely believe we will not get distracted, and the first six months have certainly borne out that belief. Koorong runs well already and we are, in fact, looking at ways to make sure its work expands the BSA mission: getting the word out. Why would you buy a bookstore when many are closing down? Koorong stores do very well, so it made good business sense. In fact, the future looks like a mix of stores and online sales. With 15 Koorong stores across Australia and exciting online plans, we are well equipped to serve the Christian community now and in the future. How could Bible Society afford to do this? Since we have been around for nearly 200 years, we have gathered resources thanks to our generous donors and the good stewardship of past leaders. We have simply exchanged one kind of investment (shares) for another (a retail company aligned with our mission). The decision was carried out very carefully, with due diligence and expert advice. We have not reduced our mission support by one cent to do this and, by Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grace, we look to grow our mission support in the future. Left: Koorong, West Ryde, Sydney

Penan find joy in reading Bible

Flickr/wakx

he Penan forest dwellers of Sarawak were so keen to learn to read that they would sit on rocks by the river reading their books by moonlight, recalls Australian missionary Phyllis Webster, who lived and travelled with the nomadic hunter-gatherers on and off during the 1950s, 60s and 70s. She found the Penan to be quick learners, with most mastering basic reading by the end of an adult literacy course she ran over six weeks, leaving afternoons free for hunting. “One girl cried for a day because she dropped her book in the river and thought she could never get another,” recalls Phyllis, pictured left, with Luket, a Penan boy. Phyllis is now 93 and living in a retirement village in Brisbane. Phyllis remembers being constantly covered in blood from the leeches during her time at Long Lamai village, the most remote Penan settlement in the Baram District of Sarawak, where she slept in

a hammock under a hut. Once able to read, the Penan found it a joy to see words such as “love”, “respect” and “equality” in print in their own language in the Bible. Many graduates went on to be church leaders, and Phyllis teamed up with them in translating the New Testament into Penan language, as well as Genesis, Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In 2008 Phyllis returned to Sarawak for the launch of the Revised Penan New Testament. Now the Bible Society of Malaysia has responded to her longheld desire for the Penan to have the complete Old Testament in their own language. A part-time translator, Edward Bilong, has just started translating Judges. Next year Corrina Balang, a 24-year-old Penan, is set to start full-time work on the project on completion of her theological degree in Sarawak. “Through this Bible translation we hope to help the few Penan pastors to be able to read and preach in the language they are familiar with,” says Daniel See, acting general secretary of the Bible Society of Malaysia. To help to equip the two Penan translators with resources, call 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537), use the donation form on the back page or visit biblesociety.org.au/sowermalaysia

Flickr/Richard Yu

Prayer points Dec 2015 – Feb 2016

1-8 December Philippines: Please pray that the Bible Society will meet its goal to distribute 450,000 copies of the Bible to poor Filipino families by the end of the year. Please pray also for God’s provision to cover the costs of distribution. Australia – Children, Youth & Education (CYE): Bible Society Australia’s Schoolies and Young Adults Mission Experience Team is in Cambodia until 12 December. Pray for the students and team leaders as they help run rural literacy schools and share Bible stories and testimonies. 9-15 December Norway: Please pray for progress in translations for all three languages of Norway’s indigenous population – Northern Sami, Southern Sami and Lule Sami. Please pray that God will send the right people to work on the projects and that the hearts of the Sami people will be open to God’s word. Australia – Fundraising & Community Relations: As the Their Sacrifice tour winds up, give thanks for the many conversations it has generated about the stories, God’s word and Christianity. Give thanks for the positive feedback among more than 15,000 people who visited. 16-22 December Scotland: God’s Gift is a special edition of Luke’s Gospel designed to provide a light-hearted but thoughtprovoking reminder of the real meaning of Christmas. Please pray that every copy that is given out by churches is read and brings people in Scotland closer to God. Australia – Fundraising & Community Relations: Thank God for all the volunteers and supporters who faithfully give their time and energy to supporting the work of Bible Society through the year. Also pray for new

staff member Rick Pekan in Western Australia, that he will quickly establish rapport with leaders and pastors. 23-29 December South Sudan: Please pray for Bible Society’s distribution of Bibles during this time of conflict and the creation of literacy programmes to help the many South Sudan people who are unable to read. Taiwan: Deputy general secretary Jessie Hsu has left Taiwan Bible Society after 14 years. Pray that God will bless her future ministry and pray for general secretary Cheng-Jen Cheng as he assumes extra responsibility during the transition. 30 December-5 January Vietnam: Please pray for the printing of 10,000 copies of the Vietnamese-Korean New Testament to facilitate Korean church services in Vietnam. Please also pray that Bible Society will be able to meet the Scripture needs of Korean/English-speaking churches in Hanoi. Germany: Please pray for the German Bible Society as it works with the church to meet the needs of refugees, especially Christians, and the logistics of distributing the Bible to the refugees. 6-12 January Israel: Pray for Christian schools in Israel that are facing challenges from government policies. Pray that they will be able to continue to function normally and retain their unique Christian identity. India: Please pray for Dr E. Leelavathi Manasseh as he works to enhance curriculum development for the Master of Theology in Christian Education at the AsiaAntioch Seminary. This course will cover Scripture engagement including trauma healing. 13-19 January Singapore: Please pray for the Sower Institute for

Biblical Discipleship, which has launched new courses to help people engage with the Bible. May God bless plans for the Institute’s work in 2016. Malaysia: Please pray for the success of the project to translate the Old Testament into the language of the Penan tribe in Sarawak. Pray also that they can peacefully resist logging that is devastating their lands. 20-26 January China: There are an estimated 215 million children aged 14 and below in China. UBS provides Sunday school materials and training for teachers. Please pray that God will reach more Chinese children and that they will find their security and hope in Christ. Pakistan: Please pray that God will guide the staff of Pakistan Bible Society in implementing “SAFE” (Strengthening and Affirming our Faith for empowerment). SAFE is a new programme to help Christian children and youth understand biblical truths so that they can answer Muslim people properly. 27 January-2 February Northern Ireland: With general secretary John Doherty retiring this year, please pray for God’s leading in the recruitment process. Also ask for God’s blessing as John moves on to new things. Pakistan: Please pray for Pakistan Bible Society’s Beacon of Life project, which is transforming the lives of marginalised Christian women and their families. Give thanks that so many thousands of women have been empowered to read of God’s saving love in the Bible. 3-9 February Rwanda: Pray that BSR has enough resources to benefit more people in their daily lives by promoting the word of God in their communities. Pray also for literacy teachers who are working voluntarily to help their brothers and sisters interact with the word of God.

Egypt: Please pray for Bible Society of Egypt’s marketing and distribution of the Sermon on the Mount and other Scriptures in Egypt and to Arabic-speakers abroad. This passage is a wonderful bridge to reach out to all people, no matter what their background. 10-16 February France: Praise God that French Bible Society’s booklet On the Road, which addresses questions migrant people struggle with, is being distributed to refugees in Europe and has been released by UBS for web use to link Bible Societies that minister to refugees. UBS is looking at developing the booklet into an app. Australia – Remote and Indigenous Support (RIMS): Please pray for the new Pitjantjatjara translation of the booklets Jesus on My Side and Free To Belong, with a verse from the Bible for every day of the month. 17-23 February Australia – Fundraising & Community Relations: Pray that people will respond to Bible Society projects and that Bible Society staff will be clear, enthusiastic and godly as they present the work around Australia. South Africa: Pray for God’s wisdom as Bible Society Australia partners with the South African Bible Society to help “Get the word out to South Africa”. 24-29 February Austria: Please pray that the Austrian Bible Society is able to meet the need for Scriptures by Christian refugees from the Middle East and those open to read the Scriptures. Please also pray for churches that are offering emergency shelter and food. Northern Ireland: BSNI is encouraging churches to have a fresh appreciation of Scripture and to get involved in the mission of sharing the Bible all over the world. Pray that people would be open to God’s direction and eager to take a stand against Bible poverty.

FREE GIFTS FOR ALL AT CHRISTMAS

LATIONSHIP ISSUES WORK PRESSURES ... ... CENTING hrisCONCERNS ANCIAL tDIIFICULTIES as .. CURRENTmEVENTS

T’S THE WITH MAS?

sto ry

Locked ww w.b Bag 700 Scriptu iblesoc 3, Min New re tak iety.org to NSW 256 Cop Interna en from .au 6 Use yright © tional the d by VersionHoly per 197

would

At the

JOY WOR

to the

PHOTO: JACKIE L CHAN, FLICKR

LD!

Bible Socie ty Aust Locked ralia © Bag www.bibl 7003, Mint 2015 o Scripture esociety.org. NSW 2566 ©America from Contemp au orary Engl n Bible Society ish Vers 1995

birth of

you bharacte e mos r t like

HAVE YOU EV WONDERED?ER C

mis 3, 1978, ®, NIVBible, Th m long.e “.. lo uV sion 198 re ve ® and les M be All righ 2 Strong of Je ersio ad an this. ere’s .not be it’s . it’s to 4, 2011 by John atthe rs alike lieve that beca tsoreserve rubber Bib su or ch sus in n’ and app lik Why and w, M —hi rs 2 Circ relig use d worlica, Inc.ch as re 2011 Thide les of gre bands ark, s ldw May at to the bo ad th e ious at™ Tacit secu ase pro .” paper, claim . means us an lar hist Luke ask be evena Chris ok of M e stor of larg y d or so tia if ar God)© ed Bible Society Australia 2015 over the e enough to AuPublish to be he is Joseph ians You me bi visit a n frien k, cover , th g qu who str Locked ed Bag 7003, Minto us ends of ch NSW • 2 Tab by Locke alia bear might ere’s2566(i.e. estio urch d? he . the cyli Min © 20 th d www.biblesociety.org.au lespoon e Bi and a lo the So nde ns. thou dy mor ﬁnd Je to NS blfrom r. Bag 700313 taken t at s of drie ww n e So the New International pumpkin al te sus isn ght w.bib WScripture stak of m d 256 , cie bea ig he ac seeds, 6 ty © 1973, 1978, 1984,e. Version®, NIV® Copyright ns, les or oc or sma mee ht be su was. her yo ’t the Scr ipt y.o Biblica, Inc.TM What ll pasta 2011ietby rpris In fact u New ure Cons t. to do: tak shells.rg.au , ed Copyr Intern en fro ider whomyou 1. Dec Bib ight ation m the Chris orate card lica © 197 al Ve Ho you All , t th 2. Plac rights Inc.™ 3, 197 rsion®, ly Bib board is Ch e one cylinde res Used 8, 198 NIV le, erv 16/08 paper ristm 4, 20 ® r ed by pe/13 and fast circle world rmiss11:16 11 as. over one AM en wit wid ion. by 3. Pou e. h a rub end of r in the ber ban the cyli seeds or d. nder the rem pasta. aining Close the paper rubber 1 open end circ band. wit Now mak le and fasten with the h e a joyf ul noise other and sing !!

hrisis is not a Cartmas d Th

19/8/

ion

23/9/1

5 5:37:4

Jesus

which

MAKE A JOY SH AKER!

athi ours Christmze with, ot elves into as stor hers we stories. So y? Do despis May we se e. But me charac our da be we find e ours what it ha ily ab ters w elves and a experienc rd to rela in it at out the e Roman e. With te to all? be ruler on a ki a pregnant cause it’s Or may lling ra virgin so unfa be we , m an m w do pa e’ an n’t veBEEN BORN ge— A CHILD HAS ge iliar it’s no l of the Lo to details actually fo see oursel ve easy ta rd rg from GIVEN FOR US. WE HAVE BEEN a nativ otteAn it. M s in the Ch sk. ristm aybe ity pl SON WHO WILL BEabouOUR t a baRULER. by, a m ay we saw we only re as story be It’s tim mem ca anger as tha e to it’s al WILL and a a child— ber vagu use HIS NAMES n l abou puBEt ChWONDERFUL donkey som or LukeAND t. Read rist baGOD, led just a ething e , ck rig W he MIGHTY ADVISOR in ht to Chris th n yo about w ? gre of ways objeis fe dern Je stu lo PRINCE h re lifeithas h rplenty tm etin stor ctivAND el iveok ETERNAL FATHER seat sus’OF elost, confused, birth as and re ep usalfeeling radi y is in y, the asiton g ca cal. credto Chris . It th aland pe alone. aperate, ibly Th t m helpless you thtmas might juin the gosp member w “She instar, aPEACE. els of ird an May will fants Romanere’s men we hat igh ought ople rd. st avyet ruler— follo andyou th th behait’s he s. good t tstill Jesuofs,rivanalsgi—,veaIsaiah bi th ks9:6 ouinghk vebemor Matthew e lish sla wing heya very pregrthinto bthere’s Pubfor geca eedhope. on thousand na ar ae pon,uglit hteringa whcute storabt.yout Jesucasusee reit’sleeavanc form be ls us ebyn?BiblTwo ande nt vir so Loc . e Ye Soc ica o ked an the he inillgin, lo ld yo Go claim rather as a ba sier toe s ago, on Christmas t so Go Bag the ﬁrstiety Australi Min NSW 7003 pres public meh dw a ow husa , a to baby came vetshis Wu heard.e to gi ed to be ththan as aby in a Do som man 2566 into the world Pus,bli holid chal sie we ay with(Ma she fest penoop ther ve e So man ethi bring us peace, hope, joy, What Jesu lenging dtebyndBib s, pu alltth ew www n of .bibleso nc 1:2 1) t, Jelesufr you’r him th the ive seas ng ra s’ bi you’ll tolefo th Soc h an e do di ciet om e e rth s M nee a iet urity and eternal y.org.au life. That na cum is a theiCh • A Car a lo Jesus of on: ge cal th ay d: Austrd reall accoun rgety ho ristia me t ubli dboard fam be it’s y w alia and no ented historr sins not of wa the Bi t to kn is cationJesus Christ, the Son t of y was cyliiliar. beca is. © Bible n-be by bo ical .”n or about disc ‘Yo down ys to do ble. ow Mray use V Text ﬁgu 14c you’r nde Soc ip lie th

rse in this card com es from Romans ould like 15.13 in ore in the to know more the Bibl abo e. Bibl this card e. You could ut the love of Jesu also , or find a church speak to the s, you can pers where you can lear on who n more.

6 PM

9:0

1:3

7 PM

Bible Societies around the world

Help for Iraqi refugees Bible-based trauma healing is being offered to Iraq’s Christians, who have fled in their tens of thousands to Iraqi Kurdestan. Mike Bassous, who oversees Bible Society work in Iraq and Lebanon, says every single Iraqi Christian family has a sad story to tell of displacement and trauma. “Our hope is that we will get enough of a breathing space to allow these Christian refugee families to rediscover their purpose. What they need is the psychological-spiritual support for them to go back and realise what was the purpose of being born as a Christian in Iraq,” he says.

Translation halted Violent clashes between ethnic groups in Yambio in South Sudan in recent months led to the abrupt halting of work on a new translation of the Bible into Zande, spoken by about 350,000 people in the West Equatoria State. Zande people fled the violence in Yambio, where the project is based, to live in the bush, even though it was the rainy season. “Nobody has been able to get to the translation office,” says Edward Kajivora. Please pray for peace in South Sudan as Edward and his small team encourage Christians by distributing Bibles in churches and refugee camps.

Pray for Guatemala Henry Ramirez of the Bible Society of Guatemala felt overwhelmed by the suffering he encountered at the site of a landslide near the capital Guatemala City in October. Henry and other Bible Society staff went to the village of El Chambray II to offer Scripture, prayers and comfort to those affected. About 253 people were killed when tonnes of earth, rocks and trees, dislodged by winter rains and illegal pipes, fell on the village. Rescue teams uncovered the bodies of whole families in their homes, mothers trying to protect their children, and a church was buried, along with 20 worshippers.

GPO BOX 9874 In Your Capital City P: 1300 BIBLES (1300 242 537) ISSN 1839-7425 W: biblesociety.org.au E: sower@biblesociety.org.au ACN 148 058 306 Bible Society Australia is a not-for-profit interdenominational organisation. It’s a member of the United Bible Societies, a fellowship of 146 organisations working in more than 200 countries. Our mission is to achieve the widest possible, effective and meaningful distribution of the Bible; also, to help people interact with it, and to have their hearts lightened by the Bible’s message of unconditional love in Jesus Christ.

YES! I want the Bible to be available

For those who do not like to cut up their Sower we have provided a copy of this form with your address slip for mailed copies.

o Pakistan Literacy o South Pacific Translation o Malaysia Translation

My gift for:

(tax deductible*) 15SWSU1TD

o Where needed most (non-tax deductible) 15SWSUGEN

(non-tax deductible) 15SWSU1NTD

(non-tax deductible) 15SWSU2NTD

..................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

I would like to donate:

o $80 o $240 o $480 My choice $

I enclose my Please debit my Card Number Expiry Date

o Cheque (payable to Bible Society) o Money Order (payable to Bible Society) o Visa Card o Mastercard oooo oooo oooo oooo oo/oo Name on Card

Signature .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

o Please send a receipt o Please send a tax-deductible receipt* o Please send me information about including the Bible Society in my Will

Receipts

Name

Tel

Email Address Please return to Bible Society, PO Box 375, North Ryde, NSW 1670 You can also donate online at biblesociety.org.au or by phone on 1300 BIBLES or (1300 242 537) If these programmes are over subscribed, the money will go to another Bible Society project. *Receipts for tax-deductible donations of $2 or more will be issued by the trustee for Bible Society Foundation. ABN 41 725 839 724