Bible prices a problem for students at Tüyap BookfairIZMIR, Turkey — Young people accounted for nearly 90 per cent of the approximately 130,000 people who visited the Tüyap Bookfair in Izmir in April. Many were students, some of whom took time to talk to staff manning the stand. of the Bible Society in Turkey. The staff found that a common theme of these conversations was the students’ inability to afford a Bible. In one case, two students said that they had 10,000,000 Turkish lire (US$6) to pay for two Bibles. One of the staff members agreed to accept this sum, even though the Bibles were actually on sale for 15,000,000 Turkish lire (US$9) each. There were several examples of teachers encouraging students to purchase biblical material. One said, “I recommend that each one of you should buy a New Testament. This New Testament is for the Christians. You have to read it and learn about their faith.” Another also encouraged his students to buy a New Testament and promised that they would be able to discuss it in the classroom. In total, the Bible Society sold 26
Bibles, 182 New Testaments, nine Portions and 14 Selections at the bookfair.
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