Toronto, ON – January 19, 2010 – The Canadian Bible Society (CBS) is partnering with the Haitian Bible Society, the American Bible Society and the United Bible Societies in a holistic project that will provide critical care for the spiritual and physical needs of Haitians impacted by the earthquake.
We have received word from our Haitian Bible Society Director, Magda Victor, and we thank God that her staff and much of their facilities have been spared. While she reports that her own home has been destroyed, the Bible Society’s work is going forward with God’s Word and critical care for those at Haiti’s ground zero.
Several partners have come alongside the Bible Society, each providing contributions specific to their ministry. These include: Water Missions International, Operation Compassion, One Hope, Back to the Bible and Faith Comes By Hearing.
The American & Canadian Bible Societies are members of the global United Bible Societies fellowship in more than 145 countries. Together, they are connected to frontline Scripture interventions – including those that bring hope to people who are suffering. National Bible Societies have strong credibility with government and church officials due to their service and interdenominational status. Bible societies have the expertise to identify Scripture needs to support projects like this one with Bibles and Scripture portions in the appropriate format.
CBS National Director, Ted Seres says, “The entire world has been shaken by this disaster in Haiti and our prayers go out to our Haitian brothers and sisters who have survived but are suffering. Thanks to partners already on the ground, men, women and children are receiving water. Right now, we are mobilizing resources to provide God’s Word for them and I can assure you that one hundred percent of all donations, given for the Hope for Haiti project, will go directly toward the provision of Scriptures.”
The Haitian Bible Society (HBS), based in Port-au-Prince, was formed in 1978. In addition to its ongoing work of distributing Scripture to the Haitian people, the Bible Society has helped the country recover from disaster before - such as the devastation left by Hurricane Jeanne in 2004. Leaders distributed Scripture, helped victims connect with churches and provided counseling to those who lost loved ones.
The Hope for Haiti project will provide the following:
200,000 copies of “God is my Shelter” Scripture Portions
50,000 Bibles for families who have lost everything
10 water filtration units providing sustainable water supply
for 50,000 people (150,000 gallons per day)
50,000 first response water kits (1 gallon each)
The provision of spiritual and physical assistance provides a window of opportunity for the Bible Society and the Church at large to be a blessing to the people of Haiti. For more information about the Hope for Haiti project visit www.biblesociety.ca
