The Bible is reaching Muslim children in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan (MNN) — God’s Word is being well received all over Europe, but especially Eastern Europe. That’s the message that International Bible Society workers are telling Mission Network News.

Joe Parker is the European Director of IBS. Parker says, “We have openness in the school systems in the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Romania, Russia, Bulgaria and even in western Europe — in England and the Netherlands. And we’ve just this year started an outreach in schools in Kyrgyzstan, which is a predominately Muslim country, but we have great openness there and we can distribute all of the Scriptures that we want.”

IBS is providing their “My First Bible” in Kyrgyzstan. Parker says, “We have this in a three language edition with Russian, Kyrgyz, and English. We have open distribution in the schools and then they can also use these to learn English.”

Surprisingly, Parker says, these special Bibles are being we received in this Muslim nation. “The parents are very open for the children receiving Scriptures. I don’t know if they all see it as actual Scriptures or receiving a nice book, but the parents have no objections to the distribution to children there,” says Parker.

There is one hope and prayer. “We’re hoping and praying,” says Parker “for a generation of Christian children that will influence society for many years to come. As in many countries in the east, we always pray that there will be another Billy Graham that will rise up to spread the word to people in their own countries.”

Financing is the issue right now. “Basically, as much as we can raise funds for, we can distribute Scriptures. We just printed 8,000 copies. We had hoped to print 10,000. And, we’re ready to reprint another 10,000 for the upcoming school year at any time,” Parker says.