Latin America (MNN) — We previously reported on the shifting roles in leadership at International Bible Society-Send the Light. Luciano Jaramillo, the new Latin America Area Director, shared some of the challenges that face ministry in Latin America and some of their goals.
Jaramillo has worked for 17 years with IBS-STL. In 2000, he took part as the Executive Secretary of the Spanish Committee on Bible Translation. He helped lead the Nueva Version Internacional (NVI) translation project which sold over 1 million copies.
Jaramillo says their intention is "to produce and print as much as we can in Latin America where the Spanish import these Bibles and to increase the distribution for any kind of public and audiences." Right now, their Bibles are produced in Colombia and Brazil.
"It makes it challenging because Latin America is more than 24 different countries. Even though most of them speak Spanish, the culture varies in each country. It's kind of different," he said. "And you have to struggle with the different regulations in each one of the countries for importations and exportations."
Jaramillo also says that hunger for the Word of God is increasing. "[There are] millions and millions of people that really need to have the Bible and read it and come to Jesus to be saved by the grace of God."
Also, though most people speak Spanish, there are hundreds of other languages represented in smaller populations. "The translation ministry is a very challenging one also, and we are trying to meet as much as we can with our limited resources," said Jaramillo.
Despite all the challenges their ministry faces, they try to diminish the challenge of getting a Bible to those who want one. "We try to keep the prices of our Bibles as low as possible to make them easy for the population that is not able to pay for the full price of Bible."
He says anyone who wants to help can get involved in their outreach ministries. They have children's ministries, HIV-AIDS ministries, and jail outreach, among others. He also asks that you pray for their work if travel or providing financial resources is not an option. "This is the work of God and the Word of God, and we cannot do it without His assistance," said Jaramillo.
