Worth more than a million dollars

Worth more than a million dollars

Merle Patzkowski and the people of Living Waters were led to give Bibles to Liberia. When I heard they were going to do this I was excited and pleased, but I must now admit I had no idea just what impact these Bibles would make, and the great need there is in Liberia for Bibles.

We agreed that the first Bibles purchased and sent would be NIV Study Bibles for the pastors. Many, probably most, pastors in Liberia have very small, poor churches. Purchasing a good study Bible, much less commentaries and books, is out of reach for many pastors. In fact, I met pastor after pastor that only had an old King James Bible. Some pastors just had the pocket New Testament with Psalms.

Keep in mind these pastors did not go to college or seminary. They are ordinary men who God called to lead a church. And they lead a congregation of poor, uneducated people that do not own a Bible. So the only source of Biblical teaching, the only source of God’s Word for these people is through their pastor.

There is no way better to describe the impact of the NIV Study Bibles than to quote a pastor of a small, rural church whose people live in absolute poverty. Tony and Mary Beth Outhier (they got married in Liberia) went to his church on Sunday and gave him a Bible. He hugged the Bible next to his heart and said "this is more valuable than a million dollars". He had been teaching his people from old Sunday School material, unable to afford a Bible.

Thank you Living Waters for listening to God speak and being obedient to his request. Your gift was worth more than a million dollars. I have no doubt your gift will bring eternal life to thousands and thousands of souls. Your gift will bring joy, peace, comfort, and hope to a people who are desperate for these things.

Living Waters, your gift is an answer to many cries to God from Liberian pastors that God would provide them with His Word so they can teach their people the way of righteousness and holiness.

May God bless you and may God pour out the power of His Word upon the people of Liberia.

Kris