A CHRISTIAN in a Russian town of 900 near the Polish border received a few Bibles which had been smuggled in. So thrilled was he with the gift that he decided to keep one and send the others to believers in Russian towns farther inland. He sent one to a Christian friend in Milova. How surprised and happy were the man and his wife to receive the beloved Bible in the mail. Quickly they called a few other secret believers together and showed them the wonderful Book. “Thank God!” they cried. “Somewhere there are brothers and sisters in Christ who have not forgotten us.”
But how could they share ONE Bible with more than 900 people? Passing it from hand to hand would mean that no single person would have time to read it. Yet the people of Milova must have God’s Word to read, to meditate on, to pray over and to study. What could be done? There was but one solution. The believers sat down and carefully cut the Bible into sections—Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, etc.
The Christians decided they could keep one portion for themselves IF first of all they made TWO handwritten copies, and passed them along to two other people in the village who did not know Christ as their Saviour. These two could keep one copy if each made two handwritten copies and passed them on to four other people. So it was that multi-copies of God’s Word in handwritten form were being circulated through the town.
Since the Bible is not allowed to be circulated in Russia, the people read the forbidden sections eagerly, but secretly, and God blessed His Word. Even the local officer closed his eyes to what was happening. As long as they worked hard in the collective farms during the day, that was all that mattered to him. Interest continued to mount in the town until the Scriptures were circulating in nearly every home. Then small cottage meetings began to form in Milova for the first time in years as the “good seed” of God’s Word took root.
Now word has reached us that since January, 1970, many of the 900 villagers have found Christ, and Milova is in the grip of a strong spiritual awakening. Perhaps some of our dear young readers would like to pray for the dear Christians in Russia who are persecuted for Christ’s sake.
Many are in prison, suffering for their faith. The Bible tells us to “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.” Heb. 13:33Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. (Hebrews 13:3).
Dear boys and girls, is God’s Word precious to you as it is to these pool Russian believers? and do you read it every day? Let us thank God that He has given us Bibles in this cowl, try to read, and the sacred texts to memorize. How good He is to give them to us!
ML-11/29/1970