Summer is a time when people wind down to relax and take a vacation with friends and family, but for a Christian group, this is a time to spread the word of God.
The Spanish Bible Society takes advantage of the summer to distribute the New Testament through various Spanish sea ports such as Melilla, Tarifa and Algeciras which thousands of travelers use to go to and from Europe. With “Operation Transit,” the Christian group gives Bibles to many North Africans visiting their relatives, reports Evangelical Focus.
Morocco allows the Bible Society to enter only 50 Bibles a year, with Operation Transit more Scriptures can enter, it is a way to sow seeds. —Luis Fajardo, director of the Spanish Bible Society
Volunteers spend their summer in ports not only in Spain, but also in different European countries to share the Gospel to tourists. “Last year, almost three and a half million Muslim passengers crossed our ports,” said Luis Fajardo, director of the Spanish Bible Society.
Fajardo explained that, “Morocco allows the Bible Society to enter only 50 Bibles a year, with Operation Transit more Scriptures can enter, it is a way to sow seeds.” He added that Morocco once had a few hundreds of Christians in the 90s, but through Operation Transit, “there are now 40,000 believers and 30 recognized churches.”
Volunteers also have the opportunity to strike a conversation about God as they distribute Bibles to travelers. They are not tasked to just give away Bibles at sea ports, but they can also engage with people and introduce Jesus to them.
“It is a unique missionary experience. A short period in which you learn how to approach people to give them the Scriptures,” Fajardo said.
Bible reading can transform lives, and giving Bibles to visitors is also a means to reach those living in places where access to the Gospel is difficult, particularly in North Africa and the Middle East.
In Eritrea, people fear of a crackdown on Christianity following reports of police raid on churches and arrests of Christians during fellowship, according to Church Times. Recently, the government ordered the closure of Catholic-run health centers, denying people from rural areas access to medical assistance.
Meantime, Christians in the Middle East are fleeing their homes to escape the violence and secure their safety in neighboring countries. Some call this an ‘exodus’ since thousands of people are being displaced because of Christian persecution.
The Spanish Bible Society targets to produce 25,000 New Testaments in various languages for distribution.
