Burning Holy Books

“Somchi” is an outcast in her village in Laos. Even family members have turned against her. And when villagers found a Bible in her home, they proclaimed, “We need to destroy it!” They believed the Bible was causing her mother’s illness.

“My villagers still hate me and mock me, like they mocked Jesus on the cross,” Somchi told Voice Of the Martyrs. “It is the world’s right to hate us or to love us. But for me, I will follow Jesus.”

In restricted nations around the world, Bibles are burned, shredded or confiscated every day. Those opposed to the gospel can destroy Bibles, but they cannot destroy the faith of those like Somchi.

Your contribution to VOM’s Bibles to Captive Nations Fund will help ensure that we can continue delivering Bibles to those who have had theirs destroyed or confiscated or to believers who have never owned a Bible of their own.

We are often asked if delivering these Bibles puts the believers at greater risk. Yes, it does! However, we are meeting their requests for Bibles. They know and are willing to take the risks. They ask us to remember them in our prayers … and to please bring more Bibles.

Bibles are distributed in nations around the world that are opposed to the gospel. They are delivered in China and Laos. They are delivered in the Middle East and in Africa. In Colombia, they are dropped out of planes with small parachutes over Marxist guerrilla camps.

Please help us support today’s persecuted church by providing one of their most requested items — Bibles.

Want to help? Click here.

Comments (10)

  1. Garrett

    Reply

    Destruction of another’s property is simply wrong. It’s also terrible that people believe in such superstition. A bible making one sick? It’s paper, glue and leather. C’mon.

    However, I’d much rather put money towards Somchi’s health and education. Apparently Laos is not doing so well in terms of free speech and development.

  2. dede

    Reply

    it seems, that she is hungry and thirsty for the Word of God and is intensely reading it. what a precious little girl…I love her and i don’t even know her. i’ll pray for her and send in what i can.

  3. Reply

    When you have nothing, faith is very appealing, Garrett. I do agree that they need more education and human services in Laos, but giving them bibles as charity is harmless if they’re willing to take the risk to read them. The promise of a better life then the one they’re currently living is the only thing that gives some of them hope. I’m sure though that many charities that pass out bibles to hungry afflicted people will include some amount of food or medicine, do they Steve?

  4. Garrett

    Reply

    Her family and neighbors have their faith, and look what it does. Spreading conflict and superstition amongst each other. It’s a distracting and divisive thing that is obstructing real progress. Why not give her something of real substance to read? Like a textbook.

  5. Reply

    “The promise of a better life then the one they’re currently living is the only thing that gives some of them hope.”

    The promise of a better life and becoming a Christian are an antithesis to each other.

    One doesn’t come to Christ to have a better life, one comes to Christ to have forgiveness of sins.

  6. Reply

    @Wayne
    I think you missed the point of the comment, a better life… after this one, meaning that for her, this life stinks, but if you have faith and repent, you get into heaven, which according to the bible, is much better than this life, so why shouldn’t she have faith? But I do agree with Garrett, they need education and perhaps a little social change more.

  7. Garrett

    Reply

    Afterlife diminishes actual life. It can retard efforts to improve your lot Iife. Why bother? Just focus purely on spiritual things and wait out your mortal duration.

    This leads to stagnation and slows down meaningful change. Not to mention all the time and effort and money towards operating the Bible charity could go towards a more meaningful charity.

  8. Reply

    Charity is still charity Garrett, regardless of where it comes from. If you’re starving or impoverished, I don’t think you’d care if help comes from a Muslim, Christian, or a Jew. If Christians are the ones actually donating time, money, and resources to helping people than you can’t really beat up on them for doing it. Its one thing to say they need this this and this, but its another thing to actually do something about it. If you don’t want to donate money for bibles, than find another secular charity and donate to them to help these people get what they need as far as education and resources go. Its human nature to help each regardless of the situation and this shouldn’t be used as a point to argue.

  9. Garrett

    Reply

    Charity is charity regardless of origin. What is given, however, is not equal (charity though it may be). I don’t see where you got this idea that charity from the religious is bad. We’re talking about what, specifically, is being given to the people in need. I find religious texts to be neutral at best.

    Food, shelter and (most importantly) education will give these people the ability and knowledge to change their situation incrementally. Religious texts merely keeps them tolerant of their current station in life since, in this context, you have a nice afterlife to look forward to. It can really dull motivation.

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