Thank you to everyone gave for the Bibles for Africa building. We were able to raise over $20,000 to finish this project. Special thanks to Mattie McLaughlin who helped significantly in memory of Dave McLaughlin.
Work resumes to ship Bibles and teaching material for Steve and fellow Christians can begin to use the material. We currently one container ready to go. We are collecting Bibles now to put into the next one.
The McLaughlin New Life Building
The new warehouse is called the McLaughlin New Life building. It was completed in April and the interior was painted within a week afterwards.
All that remains now is the the exterior sealing and painting and the rubble cleared from the site. The building is easily accessible to the churches in the city and farmlands and is a secure lockable facility. There is no electricity or running water to save costs and the transparent roof sheets provide more than adequate illumination.
Even before I put out the word, the excitement along the churches and Christian groups was already palpable. As the walls rose and the roof secured, the word spread. The phone on my desk rang everyday, asking about Bibles, teaching materials and Christian books. About 400 boxes had to be transferred from the old storage container to the new warehouse — box by box. My wife, Sana, and I arranged wooden shipping pallets on the floor so the boxes could be stacked off the concrete. She made signs for each category and then the real work began.
Visitors came daily to see the progress, asking for Bibles and Sunday School materials. Two pastors called everyday to ask if they could come out and help so they could have the literature ahead of time! The work was backbreaking because Sana and I had to open each box, decide where to stack it and lug it over. There were also about fifty boxes left in my garage from the last container load, which we carried bit by bit to the warehouse, adding to the stock.
Thankfully, all the boxes were in their right places only today, May 20th! But it was worth it. Just this week, two pastors arrived to claim their prized Bibles and New Testaments. One borrowed a small truck and right from work with a worker — he backed it right inside and loaded about 20 boxes of VBS materials and Christian books. Bro Sam Jacobs from Elsies River lamented that he only brought his car once he saw what was available! He could only fit 10 boxes.
A new system has been introduced to ensure that we can keep track of what we have and what we need. Each request must be give in writing from the church or group, stating what they need. I keep these letters on file so I know who got what. Just this week, I’ve received 7 requests via fax — one from a woman who reads children’s stories over Radio Atlantis, a local station; another from a pastor who is running a community service program and needs Christian books for the youth; pastors and teachers who are eager to teach their students. And more requests will come as the word spreads.
Only 20 Cases of Bibles Left
There are only about 20 cases of Bibles and New Testaments left and this will go very fast. I’m trying to spread them as far as they’ll go. We desperately need more. The next need is VBS/Sunday School programmed packets, no matter how old they are. I’m sure there are many churches which have extras stored away somewhere and don’t know what to do with them. We need them all!!!!
There is another container load which can be shipped almost immediately and another load is ready, too. (The McLaughlin New Life building can take up to three container loads!) We are now scouting for quotations for shipping to Cape Town and as soon as that is settled, the first will be able to be shipped.
We want to thank many people for their help with this project. So many Africans will be blessed with solid Christian teaching materials and Bibles, which they will use to evangelize their own peoples. I’ve had requests from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and Namibia, as well as far-away Nigeria. The hunger and thirst for the Word is enormous and we must take advantage of it.
We value your prayers and help because we know that God will bless all this effort to ensure that His Son’s name is magnified!
Steve Zimmerman – S.A. Christian Mission, Cape Town
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