GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala, November 7, 2005 — The Bible Society of Guatemala is planning a distribution of more than a million pieces of Christian literature to mainly indigenous people in the south western region of the country who suffered in the destruction brought by Hurricane Stan in the first week of October.
The storm, said by the authorities to be the worst in the country in the past 25 years, brought death, destruction and damage to crops, roads and other infrastructure costing an estimated total of $830 million (all dollar amounts in Canadian dollars).
In its report on the planned distribution, entitled 'Hope and Consolation for Guatemala', the Society says, "The storm unfortunately affected the regions with the highest levels of poverty, bringing the associated risks of starvation, violence and disease. The regions also have the country's highest concentration of illiterate population (approximately one million people) and the level of child malnutrition is one of the highest. More than 300,000 children are thought to be affected."
In cooperation with churches, Christian ministries, government departments, NGOs and Christian radio and TV stations, the Bible Society plans to distribute 16,500 Bibles, 113,000 Portions, 1.1 million Selections, 85,000 New Reader Portions, 30,000 New Testaments and 400 videos. Costing a total of $131,000, these will all be distributed free. The project, planned in three phases between this month and the end of February 2006, will cost $196,000 in total. The Society is seeking $ 131,000 from UBS, while raising a contribution of $54,000 locally.
"We would like to offer people consolation and hope at this time of tragedy, uncertainty and poverty, giving them the opportunity to draw close to God through his Word," said Nubia Roxana Paredes, the Society's Sales and Distribution Director.
Within hours of the start of Hurricane Stan, churches and Christian ministries were looking to the Bible Society to provide Scriptures and to partner them in distributing food, clothes and medicine.
"The destruction of houses and crops by the intense rain and fast-flowing flood waters has left communities of small farmers, shepherds and fishermen - who were extremely poor before the storm - with practically nothing. They face the future with uncertainty and despair," said Ms. Paredes.
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