Children’s Bible in the Kurdish language in Northern Iraq despite concern over Muslim extremism in the region, BosNewsLife has learned.
Although fund-raising is still underway, both organizations expect 20,000 copies of the book "365 Stories" from the Bible to be delivered later this year, said United Bible Society official Nova Hagopian, an Iraqi "born again Christian."
"This distribution would have been impossible in the past. Under the Saddam Hussein regime there were a lot of checkpoints between Kurdish controlled areas (in Northern Iraq) and the rest of the country,” he told BosNewsLife in Baghdad, from where the operation is coordinated.
However there is still concern about Muslim extremism in the region. "Eight months ago one Muslim person died when an evangelical pastor held a Christian exhibition in Northern Iraq." Yet, he suggested that with borders disappearing, new chances have emerged to spread the Gospel.
MILLIONS OF BIBLES
"We have also seen that many Kurdish Muslims are asking questions and accepting Christ as their Savior. That number is expected to increase now that the war is over. So there is a big need for a Children’s Bible," Hagopian said.
Since 1985 his organization was able to import an estimated 1,5 million Bibles in Iraq and over five million New Testaments as well as other Christian publications. "People always think that sounds a lot. But it was very difficult to receive permission from the former Ministry of Information. We now hope to import many more books", he stressed.
Besides spiritual needs, Evangelical aid workers have also observed a cry for humanitarian aid among both Christians and Muslims. "We are helping already 5000 needy Christian families as well as some Muslims," added Saleh Fakhouri, Iraq Coordinator of Jordan based Manara Book Ministries.
His and other organizations hope to reach different places in Iraq. But attacks, especially against Christian women in places such as Basra have made it difficult to reach the needy, including orphanages, church sources said.
