Mexico is home to over 120 million people. The fastest growing metropolitan area in Mexico, Querétaro, is among the cities with the highest suicide and alcoholism rates in the country. Mexico’s religious atmosphere is dominated by 80% of the population claiming traditional Catholicism as their own. Although the sense of religious custom is interwoven into Mexican culture, there is still a need for the men, women, and young people living in Mexico to know Jesus.
For this reason, Gideons in Mexico regularly strive to further the Good News of God’s Son throughout their communities. In October, God provided an opportunity to join His people in Mexico with other Gideons traveling from different parts of the world for the 2015 Mexico International Scripture Blitz.
Before the first box of Scriptures was ever opened, the blitz team prayed over the city and asked God to prepare the hearts of those who would receive His Word throughout the week. The team’s theme verse was 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” God surely brought about His salvation in many lives during the blitz, as over 110,000 copies of God’s Word were placed in the hands of the people through distributions at schools, universities, military installation centers, police stations, and hospitals.
While Gideons conducted school distributions from public sidewalks, God provided a way to reach a majority of the students, and over 100,000 students and teachers received Scriptures. “Watching the Scriptures land in the hands of so many students, I was reminded of the parable of the lost sheep. Jesus tells us the shepherd left the 99 sheep to go and find the one sheep that was lost,” said team leader Doug Vaughan.
Near the end of one school distribution, Gideons met Victor, a school principal. Victor explained he did not believe he could be a Christian. When asked why he thought so, the principal said he had visited many churches but no one welcomed him or invited him back. One Gideon pulled out a New Testament and showed Victor the plan of salvation printed on the back page. As Victor followed along with the Scriptures, the Gideon explained that everyone is a sinner, but God still loves all people. Then they talked about Jesus being God’s remedy for sin and explained how Victor could be saved. After more conversation, Victor’s heart opened to the Gospel, and he prayed to receive Christ. Before parting ways, the Gideons from Mexico made sure to find Victor a local church home where he would be welcomed and encouraged to grow his new faith.
God Prepares Hearts to Receive His Word
There were many opportunities for Gideons and their wives to talk one-on-one with people they encountered throughout the city. In fact, at least 28 people were known to pray to receive Christ as Savior during the week. Victor Rivera, a Gideon from Florida, describes the joint effort with a local Gideon, Pepe, “When God opened a door to witness, Pepe would share while I prayed over each divine appointment.” The pair used this approach each and every appointed time, and the Holy Spirit touched many hearts. By the end of the week, Rosaria, Diego, Juan Carlos, Emelia, Alejandro, Cesar, Perla, and Tere accepted the gift of salvation and signed the back of their New Testaments.
One day, Gideons drove out to a house where Scriptures were stored for the blitz. As the team arrived, Gideons noticed a “For Sale” sign posted in the front yard and a man standing nearby. The team loaded boxes of New Testaments from the house into their car, and all the while, the man watched from afar. A Gideon walked over to offer the man a New Testament. Jorge gladly received it. The two talked more and Jorge read about God’s free gift of salvation in the back. He confessed his sins and prayed to receive Christ. Jorge came to buy an earthly house that day, but he left with a home in heaven and the greatest gift of all—eternal life in Christ.
“I will never forget the sea of hands reaching for New Testaments and seeing first-hand someone sign the back page after praying for Jesus to come into his heart,” said Ron Kelly from Georgia. We rejoice and thank God for those precious souls who prayed to receive Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and we praise Him for the 110,969 Scriptures He allowed us to distribute. We pray God will continue to reveal His Word to the people of Mexico and many more will come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior through these Scriptures. It is a privilege to carry out these Scripture distributions during a time when so many people need the Lord.
Falling ill on holiday
The following comments were received by a Gideon member from a minister who obviously found having a Gideon placed Testament by his bedside at a time of need a great blessing.
“Hi, five weeks ago my wife and I were on holiday in the Cotswolds. Short story is, I took ill and finished up in hospital in Worcester. Severe double pneumonia and a large blood clot on my lungs. The Gideon’s had placed the wrapped blue New Testament Psalms in the locker. What a blessing! (I was too ill to manage my electronic Scriptures). Fantastic size and print – in my view the best Gideon publication yet. Thank you Gideons. I was transferred to Preston Royal and brought my copy with me in line with the no cross infection policy, I’m still here for further investigations. Please convey my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the Gideon’s.”
Can I encourage you to please share this blessing with as many people as possible; we all need to hear how the Lord is touching lives through His precious Word.
USA Scripture Blitz Updates
This October, Gideons and their wives participated in Scripture blitzes across the country, going coast to coast for Jesus. During a Scripture blitz, we reach as many people with a copy of God’s Word as we can make available within a week or weekend. These go to hotels, schools, hospitals, jails, and other locations. Here is a sample of the recent reports coming in:
Sylvia and Marcella were joyful to see The Gideons distributing Scriptures at the right place at the right time in Los Angeles.
The City of Angels
Gideons took to the streets of Los Angeles for a week long blitz in October. One of the participating members, Hank Aizpuru of Santa Barbara, said, “I have never had so many opportunities to share my faith that God honoured with commitments to follow Jesus.”
From the time the blitz began, it was evident the distributions were supported by prayer as the Lord opened a window to pour out His blessing upon all involved. Gideons interacted with students from all over the world attending college in Los Angeles. One college student from Ghana saw Gideons handing out New Testaments and remarked how he had received one in high school in Africa. Another student, originally from Jamaica, was so excited about Jesus and the work of The Gideons, he began to rap and praise the Lord in song right there on the sidewalk.
At a high school in Lynwood, a student waited for her bus. She had received a New Testament and was busy reading it. Several Gideons walking by saw her reading and struck up a conversation with the young woman. They showed her where she could find help for life issues in the front of the New Testament and shared the most important page in the back. She turned to the back of the book and began to read each section out loud. The Gideons talked about how sin related to the world today and then told her about the remedy for it all. They prayed together and Dashawna signed her name at the back of the book right there waiting on the bus. The Lord is faithful to provide the heart change if we simply make ourselves available to His purposes.
Many assisted living facilities were on the route for the week. Sylvia, the activities director for one centre, asked the Gideons if they were “people who prayed.” Sylvia then used the intercom to call a co-worker, Marcella, to the office. Marcella wanted prayer for her husband who wasn’t saved. She told the team she had been far away from God and felt He was calling her back. The team prayed for Marcella as tears streamed down her face. Sylvia shared that she and Marcella had prayed together that very morning and asked God to send an angel to help them.
The Gideons provided over 60,000 Scriptures to the City of Angels—all destined for people needing access to the Good News. Pray these Scriptures will bring forth future testimonies of salvation as we hold to the promise in Isaiah 55:11, which will ensure they will not come back void.
East to Colorado Springs
The Southern Colorado Front Range includes the foothill cities such as Colorado Springs and surrounding communities. Within three days in October, 60,565 Scriptures were distributed throughout this community.
The local Gideons were joined by Gideons from surrounding states, and 170 men and women prayed each morning for open doors. Those doors included hospitals like Memorial Hospital and Penrose St. Francis. The chaplains at these hospitals were most appreciative.
Colleges in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, were open for distributions due to preplanning with the college staff and energetic Gideons covering the campuses. At a local soup kitchen, Gideons were invited to minister to the homeless. The Auxiliary visited a large number of medical offices. This is just a small sample of the opportunities God provided in the Colorado Springs area.
One of the Gideons from Pikes Peak was able to distribute service New Testaments to a local volunteer fire department. He was even asked to be their department chaplain! The Gideons were able to present several veterans with Scriptures as well. Pray all of these Scriptures will have a continuing impact on this community.
Up to Minneapolis and St. Paul
Across the country in Minneapolis, over 82,000 Scriptures were placed in the hands of men and women of the Twin Cities, as well as to students on the neighbouring campuses. Despite the traffic, over 150 men and women of The Gideons International drove throughout the city to get the Word out.
A Scripture blitz begins months before a box of Scriptures is ever opened for distribution. These months are spent on detailed planning and selecting facilities where Gideons can place Scriptures. Then, an estimate is made of how many Scriptures can be placed during the week, and a call is put out for help by the local Gideons, which often enlists members from other states as well. The routes are established for each day, and teams are assigned to the work. A central location, such as a hotel or church, is used as the blitz headquarters. Boxes of Bibles and New Testaments, often in multiple languages, are usually stored in a trailer or warehouse and await pick-up by Gideons for distribution.
In Minneapolis, over 200 hotels were visited and 31,000 Bibles were replaced in bedside tables. The old Bibles are recycled for use in prisons, jails, and homeless shelters. Gideon members work with hotel staff to find the most appropriate times to replace the Bibles on a room-by-room basis.
For distribution in hospitals, Gideons work through logistics with the facilities chaplains. Five Minneapolis hospitals received new Bible placements, and over 30 assisted living facilities were visited, as well as several hundred medical offices. Gideons distributed in high traffic areas on local college campuses, and 31,081 New Testaments were distributed to students by the end of the week. At Century College, students trickled in slowly, providing Gideons with an opportunity to talk more personally with students about their faith.
Police and fire-fighters across the city received 1,820 New Testaments. Local Gideons were also able to visit the chaplain of the National Guard, who requested 1,100 New Testaments for incoming trainees.
The local Gideons even “accidentally” ordered 50 soft-covered Bibles for a prison. When asked who ordered them, nobody came forward. One Gideon knew the warden at Oak Park Heights corrections facility, and as the two were talking, the chaplain asked if he could have 50 Bibles for the prison library. There are no coincidences when we pray earnestly to meet God’s will.
Down South to Durham
Finally, October saw the Gideons and Auxiliary out and about in the “The Triangle” area of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Over 34,000 Scriptures were distributed into the hands of students, medical staff, and others—many who may be reading their copies of God’s Word right now.
Gideons also have the opportunity to share with hotel staff as they distribute.
Gideons were able to distribute on the campuses of UNC Chapel Hill and Carolina Central. Duke University Hospital received new Scriptures for the patient rooms, as did many of the medical offices throughout the area. Gideons were welcomed everywhere they went, including a short stop at the local jail to distribute Scriptures.
“By now you can see the pattern and the power of Scripture blitzes,” said Gary Lewis, state president of The Gideons in North Carolina. “This is the work that has to be done, and God allows us to participate in it—from coast to coast and the uttermost parts of the world.”
With every Scripture blitz, and with each New Testament given out, Gideons pursue a common goal of reaching men, women, boys, and girls for the Lord Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for hearts to be opened to the Gospel message and for lives to be changed by reading His Word.
Presentation to 16th Liverpool Girls Brigade
On Thursday 15th October, Ruth Waring of Liverpool Central Branch of The Gideons International had the privilege of visiting the 16th Liverpool Company of the Girls Brigade to present Testaments to the girls.
It was a very exciting visit as this was the same company of which Ruth was a member up to the age of 16 and also the company in which Ruth gave her life to the Lord whilst away on a camp week at the age of 14.
The captain, who Ruth has known for many years, asked if the whole company could have a Testament and each was pleased to receive one. They were also asked to open their Testaments up at the back page where there was a special Girls Brigade prayer which the company read together. The officers with the company were each presented with Testaments also.
Praise the Lord for this opportunity to give out these Testaments to the members of the Girls Brigade so that they can have their own personal copy of God’s Word.
Finding a lost treasure after 30 years
The comment below was from a teacher who was responding to the local branch confirming the school were happy for The Gideons to distribute Scriptures to their pupils.
I still have my Gideons Bible, it had lain forgotten for thirty years and then, when my mum died, two years ago and I was truly at my wits’ end, I found it in a drawer and it has been of tremendous comfort to me since then.
Fen & Farmland Scripture Blitz
“For we are God’s fellow-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.”
The following accounts tell of God’s gracious leading and prompting as members joined together for the three days of the Blitz.
The power of a Personal Worker Testament!
John Marshall, Adrian Snookes and Jill Massey were out and about in Boston on the first day and having driven into the rear yard of a Funeral Directors, discovered that the town centre team, out on foot, were already at the front door! They left them to it. The road ahead to a nearby Residential Home was closed. There was a workman in his van nearby keeping an eye out. John approached him and asked if there was any possibility of driving to the Care Home about 100 yards further down the road.
The man asked, “Are you a Funeral Director?”
John replied “No, I am a Gideon” and showed him his ID badge.
“What is a Gideon?”
Reply: “We distribute Bibles and New Testaments. Would you like one?”
Reply: “Thanks mate – I’ll have a read of that in about ten minutes whilst having my break”.
John pointed out the Bible helps before a further response with a cheerful smile… “You can drive through mate!”
John’s answer: “Bless you!”
Big is beautiful!
On a visit to a Care Home in Frampton near Boston, an Ultra Giant Print New Testament & Psalms proved very popular with one resident. On leaving a Bible in one lounge Michael, a resident, said to John Marshall, “You need to speak with Caroline in the dining room – she will want to see you”. Having been introduced to John’s colleague Eileen, Caroline commented that she read the Bible and had learned much from it but added, “It’s now proving very difficult as I can’t easily see the words”. John opened the Large Print Testament and asked, “How about this one?”
The smile on her face said it all. “That’s beautiful. I can read it!” She was delighted and asked if she might keep it to read in her room and could we write her name in it. No sooner said than done!
We encountered a similar experience at another Care Home. Two days later John received a phone call asking for another visit. Living nearby he duly obliged and was introduced to partially sighted Ron, a resident in temporary respite care. Ron had seen the copy left earlier and was keen to read the contents. Being handed a Large Print Testament, he responded with a big smile and said, “This is the first time I have been able to read anything for a long time”.
What a blessing for both of us!
Prayer paving the way…
Prayer for the Scripture Blitz had been offered during all the planning stages as well as on and during the three days of visits.
In the month before the visits were made, a prayer leaflet had been circulated to Churches Together for prayer throughout the blitz areas giving information as to our mission and ministry and requesting prayer support.
On Day 1, at a solicitors’ office in Sleaford which was not on the list to be visited, the receptionist mentioned to Brenda Hitchcock and Peter Whitney that she had that day been asked to purchase two new Bibles for their office. A gift of two Bibles was made together with a Service Testament for the receptionist.
On Day 2, on their visit to a Funeral Director in Ruskington, Brenda Hitchcock and Michael Hodges were delighted to be welcomed by Lydia Phillips with the words “We have been expecting you.”
On day 3, Zone 4 Chaplain Garth Jones, with Brenda Hitchcock and Peter Whitney, on their way through the villages south of Grantham, came across the Cross Swords Inn at Skillington, near the Viking Way. They had made a wrong turning and were making their way back to the next place on the list.
The Cross Swords Inn was not on their list, but they stopped to investigate.
The landlady, Linda Wood, said that she had been wondering about Bibles for the courtyard accommodation there. “Prayer answered!” said Garth. Linda took three Bibles and a Personal Worker Testament for herself and her husband Francis.
Station Officer Frazer Cross by
Paul and Andrea Stone at Southwell Fire and Rescue.
“I know it couldn’t have happened by chance”
On Tuesday, Vic Billitt and Richard Morrison went to a local hotel and spoke with the coffee house assistant who recognised Richard from previous visits.
She called the manageress who agreed that each of the 12 bedrooms could have a Bible installed, but added that it meant nothing to her at all as she was an atheist. Richard acknowledged that she had obviously thought this out and turned to the Megan, the assistant and asked for her opinion.
Megan said these wonderful words: “I’m a bit on the fence about this, but when I think about the beauty and the intricacy of the world and the universe, I know it couldn’t have happened by chance”. Richard handed her a Personal Worker Testament and said, “This will help you to explore your next two questions – if there is something/someone behind the creation, perhaps it is worth understanding and getting to know this. This book will help you so much. Start with the Psalms at the back.” Richard will be back at that hotel soon for another meeting in the coffee house and will seek to continue his conversation with Megan.
On Thursday, Richard and Vic were in Spalding and found a hotel under new management, with the proprietor keen to develop the pub side of the business. They offered him four Hotel Bibles with the thought that all sorts of folk would come to find accommodation for all sorts of reasons – even possibly those who might have to spend the night there after being in the pub. They might find themselves wondering what it was all about and why and how life was to be treated. It would be part of a great service to guests to provide help in tricky times. The proprietor was up for that and took all four Bibles.
Over the course of the three days, 300 establishments accepted over 1,300 Bibles and New Testaments with further follow up to take place soon.
We can only thank GOD and keep on praying!
The Gideon Bible App – Find Help. Find Truth
The Gideons International now provides a Bible app specifically designed for evangelism. Our familiar topical indexes, such as “Help in Time of Need,” provide for a quick lookup of useful verses. Users can access the Word of God in a wide variety of languages, both in written and audio format. The Plan of Salvation is also available in the menu section.
In addition to being easy to use, the app is also easy to share. It includes a “Share the App” feature, which works well with text, email, social media, or other services such as AirDrop.
Watch the video below to learn more about the Gideon Bible App, and download it today from the App Store or Google Play. Or click here.
Zambia President: National day of prayer and fasting
You may be aware that the President of the Republic of Zambia decreed that on the 18 October 2015, the people and the churches all over the country were to pray and fast for the nation. The President of the Football Association of Zambia postponed all matches which were supposed to be played on the 18th because of the decree.
What a joy that The Gideons International in the British Isles preceded this unprecedented event in Zambia by sending support for Bible distribution. To God be the glory!
Earlier this year Zambia was nominated as our country of emphasis for 2015 and as a result 700,000 Scriptures were provided for this needy part of our world. What a faithful God we serve, His timing is always perfect!
Almost 50,000 Scriptures Shared in Lesotho
In September, Gideons in Lesotho organized an International Scripture Blitz in the city of Qacha’s Nek and the surrounding areas. They were met in the capital city of Maseru by Gideons from several other countries to participate in the one-week blitz on the continent of Africa.
Throughout the week, the team would place and distribute Scriptures at a number of locations including schools, hospitals, and medical clinics, all in an effort to help men, women, boys, and girls come to a saving faith in Jesus.
Into The Uttermost
While Lesotho is a small nation, it is dominated by a network of rivers and high altitude mountain ranges making it difficult to build roads. The five-hour journey from Maseru to Qacha’s Nek was a journey into the uttermost.
“We had to use four-wheel drive vehicles in most of the areas. Many teams had to travel over 205 kilometers a day on extremely rough mountain roads to get to the schools,” said international team leader, Larry Aspegren.
Local pastors guided the Gideons to local schools in the area. Team members even loaded boxes of Testaments on horses and led them down a steep ravine to one the most remote villages.
“The journey to get there was amazing enough, but nothing in comparison to the events once there,” recalled Greg Bowen from Georgia.
The children and adults were very receptive to the Gideons and were thankful for the gift of the Scriptures. The Gideons were grateful for the privilege to share the Word of God with men, women, boys, and girls who otherwise might not have an opportunity to hear of the hope found only in Jesus Christ.
God’s Word is Welcomed In Lesotho
“The people of Qacha’s Nek are very, very loving and kind. Their hearts are open to Christ and His Word. They want to know Christ,” said Jim Hadley from Indiana. “We went to so many places and every place we went, we were welcomed with open arms.”
By the end of the blitz, Gideons visited numerous locations, including 199 schools, distributed 49,460 Scriptures, and were presented with numerous opportunities for personal witnessing.
At least 25 people made the decision to accept Christ as their personal Savior during the blitz. “I liken this blitz to throwing a large rock into a calm pond, creating ripple effects,” said Joe Schuler, a Gideon from Idaho. “With nearly 50,000 Scriptures distributed, it will have a dramatic effect in this country. We will be eager to hear of the impact of those Scriptures in the months to come.”
The Essence of the Ministry
The openness of the people and the opportunity to witness in such remote parts of the world, touched the hearts of the Gideons who participated in the Lesotho International Scripture Blitz.
“To give copies of God’s Word to people who have never had it, or have no other possible way to get a Bible of their own, this is the essence of The Gideons International,” said Greg Bowen.
The international Gideons were greatly impressed with the Lesotho Gideons’ willingness to sacrifice to help reach the lost with God’s Word. Some traveled over 150 miles and stayed for a week away from their families and businesses, so they could share the Gospel.
The Gideons International established its first camp in Lesotho in 1977. Today, Lesotho has 71 Gideons and 26 Auxiliary members. Nearly 2 million Scriptures have been distributed within the country to date.
We thank everyone who helped in planning and carrying out this Scripture blitz, including Lesotho’s Gideons and Auxiliary, as well as the international team members. We also thank churches, donors, and others whose prayers and support helped make this blitz possible. Most of all, we thank God, to Whom we give glory and praise for every Scripture distributed and every life that will be changed in Lesotho as a result of this blitz.
Please continue to pray that the people in Lesotho who received Scriptures will open them and obey the Gospel, and share God’s message of love with others.
