World
Missionary Press, Inc.
April-May 2007 Newsletter
Longing
for the Word of God in Myanmar
HUNTED, DEPRIVED, AND NEEDY,
Christians in Myanmar cry out for the Word of God.
What a joy it is to give a brother or sister in Christ what they
have longed for - the precious Word of God to build up believers and offer
light to those in spiritual darkness!
The need is great for a new supply of Scripture booklets.
In the southeast Asian nation of Myanmar (formerly Burma), 40 years of
conflict between government and various ethnic minorities has brought repression
and adversity to the Church of Jesus Christ. Most of the Christians in
this "land of Adoniram Judson" are from ethnic minorities, such as
the Karen people. These groups are seen as a threat to the central government,
resulting in continued conflict and restrictions.
World Missionary Press earlier financed the printing of 20,000
New Testaments in the Karen language through our national coordinator in
Thailand. Many of these New Testaments, with camouflage covers, were carried
by teams from the[mission] into areas where the Burmese Army
attacks had resumed. The Karen people have been very responsive to the
gospel in the midst of persecution. Taking the Word of God to 
the
front lines, walking several days to reach needy villages, workers shared
Christ's love through aid and medicine.
Voice of the Martyrs in 2006 reported a new wave of attacks
against the primarily Christian Karen villages by the Burmese government.
Moving into the same jungles where the Rangers ministered with New Testaments,
the military sought out Karen villages. As the people fled deeper into
the jungle and mountains, the military destroyed their villages, leaving
nothing.
In this largely Buddhist nation, amid ethnic strife and
isolation, the Church is growing. Pastors such as Brother Y. recognize the urgency
of establishing 
believers
in the faith. Upon receiving 10 boxes of WMP literature in English and
Burmese he wrote, "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the gift.
It is just what we have longed for. All your hard work and our sacrifice have
now been rewarded by the Lord. Our love and prayers are with you."
Another believer wrote, "I am the founder and principal of a
missions training school. I thank God for your ministry. I knelt to God for
many years to establish literature because it is so difficult to find
Christian books in Myanmar. Myanmar is a strong Buddhist country and only
5 percent are Christians. It is easier to preach the gospel to some people
through literature than through speech. Moreover, [without Christian
literature] our knowledge is limited and it is not easy to grow spiritually. [We]
can preach the good news by your books effectively. God wants to use your
books in this country. About 57 million people do not have the gospel yet.
Many people are searching for God."
Recently another ministry working among the displaced
peoples of southeast Asia requested WMP Scripture booklets in Burmese.
"As I sometimes travel far and Bibles are extremely heavy, I am looking
to your booklets as a means of reaching the Burmese people with God's
Word." WMP's national coordinator (and printing partner) in Thailand
was able to provide booklets in quick response to this request.
Now the need is great for a new supply of 50,000 Help
From Above and 50,000 How to Know God Burmese Scripture booklets
to be printed in Thailand (costing $3,174 for each printing). Another
60,000 copies of the Basic Study Supplement are needed to distribute
with copies of the Judson Burmese Bible ($4,920). Request has also reached us
for 100,000 copies each of Help From Above, How to Know God, and The
Power of God in the Thai language ($635 per thousand) as well as 100,000
copies of The Way to God ($658 per thousand). An opportunity for
printing inside Myanmar is for 100,000 copies of How to Know God in
Burmese-a $4,000 project. How we praise God for these open doors!
[Your gift of any amount toward these overseas printings will
go far to replenish supplies almost immediately in Thailand and Myanmar
(Burma), saving the time of shipping and touching many lives for whom Christ
died.]
A Warm
Light for Cold Darkness
IN THE YEARS BEFORE THE PROTESTANT
REFORMATION, much of Western Europe was the "last major refuge of
Christianity." Faithful groups held to the truth of the Word of God
despite persecution and false teaching. Today much of the world is afire with
the spread of the gospel, yet much of Europe lies in cold "post-Christian"
darkness. What great need there is for God's Word!
God has His remnant. As in earlier days, believers there are
willing and ready to share the hope and peace 
that
can come only through knowing Jesus Christ as Savior.
"For a small discipleship group in my home, these books are
excellent," wrote D.K. from Ireland. "They are so biblically sound.
I work in the Salvation Army, and I gave one of your booklets to a resident
who had not yet received the Lord but who is searching. I also gave one to a
young man I met on the street. I explained the gospel to him. He was desperate
to receive some literature from me, but I had none. I prayed that I would
meet him again and when I did, I just happened " to have A Bible
Study on John in my bag."
A distributor in Sweden faithfully stands in train stations to
give out Scripture booklets to passers-by. Sometime he is rebuffed, sometimes
heckled, but sometimes there are receptive hands and hearts.
"I received five boxes of booklets for door-to-door
evangelism," wrote A.J. from Wales. "I have used these
with great success. I would like to request another two boxes to continue
this work. I believe everyone must at least hear the Good News of the
salvation gospel."
A group in Tampere, Finland, has been using WMP Scripture
booklets to reach not only the people of Finland, but also those of Latvia,
Lithuania, and Estonia. After a wait of almost one year, WMP was able
to send a 20-ft. container with 1,914 boxes of booklets in 11 languages.
The group is eager to receive and distribute these booklets.
As the immigrant population of many European countries grows,
opportunities grow as well. Often met with resentment and suspicion,
immigrants need to know the love of Jesus and the message of peace and eternal
life. Through one-to-one personal contacts and by distributing booklets in
crowded by-ways, European believers are striving by God's power to ignite the
cold embers of a lost passion that once flamed brightly in a dark world.
[To share more of the gospel with people in "post-Christian"
Europe, a gift of $20 will provide 500 Scripture booklets; $100 will reach
2,500; $500 will touch 12,500 precious people for whom Christ died.]
Ways You
Can Help
IN ADDITION TO PRAYER AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT, and
financial support, you can be personally involved in worldwide ministry in
these ways:
1. Talk to Your Pastor
If you believe in WMP's ministry and
recognize the importance of helping it continue and grow, please take
initiative to speak with your pastor. Tell him what you know about WMP, show
him this newsletter, and ask him if he would please consider scheduling field
reps Fred and Betsy Eiler for an inspiring and motivating service. Eilers'
phone: (765) 2588-3641. Cell: (765) 418-2216.
2.
"VBS Ideas of Significance"
Write or call for a brochure with great
ideas for VBS projects that have a significant missions focus.
3.
"Bible Read-a-Thon"
Write or call for copies of our "Bible
Read-a-Thon" brochure that guides children or young people in reading
chapters of the Bible while raising funds for Scripture booklets to reach
children around the world.
4. Missions Bank
Write or call for one or more special
banks to encourage families or individuals to save coins and bills for a truly
significant and eternal cause-producing God's Word for precious people around
the world in their own languages.
5.
"Kid's Korner"
Encourage your children to visit "Kid's
Korner" at our website, www.wmpress.org, where they will find "Sammy
the Scripture Booklet," a Word Search puzzle, and other meaningful and
fun activities.
6. Volunteer Time and Energy
Individuals and groups can call to
schedule a time for volunteer service at WMP. Youth groups can schedule a
"Half-Million Missions Marathon." A variety of work is available.
Call 574-831-2111, extension 0, and ask to speak with our Volunteer
Coordinator.
Thank you for standing with us in a ministry that is impacting
millions with the powerful Word of God!
Focus
on Giving
OPPORTUNITIES TO DELIVER
GOD'S WORD to those who desperately need Jesus are so great that WMP is poised
for a quantum leap in production as God increases the provision through
hearts He has touched. We are seeing God at work and you can be involved
through your prayers and giving.
= Regular
monthly giving keeps the Word of God going out steadily.
=Gifts of
appreciated stock can be liquidated immediately and bring a boost in production.
=Remembering
World Missionary Press, Inc. in your will keeps printing and delivering the Word
of God as an eternal legacy.
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