“W hen I received the S’gaw Karen Bible, I was so happy that I cried,” said 17-year-old “Sandar”. She is one of the many Christians in isolated regions of Myanmar that Barnabas has enabled to receive their own copy of the Bible, in many cases, like Sandar, for the very first time.
“This is beyond my dreams and thinking, because I never thought Bibles would be distributed for free on our island,” Sandar continued.
Barnabas has funded the transportation of 94,000 Bibles to Christians in Myanmar, who continue to suffer violent persecution from the country’s military.
The first shipment of 50,000 Bibles, in the S’gaw Karen language, was successfully distributed in February and March 2024. Distribution of the remaining 44,000 began in May and is still ongoing at the time of writing.
We are working with a local Christian project partner to deliver the Bibles, which each include a hymnal of Christian songs, to Karen Christians living in impoverished rural areas including islands and other isolated locations that are very difficult to access.
Reaching even the most isolated regions with the Word
“Arkar”, a 45-year-old islander who makes his living as a fisherman, concurs with Sandar. “I wanted to read the Bible,” he says, “but on our island, there were no Bibles even to buy, and 95 percent of the Christians on our island had never even seen a Bible.”
Now that Arkar has been provided with God’s Word, he always brings his Bible when he goes fishing on the sea, and whenever he has opportunity, reads it while on his fishing boat.
“The Word of God changed our family from a disunited family to a family united in Christ”
The Scriptures have had a transformative effect on Arkar’s family. “After we read the Bible together in our family, we are happy in spirit,” he declares.
“My two sons are now going to church,” he adds. “The Word of God changed our family from a disunited family to a family united in Christ. Thanks for your greatest gift to our family.”
The distribution of Bibles has impacted the younger generation significantly, motivating young people to deepen their relationship and commitment to God. “We are reading together and discussing together when we have time, especially in the mornings,” Sandar says. “Since we received the Bibles, we are growing in faith. Now, many of our young people are motivated by the Word of God and many more have started coming to church.”
“Marlar”, another recipient, is 51 years old and had been praying for a Bible for 15 years. “You have sown the best seed to me and the S’gaw Karen people,” she said, “especially those who live on islands and in the remotest areas that even Google Maps does not mention.”
Trusting the Lord through loss of family
“Dedan” was just nine years old in 2008 when both his parents and his three brothers were all killed in Cyclone Nargis. In his teenage years he found comfort in his Christian faith, a faith that was nourished when he had opportunity to borrow and read his pastor’s Bible. He started praying fervently to be able to buy a Bible.
“After eight years, God answered beyond my prayers,” Dedan explains. “My prayer was to be able to buy a Bible, but God answered me by giving me a free Bible with a hymnal. How great is our El Shaddai (Almighty) God!”
His joy at receiving a copy of God’s Word is clear to see. “Even though I live in a bamboo house, my eternal house is in heaven. Thanks for your wonderful and amazing gift of Bibles to me and other needy people in our village and other places in our region. God bless you all.”
“Hayma”, an 82-year-old widow, also suffered huge personal loss in Cyclone Nargis – when the cyclone struck her village, her husband and all their seven children were among many who died.
Hayma’s faith remained undimmed. She had been praying to receive God’s Word since she was 19, and never gave up hope.
“Our God always has the best plan for us, and He never forgets our prayers,” she said. “I strongly believed that God would answer my prayers to own a Bible before I died.”
“I hope you can know how happy I am when you see my big smiling face in the picture,” said “Dedan” to our project partner when he received his Bible. Behind Dedan is the bamboo hut that he built to be his own home
“Now, every day, I read the Bible, and I am the happiest and most joyful widow in the world,” she declares. “Even though my husband and all my children died, and I live alone in a bamboo tent, I am happy, because God has given His peace to me.”
God answers when we call
“Thet”, now 59, is yet another whose family was affected by Cyclone Nargis. He lost his wife and two of his three daughters in the disaster. Thet’s Bible was lost along with all his possessions in the cyclone and he could not afford a replacement. After long years of prayer, he has finally received his copy for free.
“God promised us that when we will call unto him he will answer us,” Thet explains, in reference to his favourite Bible verse Jeremiah 33:3, “and also show us great things beyond our needs in life.”
Thet speaks for many in acknowledging the Lord’s hand in reaching Christians with His precious Word. “Thank you so much for your generous donation of our S’gaw Karen Bible especially to remote areas people. It is not easy carrying Bibles to our area, but when God shows His mighty power and chooses His people, it happens.”
Christians at a Karen church wasted no time reading the Bibles they had just received
Project references: 00-362 (Bibles and Scriptures Fund);
75-763 Aid for Persecuted Christians in Myanmar
