CHIAPAS STATE, Mexico, November 7, 2005 — The Bible Society of Mexico wants to provide words of hope from the Bible for at least 10,000 families in the south eastern state of Chiapas, which was badly hit by Hurricane Stan a month ago.
Altogether 6,500 homes in the Chiapas were destroyed, leaving more 12,000 people homeless. After a week of heavy rain brought by the hurricane, 82 rivers had overflowed, 373 roads (including 63 main roads) and 121 bridges were damaged. Some 423 shelters were providing 93,000 people with food, medicine and shelter.
The armed forces flew humanitarian assistance to 52 communities which flooding had isolated completely and in some places security measures were introduced to prevent looting.
A few days ago President Vicente Fox promised that aid worth $962.5 million (all dollar figures in Canadian dollars) from Mexico's National Fund for Natural Disasters would be made available for the reconstruction of Chiapas.
In a report describing the Scripture distribution project, the Society said that the whole country had responded by sending food, water, clothes, furniture and other material aid.
"But they are missing something very important," it added. "With their losses people also lost their Bibles. At this time our brothers and sisters in Chiapas need the word of hope that only the Word of God can provide."
In addition to providing 10,000 Bibles, the Society is also planning to distribute 15,000 Scripture Portions entitled 'God's Promises for You'.
These are intended, it says "for people who have never had the opportunity to be comforted by the Scriptures, to whom we want to provide ... Portions so that the Word of God can cause them to reflect at this difficult time."
"This is a very special project," says the report, "because ... we have complete communities who have lost everything: they have only the clothes they are wearing. Their hunger and spiritual need should move us to compassion."
The Bibles and Scripture Portions will be distributed through the churches and ministerial associations in the affected areas. In many cases they will be distributed with urgently needed consignments of food. The whole Scripture distribution effort has been costed at $21,900.
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