Description:

In many countries, people have books scattered throughout their homes. There may be various types of fiction for fun, textbooks, educational material, and devotionals for study. Many have several copies of the Bible within reach; for them, it is easy to read about our creator, learn how to have life with Jesus, and learn about our place in His Kingdom. In many world areas, books have helped shape nearly every part of life.

Consider a different scenario. What if there were no books available? What type of education would be available without books or access to libraries? How would it be possible to learn about history, science, or other subjects without books? Would believers without access to devotionals or commentaries suffer? What about Sunday School teachers or pastors, trying to teach without written resources?

Unfortunately, this “literature famine” is descriptive of much of Southeast Asia -- a field that includes Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand. Many places have a written language; however, in many villages, the only books they have the Bibles and hymnals that reside in the village church. Leaders in this field would like to see that change. They envision a time when children in even remote villages have coloring books and primers for learning, books about the world God created and about places outside the village, and even fiction classics like “Gulliver’s Travels.”

More importantly, the dream is to develop resources to help people know Jesus. That means providing devotionals and Sunday School and discipleship materials. For our pastors, offering books to help them learn and teach about God the Church. The literature provided through this project will help local church leaders to equip the local body of Christ.

One element of this project is to provide the Nazarene Course of Study, the basic set of courses required for ordination, in the language of those called into ministry. Some districts are patiently waiting for the translation of the next course of study class so they can continue their pastoral education. Other districts are waiting to receive a translated copy of the Nazarene Manual.

Not all “literature” comes in print form. Some of the cultures in the Southeast Asia field are oral cultures, so this project includes developing videos for YouTube and other social media platforms.

$800 sponsors an entire book from translation to the initial printing of 100 copies.
$400 pays for the translation of a new book.
$120 pays for printing 100 copies of a small book.
$20 pays for one illustration.
$4 pays for one ream of paper.

Ongoing Project Cost = $20,000 per year