Author: Simon Bartz, 18 August 2023
Two thousand copies of Let’s Learn to Read the Bible are being distributed to churches in Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates thanks to the kind giving of Bible Society supporters.
The adult literacy booklet, in the Telugu language of southern India, will teach illiterate migrant workers, who are flocking to churches in the Gulf region, to learn to read and write.
Pastor Rana preaches at a church in Kuwait attended by an average of 1,500 migrant workers every week. ‘More than 50 per cent of them are illiterate or semi-literate,’ he says. ‘Our pastoral team uses these booklets to reach out to hundreds in our congregation who want to read the Bible. It meets a huge need in our church. Thank you for this. May God bless Bible Society supporters.’
Let’s learn to read the Bible contains the Telugu alphabet, Genesis 3, Psalms 1, 23, 34, 40 and 51, Matthew 8, Luke 15, Luke 18, and John 4, including the stories of the Fall, the Samaritan woman and Jesus healing a man with leprosy.
The booklet also includes various sections that explain the gospel and how to become a follower of Jesus. The goal is not only to help these migrant workers improve their reading skills, but to encounter Jesus or grow in their faith.
Migrant workers mostly come from impoverished backgrounds and many are illiterate. They arrive in the Gulf to work in menial jobs such as construction work. They often work long hours, are poorly paid, and live outside of regular society in migrant camps. Many of them have lost hope and suffer from depression. Thanks to your support of Bible mission in the Gulf, more and more of these workers are finding hope in Jesus.
Pastor Jeyaraj, who ministers to three congregations in Kuwait made up of 500 people, said, ‘It is so fulfilling seeing adults learning to read for the first time. Mostly they are so excited to learn to read passages from the Bible. We find the books also very helpful in our outreach to those who do not come to church. This helps them to meet their need to improve their reading skills and their knowledge of the Bible and its truths. Thank you.’
The booklet has been a huge boost to Pastor Moshe who is regrouping his congregation at Hebron Telugu Church, also in Kuwait, after the disruption caused by Covid. ‘We are about 40 who meet in a small house. Many of our members are illiterate and had lost hope of ever learning how to read. Your books are rekindling their hope,’ he said.
‘Thanks to Bible Society supporters for the gift of these books to our small group. Though we are small in number, Bible Society in the Gulf always remembers us whenever there are new resources in Telugu. God bless you all.’
Solomon, a college lecturer in Oman, visited Dubai to pick up samples of two other booklets provided by Bible Society - Who is Jesus? and A Strong Foundation – in the Indian language Telugu. After returning to Oman, he sent this message: ‘Telugu friends saw these books and were so excited. They literally grabbed them from me and started reading them. I am looking forward to receiving more books soon for our use in our ministry among Telugu people. Thank you Bible Society!”
You can give a woman in the Gambia the amazing blessing of learning to read. Women like Mariama are gaining this essential skill late in life at Bible-based literacy classes, and now they're engaging with God's word in a radical new way. Your donation today will bring the Bible into someone's life.
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