Bibles for Sierra Leone

Dear Pastors and Friends,

Hello to all of you again. I have great news from Mike Peper and the wonderful work being done in Sierra Leone. As I have told you previously, Mike is now superintending seven churches that have been started under his brief ministry there. Last Sunday they all met together for their monthly combined service. There were 707 Sierra Leonians present with 89 professions of faith and 67 baptized that day. The church that was started thru the preaching of Harold Anderson while we were there (In Waterloo) sent 68 folks to this meeting. Wow, God is so good! I praise the Lord for such a marvelous mission field and all of you who have had a part in it.
Now some more good news. We are ordering the books for the pastors and students early next week. Almost all of that money has come in and I feel that need will be met by the end of next week. We are ordering 34 sets of books at $77 for each set.
Now, for some really remarkable news. Missionary Mike Peper estimates that only about ten per cent of his church members own a Bible. We want to remedy that if we can. We have found paperback New King James Bibles for a buck a piece...that's right, one dollar buys a Bible. I just got off the phone with Mike and he is ecstatic. His words were, "Ed, do you realize we can put a Bible in the hands of every believer for about $500?". So, here's the deal. Harold and I would like to lead in the raising of this money for Bibles to send to Sierra Leone. Do you realize you can put Bibles into 25 homes in W. Africa for $25? Now, I know that it is Christmas time...and, many of you have already given sacrificially to this work. However, I believe most of us can find 25 bucks in the next 30 days. I can and I will! Our goal is to send 1000 Bibles...500 to give out immediately and another 500 for Mike to give to future believers. If there is such a need as this in such a poor country as Sierra Leone, how can we not rise up and meet this challenge together?
Now, the container that will be packed with these books and Bibles will not be shipped until the end of January. We have plenty of time to get the money raised and the books shipped to Mike's Pennsylvania address. Mike is home until after Christmas and he said he would help raise money for this. I told him..."No way!" He has many other needs and he needs to raise money for them. I told him that I have great confidence that Harold's friends, as well as my own, will meet the challenge for these Bibles.

Ed Rothenberger