Book Aid - News and Updates from around the world

"IT'S NOVEL! IT'S DIFFERENT!
AND IT'S EASY TO GET INVOLVED"

Ray Dadswell, one of Book Aid's UK 'Collectors', wrote the above in a newspaper article recently and it struck us that we really haven't told you about the two hundred people from the Shetlands to the Channel Islands who are the BACKBONE of Book Aid's work. These are volunteers who help us gather in the wonderful books you are donating all over the UK, Northern Ireland and elsewhere. Each 'collector' is doing a vital job and we know that many, if not all, are having a great time doing it. Ray, for instance, is in Eastbourne, and he has seen many thousands of books come in from that area - his greatest pleasure is, of course, to know that the majority of them will soon be in countries where to own a book gives great delight beyond what we can imagine.

Ray Dadswell and Malcolm Silver
Ray Dadswell with Malcolm Silver (London Warehouse Manager [left])

We wish we could introduce you to all of our 'collectors', some operating from their homes, others from: churches, bookshops, conference centres, Bible Colleges and Mission Headquarters. However we cannot do that here but we want to acknowledge how much they mean to this work and ask you to pray for them. BOOK AID would grind to a halt without them. We still need more- please contact us if you feel you can help in this way.

ONE YEAR ON

In the middle of a heat wave in 2005 we moved our London operation to Bromley House, Sydenham. Now one year on, in the throes of another very hot summer, we have been reviewing the past twelve months. Of one thing we are certain - we needed this extra space as the flow of books is incredible. At any given time we have been able to receive huge amounts of stock and still have room for more. Not so in our previous place where we constantly had to move pallet loads of books around in order to try and cope. How we praise God for making it possible for us to come here where we not only have more space but are able to use a fork-lift truck to easily shift the books. Daily we say "thank you Lord". Loading a container became much easier so we have been able to load two during the same morning - thus speeding up the process of getting the books overseas where they are so badly needed.

COLLEGES, COLLEGES, COLLEGES

The Librarian - Ghana Baptist Seminary
Ghana Baptist Seminary - The Librarian

We have almost lost count of the number of Bible Colleges and seminaries which have had a consignment of books from us for their libraries. A recent one we have assembled is for a Seminary in Romania and will be personally delivered by one of our UK 'Collectors' before the end of this year. Similarly, a London church, making a mission trip to Ghana asked each member of the group to include one (or more) carefully chosen study books for the Ghana Baptist Seminary in their luggage. All very welcome additions to College Libraries where the future Christian leaders in these countries will be trained.

BIBLES, BIBLES, BIBLES

Of all the requests that come to us, the most frequent is more MORE BIBLES. As well as shipping the best of the second-hand ones which are given to us we have been able on several occasions to purchase new ones at affordable prices. Recently we had 20,000 English mini study Bibles printed in Belarus of which, 10,000 are already on their way to India where no doubt they will soon be in the hands of eager readers .

CAMEROON

"By God's grace we are making progress. This year we have opened two bookshops in Yaounde (our capital city), another in Bamenda and by the end of the year we are planning to have another bookshop in Douala. In order to meet our goal of opening good Christian Literature Centres in major towns, our main distribution centre in Muyuka needs to be fully stocked - for this purpose we would like another container of books from Book Aid. Can you send us one in September (2006)? This would be a great help. Someday it might be impossible to import Christian materials in this country, but the doors are still open and this is the right time to have a flow of good literature. Pray for us!."
Pastor Manga William, Cameroon

RANSKILL

For a long time we have had similar programmes in both London and Ranskill (near Doncaster). Both centres having a basic 'core' team of full-time workers and many excellent volunteers in both places. In recent weeks we have completed some structural alterations in Ranskill which will enable us to handle more NEW books from publishers there whilst London largely concentrates on the second-hand donated books. This is in order to fulfill the vision God has given us not only to ship used books overseas but where possible to also purchase new books. Since we have made the changes we have received 35,000 new books from one publisher as well as thousands of new Bibles. We look forward to also cooperating with other like-minded literature groups in the purchase and storage of books so that together we might advance the Kingdom of God.

"WITH THANKS"..

"Dear Book Aid, many thanks for your kind gift of books to me. These books have touched my life in a deeply spiritual manner and I will pass them on to other prisoners in the hope that they get the same experience. It is a warm touch to know that we, as offenders, are not stereotyped or shunned- your donation made me feel human again. Your friend in Christ, Adrian"
H.M. Prison, Maghaberry

"Yippee! The books have arrived safe and sound and in great condition. Our shipping agents did a terrific job in clearing customs - their company name- "God's Favour" - says it all! We ended up paying rock bottom prices for handling fees and taxes/duties. Now the daunting task of getting all these books into the hands of the people for whom they are destined begins. By the way, it appears that the Customs Inspection team opened up a box containing the devotional booklets "Lucas on Life" and each were given a copy. So, even before the books arrived on our doorstep the work had begun"
Roger & Naeda West, Philippines

"We want to sincerely thank you and your organisation for your efforts in making these valuable books available to us. Many people are benefiting from them - the Christian community, Theological Colleges and people are even travelling frrom distant towns to buy the books. Above all, S.U Zambia is being sustained in a big way. we praise and thank God for you at Book Aid."
Scripture Union, Zambia