World Christian Ministries: Bread Beside the Sea

John Lindner

An estimated 200 million Christians on the African continent do not have Bibles, according to Steven Loots of Harvesters International Ministries based in South Africa. Bibles for Believers is attempting to supply 225,000 Bibles to help meet the need in their areas of ministry, and has distributed 75,000 Bibles over the last 15 months.

These are in local languages that are printed in short runs, and trucking them to their remote locations is expensive and time consuming. In contrast to the mass-produced Bibles in China that can be obtained for $5, typical cost for an African local-language Bible is $10, but that includes placing it in the hands of the local believers.

The following testimony of South African missionary worker Herbie Venter shows how faithfulness to the Lord, despite exhaustion from hard work and long hours, still blossoms fruit for God's kingdom, as they distributed 8,300 Bibles in a week. It has been edited for fluency and clarity. --John Lindner

Border crossing green bar

Photo shows men taking Bibles from the Bibles for Believers warehouse. All photos are courtesy of B4B.
At 11 p.m. Friday, July 31, a group of 13 people in five vehicles hauling four trailers set off from South Africa for Zimbabwe and Malawi. Our purpose: to take 6,200 Shona Bibles to Masvingo in Zimbabwe for later distribution and to distribute 2,100 Chewa Bibles in northern Malawi among the believers who had requested them.

Our first ordeal began early the next morning at Beitbridge on the Zimbabwe side of the border. The documents needed to take the Shona Bibles through the border were not yet available, and we had to wait 12 hours before they were in place. For some of the group this was their first experience with border procedure, and they found it difficult to be patient.

Despite the delay, everything went wonderfully well. We arrived at about 11 p.m. in Masvingo, where we spent the night at the home of Gerhard and Trudie Burger. Sunday morning we offloaded the 6,200 Shona Bibles in the storage place provided for us.

Offloading Bibles in Zimbabwe
Men load Bibles into a Harvesters International Mission vehicle.
We left two of the trailers there and departed for Harare, the capital, where we spent Sunday night before venturing further down the road to the Mozambique border post Monday morning. We arrived at the Malawi border post late in the afternoon, where it took only four hours to cross. Late Monday evening we arrived at "Pottery," the camping ground adjacent to Nkhotakota, which was our home for next few days.

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were extremely busy. In three days we had to distribute 2,100 Bibles among 191 churches in northern Malawi. Local leaders volunteered to help us. We met groups of leaders from various churches at central points and gave them the Bibles and completed the distribution by Thursday afternoon.

We had worked hard, had had very little sleep, and everyone was exhausted. We decided to spend the next day refreshing ourselves at Monkey Bay, so immediately broke camp and took to the road.

Moonlit Lake Malawi
Photos show moon shining on Lake Malawi.
We arrived at Fat Monkeys Camp Grounds very late that evening, but the scenic beauty of Lake Malawi assured us we had made the right decision. A campfire and barbecue invigorated us, and we enjoyed fellowship and shared Bible distribution stories around the campfire. It was 1:30 Friday morning when we headed to our tents, but I decided to take a walk to the lakeshore to admire the view.

Unexpected outreach

Men gather by the lake
Men gather on the shore of Lake Malawi and hear the gospel.
While I was standing by the lake in the early morning, admiring the beauty of God's creation, two Malawian men walked towards me and we began chatting casually. One of the men, Ian, had a bottle of liquor in his hand, and he was obviously under the influence. The other man, Franck, was sober. They had come from a party where, according to Franck, Ian drank excessively, which apparently was his custom. Both men professed to be Christians, but Ian attributed his problem to friends who always placed him in situations where he could not control himself.

I told Ian that he himself was the problem and asked him what he was going to do about it. Ian upended the bottle, poured out all the liquid, and threw the bottle into the lake. He then fell to his knees and begged God to forgive him. That was the beginning of his commitment. I asked them to come back in the morning so that I could speak to them again from the Word of God.

When I went looking for them the next morning, I saw some men sitting in a boat next to the lake and asked them if they knew Ian and Franck. When one of them, Stanley, heard that I wanted to speak to Ian and Franck about the Lord Jesus, he told me that he was a born-again Christian.

"Can I ask you some questions that are bothering me about my faith?" he asked.

I said, "Yes."

"Well, my main problem is that I don't have a Bible," he said. "I have to depend on what the pastor and church leaders say because our church only has three Bibles."

Stanley apparently did not know that he could pray to God and ask for things lacking in his life. Though he had already given up drinking, he still smoked, and he felt he was therefore lost and no longer God's child.

"God assures us that if we accept the Lord into our life, we are--and always will be--His children," I told him.

Stanley's face flooded with tears of relief. He there and then asked me if I perhaps had a Bible for him.

"We have already given out all the Bibles we had," I told him, "but we can pray and ask the Lord to provide a Bible for you."

Seaside wonder

Stanley's boat
Stanley's boat, Warm Heart of Africa
We prayed, and Stanley learned that he could take his needs to the Lord, and that God would provide at His appointed time.

After Stanley left, Ian and Franck arrived on the scene. I spoke to them about the way of salvation, and we prayed the penitent's prayer together. I pointed out to them that they now had a responsibility to support each other in times of trouble and temptation and to tell other people about the Lord.

Later Stanley and his friends returned. I told Ian and Franck that Stanley would join them in walking God's way, and that they must help and support one another.

Then Stanley said, "Come on, I'll give you a ride."

An eagle splashes into Lake Malawi to grab some small fish.

We got into his boat, Warm Heart of Africa, and motored gently out into the lake. Then Stanley pulled out a whistle, blew on it, and threw some small fish into the water. The fish-eagles heard the whistle, came near and dove into the water, scooped up the small fish, and then gracefully took to the air again. We arrived back at the camp at sunset.

Seashore miracles

"Herbie," one of our team members called to me. "While we were tidying up the vehicles, we found this Bible under one of the seats."

I called Stanley over, told him what had happened, and handed him the Bible.

Stanley's face was a sight to behold. Tears filled his eyes as he held the Bible against his chest.

"Now I realize how wonderful the Lord is," he said. "He answered my prayer."

It was a glorious revelation to me, too, that the Lord we serve causes miracles to happen, strengthening the faith of His people.

While Stanley shared the events with his friends, a man came walking directly up to me and said, "You are the one God has shown me." His name was Hendry.

These Malawian church leaders are grateful for the Bibles they received for distribution.

"Please pray for me," he implored. I am a lost soul and a sinner, and I want the Lord in my life."

After he confessed his sins and we prayed together, it was my great privilege to share the gospel of JesusChrist with him.

"Stanley, come here," I called. "Here is another person for you to care for."

By this time we had attracted a number of bystanders, who then asked if they could also join the Bible study group.

Stanley greeted everyone and arranged times for them all to meet to study God's Word. By the time they dispersed, ten people had joined the group.

I stood there worshiping the Lord. I could not praise and thank Him enough for allowing us to obediently answer His call and make a difference in His kingdom.

Return to Zimbabwe

We left for Zimbabwe at 4 a.m. Saturday, arriving at Masvingo late that evening.

The next morning I preached in the church there. My sermon was based on John 4:1-10 (on the discipline of service) and Romans 8:1-17 (on life through the Holy Spirit).

I used my experience at the lake as an illustration of the discipline of service. Even though Jesus was very tired when he and his disciples came to the well, where he wanted to rest while he sent them to the town to find food, He still took time and energy to speak to and teach the Samaritan woman, sending her on the road to salvation and eternal life.

I told them that even if you are totally exhausted, as we were, God's Spirit can still inspire and enable you to keep working in His kingdom. Your strength is then more powerful because it comes from the Lord and not from yourself.

Sunday afternoon our group headed back to South Africa, arriving in Alberton at 2 a.m. Monday, and by 5 a.m. I was home.

All praise is due to my Creator for keeping our group safe. I pray to our Heavenly Father for the safekeeping of the people whose lives we touched, and for their protection and perseverance in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Malawians rejoice with their new Bibles

Malawians rejoice over their new personal Bibles. Would you like to spread the joy? How about providing a Bible for a Believer, or 10 Bibles for 10 believers? Contact the agencies below.

gray line

That is the story from an August 2009 outing. Another trip in July sent Bibles to an additional 105 churches. For more information about Bibles for Believers go to www.Bibles4Believers.org. In the U.S. Bibles for Believers is supported by Hope Builders International.