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“All the refugees are disillusioned and so many are in need of the comforting Word of God.”

“It is impossible to imagine the level of confusion and bewilderment everywhere, and the Tirana authorities are overwhelmed as they try to cope with tens of thousands of refugees entering our country every week,” Mr Hysi said.

“Our government was not prepared for such a situation, and everything has fallen onto the shoulders of volunteers, many of whom are Christians. In some cases, if it were not for the volunteers, especially the Christians, these refugees might have nothing to eat.”

Mr Hysi himself closed the Bible Society office where he works and went with his colleague to one of Tirana’s refugee camps, where 3,000 refugees were squatting in squalor. “Since I came to this camp, I have been working as a volunteer for 16 hours a day. But we are few and need more help,” Mr Hysi said. He also added that they needed Scriptures to give to the people, most of whom could read well.

“All the refugees are disillusioned and so many are in need of the comforting Word of God,” he said. “We could distribute Scriptures even now but all we had in stock at the time was some 85 Scriptures, including 40 copies of the Albanian Bible, which we will be giving to Christian families.”

Mr Hysi requested two types of Scripture for immediate distribution: Bibla Ime e Pare (My First Bible), which is produced by the International Bible Society, and a collection of Scriptures which would include the Psalms, Proverbs, the Four Gospels and the Book of Acts in the Filipaj translation.

“Our government was not prepared for such a situation, and everything has fallen onto the shoulders of volunteers, many of whom are Christians.”

“It is important to try to produce these Scriptures even if we have to make a special printing since there are not many Scripture materials available, even from other organisations,” he said. The UBS is producing appropriate Scriptures for distribution among the Kosovar refugees not only in Albania, but in other countries where they have been offered sanctuary.

Terje Hartberg, UBS Regional Publishing Coordinator, said that the UBS would establish the extent of the need for Scriptures, taking into account the refugees in countries bordering on Kosovo as well as those further afield where the refugees were being taken.

He added that it was important to provide the right texts presented in a culturally sensitive way. The majority of the refugees from Kosovo were from a Muslim background.

“Rushing into Scripture distribution can be counter-productive without a proper analysis of the situation. We must first understand the real needs of the people and then select Scriptures in response to those needs in the most effective format,” Mr Hartberg said.

“It is equally important to carry out the Scripture distribution in the most meaningful way possible. The Scriptures we give should bring comfort and hope to these needy people as a complement to the humanitarian effort.”

The stories being told by the refugees are of torture, rape, separation, violence and murder. Ameniel Bagdas, the General Secretary of the Bible Society in Turkey, aimed to visit the camps in Turkey to assess the needs of the refugees.

The Albanian authorities have been happy to pass over the running of refugee camps and the organising of aid to some of the volunteer groups.

“Ordinary people who have turned up to volunteer their services have found themselves directing the distribution of aid materials and eventually organising the structure and running of these refugee camps,” Mr Hysi said.

“God is providing a way for Christians to Express his love in action.”

Local churches in Tirana approached the authorities about helping with an improvised refugee centre. They were able to provide food and aid materials for more than 5,000 refugees, reports the World Evangelical Fellowship.

This centre has now been given over to the Albanian Evangelical Alliance and the Albanian Encouragement Project (an organisation acting on behalf of many foreign missions working in Albania).

With the support of the 25 or so churches in Tirana, volunteers at this camp welcome and register the refugees, provide food and water, some clothing and shelter, and work in full cooperation with the local government and humanitarian aid organisations.

Churches in Durres on the Adriatic coast have set up a cooperative to run a camp of 200 refugees providing everything from food to shelter. The churches in Pogradec are running four refugee centres. And in Romania, a Christian organisation on Romania’s Black Sea coast that agreed to help with 20 refugees soon found themselves swamped with 200.

“The scale of the crisis is difficult to come to terms with,” said one volunteer. “What is obvious is that God is providing a way for Christians to express his love in action. In addition to that we must try to offer them the Word of life. We must do all we can to provide these people fleeing violence and persecution with the help and hope they need.” (WR 341/2 - 6.99)

Zvonimir Smiljanic, the Executive Secretary of the Bible Society of Yugoslavia, talks of the difficulties faced with the bombing of Belgrade.

The Bible Society office in Belgrade is located close to key government buildings, explained Zvonimir Smiljanic,Executive Secretary of the Bible Society of Yugoslavia. A police building 800 metres away, which also had a television broadcasting unit on the top floor, was heavily damaged by a NATO cruise missile last week. Even closer, one missile struck a government building barely 100 metres from the Bible Society office.

“ I come in to the office every other day to see what can be done. But many telephone lines are down so it is difficult to contact churches and other Christian organisations that are our customers.

Fortunately, the Bible Society has a limited amount of dinars (local currency) with which to pay the telephone bill, otherwise we would have been cut off. Our main account, which is in the name of the British and Foreign Bible Society, has been frozen, as have all accounts related to NATO countries. You can imagine that Britain, Germany, USA, and all the other NATO countries are now our enemies.

We are all praying that the bombing will stop. Our lives have become seriously disrupted but we want to keep our country. We don’t want to see it completely destroyed.

It is too dangerous for Vera, the young secretary of the Bible Society, to be constantly in the office. Sometimes the air-raid sirens only go off after the bombing has begun. She has been sent home to be with her young family, and only comes to the office occasionally when the need arises.

However, not much work can be done. Not only is phone contact a problem, but all distribution is currently at a standstill. We only have 20 litres of diesel fuel for emergencies. Apart from that we have a national shortage of fuel for vehicles. Things are grinding to a halt here. There cannot be many more strategic targets for NATO to bomb.

Several major factories have been hit, and hundreds of thousands of factory workers have been made unemployed. All public offices are closed. Everyone is unhappy about the situation, but people remain defiant: every night, hundreds of our young people (most between 22 and 25 years of age) camp out on the strategic bridges, such as the one in Novi Sad. ‘You will have to kill us if you want to destroy this bridge,’ is their message to NATO.

But of course the Christians are terribly sad and concerned. Like Christians in other countries, we do not want this confrontation and are praying for peace. About 95 per cent of Serbians belong to a church, the majority are Serbian Orthodox. But many people are, of course, only nominal Christians.

We celebrated our Easter Sunday a week ago: the churches were full to overflowing, and I could hardly get in. Everyone seems spiritually conscious. Even the commander in chief of the Serbian Forces broadcast a Christian Easter greeting. This would be strange in normal circumstances. But now people are more conscious of the spiritual side of life. Also, many people seem to have been touched by the Holy Spirit, and many are falling back on the Word of God.

The bombing caught church leaders unprepared, but we are beginning to organise ourselves. The Bible Society is holding a meeting with prominent church leaders, including Bishop Artemije of Kosovo, on Monday April 26. We will be discussing what action to take to try to supply people’s Scripture needs.

We will also be planning a special Scripture Selection in response to the current crisis. We would be grateful for any help we can get from the UBS in funding the production of such a Selection. We aim to distribute this Selection after the bombing has stopped. Then will be the time to remind people of the Bible’s message of reconciliation, forgiveness and hope for the future.

The Bible Society has an important role to play, assisting the churches in these difficult times, and offering them appropriate Scriptures. Getting people to turn to the Bible will benefit everyone.

We are truly grateful that we belong to a worldwide fellowship and that we can benefit from the prayers of other Christians and national Bible Societies through the UBS. We take comfort from the fact that we do not stand alone.

We are also hoping that the UBS will be able to help us in the production of this Selection. It will have to be distributed free because there is a shortage of cash. Every day we watch more of our country’s infrastructure being destroyed. Every day we take further steps towards economic ruin.

Please convey our greetings to the fellowship of Bible Societies and to all who remember Yugoslavia in their prayers. ” (WR 341/3 - 6.99)

MACEDONIA — While NATO bombers fly noisily above Macedonia toward Kosovo, the Bible’s message is quietly changing lives on the ground below. And this had begun among Albanian Kosovar refugees even before their numbers had reached hundreds of thousands fleeing the horrors of “ethnic cleansing”.

Missionaries based in Macedonia believe that the Bible can be a great help in healing mental and emotional hurts, and in making clear the message of peace and love. Every day, the members of three missionary families from the U.S.-based Cooperative Baptist Fellowship listen to the refugees.

Hearing their ghastly stories is just one part of the process. They also focus on the Word of God and pray for the refugees. And they provide food, clothing, bedding, medicine and hygiene products thanks to the donations they have received for that purpose.

For four hours, Arville and Sheila Earl listened to 18 members of one extended family as they shared their stories of terror, now in the relative safety of Gostivar, Macedonia. Providing the support and understanding is only the beginning of the process. It takes a great effort of will to re-focus the refugees’ minds on things not related to the violence they have often personally witnessed.

Then, gradually, these frightened people relax and some members of the family begin to ask their new friends about Christianity.

“What a wonderful opportunity to communicate the Gospel,” Mr Earl said. “This was unusual because the refugees do not normally ask questions like these – and certainly not of Christians.”

One person would like to have a Bible. He had long searched for meaning in life but had still not found any answers.

“He was really excited to be given a Bible in his own language,” said Mrs Earl. “And he began to read the Book of John straightaway. We pray that he will be guided to find what he is searching for in the Scriptures.”

The Earls moved to Gostivar from Skopje, the Macedonian capital, less than two months before the Kosovo crisis came to the boil. “The people seem to trust us quickly whereas it would usually take months or years for this trust to happen,” Mr Earl noted.

One refugee called Mejzin knew something was different about the Earls the first time he met them. “I want you to know,” he told his new friends, “that if you have to leave your house you have another home to come to – ours!”

In Skopje, two missionary couples, Rick and Martha Shaw, and Darrell and Kathy Smith, say they are finding the same response from refugees.

The Shaws use Bibles provided by the UBS, and they have begun what they think is the first regularly-scheduled Bible study for ethnic Albanians in Macedonia.

Over a period of several months, Mr Shaw has baptized at least two refugees and several have become involved in church. A newly arrived refugee, overcome with gratitude, went to church with the Shaws on Easter Sunday to thank God for bringing him and his entire family safely out of Kosovo.

“The Bible is a brand-new book for the people in our Bible study,” Mr Shaw said. “The particular version we use was translated in Prisùtina, Kosovo, by a Roman Catholic priest.

“Eliza, a Kosovar refugee, whom I baptized in December, loves this book. She has read the New Testament three times, underlining passages and verses that she likes, does not like or understand.

“Liria, an ethnic Albanian from Skopje, accepted Christ about three months ago. She finds the study aids included in this version very helpful,” he added.

The missionaries have been strained to the limit of their endurance by the overwhelming flood of refugees. They do what they can for them but are aware that it does not amount to much, not nearly enough.

“We cannot do everything, but we can sit and listen to their story, hold a child, try to meet their physical and spiritual needs, and express our sympathy and compassion,” Mr Earl said.

“The hardest part has been to see the elderly suffering so much – not having a place to call home, seeing their children and grandchildren suffer. Many of them have lost their whole family at once,” he said.

“It is heartbreaking. At times, all you can do is to be there and cry with them and ask God to comfort them.” They hope and pray that God, in his own mysterious way, will use this desperate and tragic situation to change lives.

“We believe the best thing you can do for us is to pray for God’s sovereign will to be accomplished – that He will use these events to draw people to salvation through Jesus Christ,” Mr Shaw said. (WR 341/4 - 6.99)

GAZA; April, 1999 — “Philip was travelling towards Gaza when he met an Ethiopian official and was able to explain the Bible’s message to him. That was almost 2,000 years ago. On March 23 we rejoiced in the opening of a new Bible bookshop in Gaza, after about five years of dreaming, praying, planning, working and waiting,” writes Labib Madanat, Executive Secretary of the Bible Society.

“The opening ceremony was a special celebration indeed. Many friends and colleagues from abroad and from the locality came to share with us.” Some 150 people were at the opening ceremony, including a representative from the Gaza administrative authorities.

Brother Andrew, from Open Doors, the Rev Miller Milloy – UBS Regional Secretary for Europe-Middle East – and Father George Ayyad, the Greek Orthodox Priest of Gaza, together cut the ribbon, declaring the bookshop open. Doron Even-Ari and Jamal Hashweh, the General Secretaries of the Bible Societies in Israel and in Jordan respectively, were also present.

Mr Madanat said that it is called the Teacher’s Bookshop because it carries educational stock as well as Christian material. The material is displayed on two floors with an area set aside for children. It is the first Christian bookshop to exist in the Gaza strip to his knowledge. As with Philip, so many years before, the purpose of the bookshop is to provide guidance in understanding God’s Word, and to make the Bible available in all possible formats and editions.

Brother Andrew presented the Bible Society with a hand-woven carpet made by a Christian Arab family. The carpet includes a picture of the Lamb of God. Two other carpets have been produced by this family, and these were donated respectively to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Queen of England.

There are some one million inhabitants in Gaza and the Christian population is relatively small – 2-3,000, 90 per cent of whom are Greek Orthodox. But it is believed that the shop will have a wider customer base, serving students and teachers at the university and schools, and tourists.

Gaza was accorded semi-autonomous status in 1994 along with the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In its ‘Project Philip’ the Bible Society is developing outlets in the West Bank, Nablus and Bethlehem, in addition to its central offices in East Jerusalem. The Teacher’s Bookshop in Gaza is the first step of the project to be completed.

The Gaza bookshop was funded mainly through donations from the Netherlands Bible Society and Open Doors. A further US $170,000 is needed to fund the first five year running costs. (WR 341/5 - 6.99) [PHOTOS]

Photo: The Bible Society's stand at the Ankara bookfair proved very popular

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Of all the displays at this year’s Ankara Bookfair, the Bible Society stand was always the most crowded.

People turned up in droves to purchase Bibles, New Testaments, Scripture Portions, audio-cassettes, and copies of the Jesus film. The other exhibitors could only watch with surprise and envy.

such a strong wave of Bible interest to sweep through the fair. But they were only too pleased to be inundated with requests. On this occasion, the Society was participating jointly with a local publishing house. The bookfair was held over a three-week period in March, at Ankara University.

A sign saying, “Free, please take one” drew much attention to some audiocassettes of the Gospel of Luke and copies of the book More Than a Carpenter. Hundreds of people picked up these items.

“We really felt the protection of the Holy Spirit during the fair,” said one of the Bible Society workers. “It was heart-warming to see so many people hungry for the Word of God.

“One day, we received a visit from a group of civilian policemen, who were responsible for the security at the university where the bookfair was being held. When the officer-in-charge noticed the Bible Society stand he came over with a big smile on his face. ‘Where have you boys been until now?’ he asked.”

It turned out that he had heard the Gospel from the two Bible workers who had manned the display at the 1993 bookfair. He referred to them as “true men of God”.

Meanwhile, the other policemen were listening to their colleague with surprise and interest. He then turned to them and said, “My friends, take these books and read them. This is the Word of God!”

The police chief went on to explain that he himself reads the Bible regularly and loves it. His colleagues each accepted a New Testament and an audio-cassette. Before leaving the stand they assured the Bible workers, “If you get any trouble, we will be right here for you.”

Two Christian students who were helping out with the Bible stand became very good witnesses to other students. When the team went to the university cafeteria for lunch, they met some students with whom Bible workers had shared the Gospel previously.

There are more than 7,000 students at this university. Almost all of them heard about the New Testament or received a Scripture Portion or audio-cassette from the Bible Society stand. In addition, the workers invited many to attend their church in Ankara, and 45 students attended during the first week.

Two students and one lecturer from the university accepted Christ as their Saviour during this year’s bookfair. These three invited their friends to the Bible stand and started talking to them about the New Testament.

“We have been greatly encouraged by our experiences at the Ankara bookfair. The Lord our God has clearly shown us how he can use us to bring in fruit for His Kingdom,” said a beaming Bible worker at the end of the fair. (WR 341/6 - 6.99) [PHOTOS]

IZMIR, Turkey — This year’s Tuyap bookfair in Izmir was quieter even than usual. There were several reasons for this, one being the escalation of terrorist activities in the town.

There were fewer book dealers present, but the Bible Society team set up their stand in faith. During the fair they had the opportunity to talk to about 40 people, most of them atheists. Some asked questions about Jesus, others about the after-life, and many about the New Testament.

The Bible workers were friendly and sincere in their replies. They explained things as best they could, and shared their own personal experiences with the visitors. There was no negative reaction or opposition to the Bible at this year’s fair.

“We prayed a lot for this event, and God has answered us!” said one member of the team.

Among those who showed an interest in the Bible stand were three students. The young people were invited to have tea with the Bible workers at the university cafeteria. They were also invited to church and said they would like to attend.

Later, the team had the opportunity to share their testimony with a lady who teaches at the Ege University in Izmir. They gave her the address of the church in Smirna, and she too said she would make an effort to attend.

Finally, two Azeri students asked whether according to the New Testament it is a sin to drink alcohol. The Bible Society staff directed them to the passage in Ephesians (5:18) which says, “Do not get drunk on wine, which will only ruin you.” The students were delighted to be able to read this verse in the Turkish New Testament.

During the fair, the staff had many similar opportunities to talk about the Bible, and they met several people who said they were regular readers of the Turkish New Testament. (WR 341/7 - 6.99)

Philip Poole, Business Development Director at the British and Foreign Bible Society, has been helping the Bible Society in Belarus for several years. He frequently visits the country and was last there at the end of March. The following report is largely as a result of that visit.

Likewise for the Bible Society in Belarus (BSB), there are strong ties with the Bible Society in Russia (BSR). In 1989, the BSB was recognised as the Minsk branch of the BSR (which was then the Bible Society in the Soviet Union). In 1992 a group of enthusiastic people registered the BSB; at the time they had no office and no storage space.

Over the next three years the BSB obtained an office and a warehouse, and developed a distribution system. The Society maintain good relations with all the churches and in 1987 held a General Assembly to which all the church leaders were invited.

The main church is the Orthodox, and the BSB has felt a definite improvement in relations with Orthodox Church leaders, especially since the UBS Orthodox Consultation in Cyprus held this February. But political pressures often cause problems for the church leadership, and, despite some contacts being made by Orthodox bishops, the BSB still awaits the public approval of Metropolitan Filaret.

Relations with the Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic, Baptist, Seventh-day Adventist and Pentecostal churches are good, and most of these churches show active support for the BSB.

Most of the 10 million people in Belarus speak Russian. The national language, Belarussian, was popular for a time after the initial establishment of the country. The UBS is supporting a translation project in Belarussian, but to date only the Gospels of Matthew and Mark have been completed.

The Society also published a New Testament translated by a member of the Society board. But most of the demand for Scriptures now is for Russian texts, and the BSR works closely with the BSB in supplying Scriptures produced in Moscow.

In autumn last year, the BSB launched what is becoming one of its most successful projects: Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH). Anatoly Gribin was employed to contact churches and he succeeded in obtaining 850 orders for the New Testament on audio cassettes.

Unfortunately, Mr Gribin has become ill with a serious viral infection that attacked his eyes. So when the sets of cassettes arrived from the BSR in March, all the staff concentrated on getting these out to the churches. Initial reactions seem to be very favourable; people are pleased with the high quality of the recordings, but with Mr Gribin still recovering, it has been difficult to do the follow-up.

The Orthodox Church has been given sets of the FCBH New Testament, and the Bible Society is awaiting the response of Metropolitan Filaret. It is hoped that with his approval some Orthodox Churches will want to begin the program. One set of the tapes is supplied to the churches free of charge. Until now, the BSB has not raised sufficient funds to cover the cost of these Scriptures.

Another success was to get the Meet with the Bible videos broadcast on national television. The set of videos was produced by the German Bible Society and dubbed into Russian by the BSR. These went out twice: once before the Western Christmas and again before the Orthodox Christmas, which is held in January.

Although the Bible Society was not credited on screen for providing the films, there was a good response to the broadcast. The Executive Secretary of the BSB, Jakov Potupchik, is trying to build relations with television and radio producers in order to develop more potential for broadcasting Bible-related material.

“The BSB regularly visits hospitals and clinics looking after radiation-affected people, particularly children . . . and the staff of the clinics comment on how much the children appreciate both the interest taken in them and the gifts of the Scriptures.”

The BSB regularly visits hospitals and clinics looking after radiation-affected people, particularly children. Distribution of Children’s Bibles and other Scripture material is always well-received, and the staff of the clinics comment on how much the children appreciate both the interest taken in them and the gifts of the Scriptures.

Another project which the BSB is keen to see taking off is to provide Bibles in larger print for elderly people. Current salaries in Minsk are around $1.50 per month, but the cost of a Bible is $2, which is often beyond the savings of the elderly. The BSB wants to fund the production of up to 10,000 Bibles for the elderly, which would be produced in Russia.

The BSB has met with leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist, the Pentecostal, and the Baptist churches, who are very enthusiastic to see this project get under way.

These churches are all church planting to overcome the great absence of churches in the country. Many smaller towns and villages in Belarus have no churches – even the Orthodox churches were confiscated and used for state purposes under the communist regime.

The Protestant churches are concerned about forthcoming changes in the religious laws restricting evangelism and religious expression, modelled on those passed in Russia. They fear that such laws, if implemented in Belarus, could be used against them.

One of the areas immediately affected would be the legal registering of new churches. Under the new laws this would be very difficult. There has therefore been a rush to register new churches, even if they do not currently exist, in places where there are no churches and where the Protestants aim to establish a presence.

While the Orthodox Church has been concentrating on getting back buildings that the communists had confiscated, the Protestants have been buying land and building in every sizeable community.

One Baptist church in Minsk has developed a novel method of church planting. They have established an advanced music school for exponents of classical, traditional and religious music. There, pupils can learn to play instruments, read music, conduct, train singers, and organise choirs. Choral singing is a very popular hobby among the Belarussian people. Christians graduating from this music school are encouraged to move to a town or village in the countryside where there is no church.

In the beginning they concentrate on forming a choir and teaching the members traditional, classical and religious music. They put on regular concerts and at the same time lead people to a knowledge of Christ and the Bible’s message. From this nucleus the new church is born.

Many report that the future of the country is in doubt – there is much uncertainty and fear due to the rampant inflation and political argument. People are concerned that they may not be able to find food tomorrow. Belarus President Lukashenko has made his support for President Milosevic of Serbia very clear, thereby alienating some Western countries that have been providing aid.

“Many smaller towns and villages in Belarus have no churches – even the Orthodox churches were confiscated and used for state purposes under
the communist regime.”

In addition, another Bible organisation has flooded the market with inexpensive Bibles for evangelism and church planting. Funded from abroad, this process threatens to capture whatever market the BSB has worked hard to establish. But when such an organisation runs out of funds or Scriptures, it leaves a void having destroyed any home-grown Bible supplier.

It is hoped that efforts to develop good relations between Bible organisations can find a solution to practices that threaten the on-going and developing supply of Scriptures. (WR 341/8 - 6.99) [PHOTOS]

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — In preparation for the launch of the new Swedish Bible translation which will be brought out this November, the Swedish Bible Society has been involved with churches in projects to offer people examples of the new translation.

In the autumn of last year, to celebrate Stockholm’s nomination as the Cultural Capital of Europe (1998), a distribution of Luke’s Gospel was achieved by using the national newspaper Metro.

The Gospels were produced in newspaper format with pictures from modern life in Stockholm. Some 265,000 of these new-format Gospels were inserted into the morning papers, and about 35,000 were distributed through congregations and Bible Study groups which had ordered them. The media said that on this day the people threw away the Metro and kept Luke.

Many of the participating Bible Study groups had prepared their congregations by providing special study material about Luke and his message. People were invited to participate in special services, study circles, and exhibitions organised around the Gospel.

Well-known actress Stina Ekblad gave a monologue performance in one of Stockholm’s theatres, having memorised the complete Gospel of Luke. She held the audience captive for two and a half hours, and received rave reviews. After that first night it became almost impossible to obtain a ticket, with 300 people at every performance, each paying the equivalent of US $25 to hear the Gospel of Luke.

Now Ms Ekblad is planning to take the show on tour across the country and through the Swedish-speaking parts of Finland. (WR 341/9 - 6.99)

Albanian Christians Respond
to the Kosovo Crisis

Bible Society in the Line of Fire

Albanian Christians Respond to the Kosovo Crisis

Bible Society in the Line of Fire

Albanian Christians Respond
to the Kosovo Crisis