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News #230 - Egypt
January 29, 2003
Society encouraged in advance of Cairo Bookfair
CAIRO, Egypt — A children’s bookfair held in Egypt last month gave staff of the Bible Society of Egypt the encouragement they needed as they prepared for the major sales opportunity of the year, the Cairo International Bookfair, which is now under way.
A young mother came to the Bible Society stand eager to know if she could have the seventh video in the Beginner’s Bible series of children’s cartoons.
“I love this series and it has been such a great help to my children,” she said as she paid for it. The Society helper on the stand was surprised by her interest and enthusiasm - and by such familiarity with their products from a non-Christian.
“How did you hear about the series?” he asked.
“I saw the advert for your Abraham video last year,” said the woman, “and when I phoned to order it through your home delivery service, the salesgirl asked if I had children and whether I would like to buy them a cartoon. So I did and my children fell in love with the series. Now they have seen all of them - except this last one!”
Although political tensions in the Middle East mean a new video the Society has prepared on the life of Moses is unlikely to be on sale, many other new products will be available for the first time at the fair.
The bookfair is the Society’s greatest single opportunity in the year to distribute Scriptures. Ramez Atallah, the General Secretary of the Society, said the cost of paper and of audio and video cassettes had increased significantly as the Egyptian pound had lost value against the US dollar. The Society has increased some of its prices but not enough to offset the increase in costs. At this year’s Cairo International Bookfair it has five stands which are open for 10 hours a day for 15 days. The event runs until February 7. (328 words - EGYPT.29.01.03)For further information please contact Andrew Mathewson, UBS Editor.
Alternatively, write to:
Andrew Mathewson
UBS Editor,
UBS World Service Center
Reading Bridge House, 7th Floor
Reading
RG1 8PJ
England