March Herald.indd - Lake Union Conference

Fundraiser Provides Bibles for the Blind
B Y E V E L Y N J . L U T Z
What if you couldn’t see to read
this magazine In Michigan,
there are more than 116,032 people
18 years and older with vision
impairment that prevents them
from reading newspapers, books,
or magazines. Some of them live in
your hometown.
This group includes people with
20/40 (or worse) vision in their best
eye even with eyeglasses. Among
this group are an estimated 35,552
who are totally blind. And each
year, thousands of people lose their
sight because of accident, disease,
or genetic factors.
“Since 1899, Christian Record
Services (CRS) has been providing
free library and magazine materials
for the sight-impaired public,” says
Larry Hubbell, CRS director for the
Lake Union territories of Michigan,
Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
“We have discovered that
thousands of blind people are eager
to understand the Bible but do not
have one in a format they can read.
In an effort to remedy this, we have
started a six-month ‘Bibles for the
Blind’ fundraising campaign.”
Some legally blind can read
large print, some can read Braille,
and some prefer to listen to audio
tapes. These materials are costly.
As funds have been available,
CRS has supplied Bibles for some
blind folks, but since CRS is totally
dependent on donations from
businesses and individuals, the
money always runs out before they
can even come close to filling the
need. That is why it was decided to
run a fundraiser to provide Bibles
for the blind and visually impaired.
CRS also sponsors summer and
winter National Camps for Blind
Children/Adults (NCBC). When
campers hear Bible stories, they
often express their desire to have
Bibles of their own. One 15-year-old
recently pleaded, “I need a Bible so
badly!”
Christian Record Services (CRS) is conducting
a fundraising campaign to provide Bibles for
the blind and visually impaired. Some will be in
Braille like this girl is using, and others will be in
large print or on audio tapes.
Currently, CRS is serving 762
blind and visually impaired people
in Michigan with Bible services—
Bibles, Bible guides, and periodicals
with Bible themes for adults and
children in Braille, large print,
or on tape. However, this leaves
35,790 without such services, plus
hundreds of others under the age
of 18.
“We believe the Bible is God’s
Word, and that through it the
blind can come to know Jesus
Christ and find the hope they
need,” Larry says. “’Bibles for the
Blind’ is so big that it is more than
CRS representatives can handle.
We’re appealing to the Christian
community for help with this
campaign—churches, Sunday
school classes, youth groups, school
classes, Boy and Girl Scout troops,
and service organizations.”
Anyone involved with a group
willing to assist with this campaign
should call Larry Hubbell at
(248) 634-4379 or write him at 812
Academy Rd., Holly, MI 48442.
He will arrange to meet with your
group to present a short history
of CRS, explain details of the
campaign, and pass out “Bibles for
the Blind” kits. They will include a
coin collection device, a brochure
explaining the campaign, a leaflet
describing how to be at ease with
the blind, a large Braille card, and a
script with a sample appeal.
If you prefer to contact the
CRS headquarters directly,
phone (402) 488-0981; e-mail
info@christianrecord.org; visit the
Web site at www.christianrecord.
com/bftb; or write P.O. Box 6097,
Lincoln NE 68506-0097. And don’t
forget to give generously to the
Christian Record Services special
offering that will be collected in
your church on April 10.
“Think how you treasure your
own Bible,” Larry suggests, “and
it will help you realize what a joy
it will be for a blind person to have
one of her own, too.”
Evelyn Lutz is the Holly (Michigan)
Church communication leader.
Visit our Web site at luc.adventist.org Lake Union Herald, March 2004 • 15