Welcome to Truth Talk Live. All right, let's talk. A daily program powered by the Truth Network.
This is kind of a great thing, and I'll tell you why. Where pop culture, current events, and theology all come together. Speak your mind. And now, here's today's Truth Talk Live host. When you are craving God's Word, in other words, where do you turn?
It's an interesting thing. A lot of us, I hope, get up in the morning first thing, and we are craving God's Word. Where is your go-to? Like, do you have a regular Bible reading plan? Like, go through the Bible in a year? Or maybe you have a particular Bible study that you've been using that you really like? You know, the good news is that we do crave God's Word, and you know, when you do that, the question is, where do you go? I would love to hear your story.
It's a live show. We need your calls. 866-348-7884, 866-34-TRUTH. I know, in my particular case, I learned a few years ago, I really, really love just asking God. So when I get up, as part of my normal prayer time, as a way I start out my mornings, I ask God, where are we going today? And he directs me. And that's been the most amazing Bible plan, because he never ceases to amaze me of the places he takes me. I know that the amazing part of all that is that I have not probably one, but maybe 40 Bibles in my house.
I have a whole lot of, a lot of different translations, a lot of different cool things. But unfortunately, all the folks out there don't. And so we have Michael Woolworth with us today from Bible League. And you guys are going around the world trying to affect that, right, Michael? Hey, Robbie, it's great to hear your voice today, brother. You've been a wonderful friend of Bible League over many, many years. And listeners, you've been incredibly kind to our ministry, namely, you know, those believers on the receiving end. You know, Robbie, we don't come preaching ourselves, but Christ crucified. And we're merely just trying to connect this wonderful listening audience to unmet Bible needs around the world in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
And you are right, Robbie, there are literally millions of believers that go without what is so basic to the Christian faith, and that's having a Bible. Real quick exercise as we come into this hour together. Now, listen, if you're driving, don't do this, right? But put two hands up. You've probably got 10 fingers looking at you, right? Put down a thumb in a crowd of 10 believers in those regions I just mentioned. On average, about nine of 10 go without a Bible. Can you imagine? I mean, that really ought to be somewhat intolerable in our minds to think in an age of technology and an age where we can put Bibles into the hands of these Bibleist believers just like that.
That ought to be intolerable. And so, Robbie, all that to say it's great to be with you today. We'll give your listeners, you know, the story with the need for 300 Bibles here, 200 Bibles here, 500 Bibles over here. And we're working toward a goal as Truth Network and Bible League to bless 3,500 Bibleist believers. This is not a campaign that will go on forever.
We need to wrap up by the end of October. We've got about 10% of that need met coming into today's show, Robbie. So this is a listening family that truly gets this.
But again, all that to say it's great to be with you. And we are just grateful for it. I'm counting on my fingers here. I believe this is our ninth campaign together, and we are praying expectantly to bless all 3,500 waiting believers.
Yeah, it's really hard for me to imagine, you know, that they're sitting there craving it. But fortunately, the thing I love about the Bible League is you guys have ways to find out where these people are and how to identify them. So, you know, it's one thing to want to give Bibles to all those nine people, but you've got to know who they are and where they are, and how are you going to get them there, right? Well, and God has given us the opportunity at Bible League now in our 86th year of ministry, you know, to be on the front lines of the Great Commission.
So, you know, listeners, this ought to be of comfort to you. There's not a place where Bible League ministers around the world where we're not connected to the local evangelical church. I mean, that's the blueprint for church growth in the New Testament, right? Why would we deviate from that? And so the relationships have been built, you know, the printing has been taken care of, the translation work is done.
It's simply a financial constraint. And Robbie, people ask, how do you do it for $5 a Bible? You know, they may have just went and gone and bought a study Bible, a MacArthur study Bible for $50.
How do you do it for $5? Gone are the days where you would print a Bible here in the U.S., place it on a ship, and pray that it gets there in six months. What Bible League does now is we work with printers around the world where it makes sense to do so, where it's safe to do so.
And as we meet financial constraints like the one in front of us, we'll say, hey, fire up the presses. We need Bibles in Mandarin. We need Bibles in the Arabic language.
We need them in the Quechua language for Christians in the Andes Mountains in South America. And so that's how we get it done. And, you know, all of this on the heels of a Bible study. Christians, I should say, people go through a Bible study having been invited by a Christian.
You know, much like we do it here in the States, right? And they go through a Bible study from Bible League. They learn very quickly who is Jesus, how is He both God and man, what's it mean to die to self and to put on Jesus in the day to day.
And at the end of that, as they say, what? We want to follow Jesus. Bible League is there to provide a Bible in their language. They're connected to a local evangelical church, and we believe they're in a very good place to begin their walk with Christ. But again, God has them planted where it's very difficult to get a Bible. But as I like to say, enter the Truth Network listening family and call by call, click by click.
Robbie will get it done. And we have friends of Bible League. They're all over the country, in fact, that have said we want to help get us across the finish line during the month of October. So they've agreed to double every single gift that is made this hour. So during this Truth Talk program today, any gift, regardless of size, will be doubled. So it's an opportunity to send twice as many Bibles. And again, Robbie, three thousand five hundred Bible believers are waiting for God's Word.
About 10 percent of that need already met. Praise the Lord. And we want to keep going and really make a big dent in that number this hour. Yeah, and I love the fact that this match is a big deal.
I know we've done this a number of times, and I can't remember a time where there was a match like this going on. So this is a huge opportunity to double your resources to help provide these Bibles. And it's so easy, because again, you can go to TruthNetwork.com. That's pretty easy. And you're going to see the Bible League banner show up there, and just click on that. That's the way I usually do it. It only takes a few minutes, and you'll be right there. But the other thing you can do, if you're not so Internet-friendly and you just prefer the phone, like many do, then you just go 1-800-YES-WORD.
Just 1-800-YES-WORD, and easy-peasy, as it really is, to be able to take part in what Bible League's doing for these people that are craving God's Word. But Michael, I always love the stories you tell about these people. That's my favorite part.
But we've got to go to a break so I can hear the music of that. So we've got that coming up, and we're going to hear the stories from Michael. Again, it's 1-800-YES-WORD or TruthNetwork.com. But again, maybe you want to call us with your—what do you do when you're craving God's Word?
866-348-7884 is to call in and share that. We'd love to hear from you. We've got a lot more coming up from Bible League. Stay tuned. So much more Truth Talk Live!
Welcome back to Truth Talk Live! Today, what's your go-to? What do you do when you are craving God's Word? Do you have a particular plan?
Do you have a way that you like to go about doing that? Can you even imagine? Can you imagine learning about Christ and how to come to Christ and all of a sudden craving God's Word, but there's no Bible there? Well, today we're here with Michael Woolworth with the Bible League.
The help is solving—you know, what God gives us is an opportunity. It's fascinating to me that God, you know, He could obviously rain down His Word however He wants to, but He gives us an opportunity here at the Truth Network to take part with Bible League in this goal of 3,500 Bibles that we have through the month of October to take part of just $5 of Bible. And with a matching gift like that, I guess it's $2.50 a Bible, right, Michael? Well, it's $5, and then, you know, there's going to be one tacked onto that. So, you know, Robbie, a gift of $100 today, that's tax-deductible. That's not 20 Bibles, it's 40 Bibles.
And then, real quickly, let me tell you about a multiplier. We've noticed after 86 years of ministry all over the globe, right, there's a trend when people finally receive a Bible in their own language at a level they can understand. They read that and they find out what? Very quickly, Jesus is not to be kept to oneself, He's to be shared. And so, very quickly, the impact about a dozen people, that might mean they lead others to Christ. It may mean that it's just a blessing to others in their, let's say, village in, you know, remote Madagascar, Africa, where they say, come, let's study the Bible together. So, very quickly, an opportunity with every single Bible, the opportunity to impact about a dozen people. So, again, a $100 gift today is 40 Bibles times 12. Robbie, I'm horrible at math, but I think it's an opportunity right now to affect really hundreds of people with a simple $100 tax-deductible gift.
Let me speak to this before I take you to Burundi, Africa, the world's poorest nation, and just talk about, you know, the needs that are pressing us right now. I mean, I know it's a presidential election year. People tend to be a little tighter-fisted with their finances. I don't know if it's the uncertainty of what happens beyond the first week in November. It's also, you know, a time when inflation is up.
Everything is costing more. And, of course, fresh in our minds are the flooding victims. And I would say this, you know, as a global ministry, our paths often cross with organizations, both governmental and Christian in nature, that deliver humanitarian aid. So, please, you know, your tithe goes to your church first. But as you're able to give from your discretionary income, I would urge you to do something to aid those that have been victims of the flooding. And then, you know, as we share the stories this hour, Rob, and again, I'll take you to Burundi in a moment.
We'll go to Mexico and wrap up in another part of the world. But if you feel led, I pray that you'll give, knowing that we will squeeze every dime to the glory of God. We're going to follow through with everything that we promised to do. And after years of working together with Truth Network, you know that, you know, Stu Epperson and others are going to hold us to what we're saying we're going to do today.
And we have all of those assurances from us. And as you mentioned, going to the break, Robby, I always come with stories because it's incumbent upon us at Bible League. If we're asking you to support Bible-less believers, we want you to know them a little bit more intimately.
But again, $5 sends a Bible to 800-Yes-Word, 800-Yes-Word, or just click the Bible League banner at TruthNetwork.com. And Robby, I'd love to take you to Burundi, Africa, tell you about a young man by the name of Ferdinand. May I do that? No, please. Absolutely.
Yeah, let me do that. Let me take you to the great Rift Valley. Burundi is a very small country on the continent of Africa, and Africa is really where Christianity is growing in the strongest numbers.
You know, put this on for size, Robby. There are more evangelical Christians in Africa than there are people in the United States. That's how God is moving on that continent. This was a place that was pretty much characterized by a lot of pagan beliefs and practices, but I can tell you the Gospel is taking grip. And I would say that our prayer today is, above all, God would be glorified through the stories that I share, because this is really His story. It's what He's doing in His world through His Word. But secondly, I pray that it would be an encouragement to you and your listeners, because I know that we all pray that the Gospel would take grip all over the world, and I'm telling you today, it is definitely happening. Burundi, Africa.
Let's spend a few moments there. The world's poorest country based on gross domestic product per capita. So this is the world's poorest nation. The Hutus are the dominant tribe here. The Tutsis are the minority.
Robby, I've been in that part of the world. It was very obvious when I was in that country. It's been the victim of a lot of coups and massacres, political assassinations, and a civil war that lasted for about 12 years. It left hundreds of thousands of people dead, including many child soldiers. A lot of young people were recruited, forced into service during that civil war. In fact, the young man I want to tell you about in a moment, Ferdinand, would lose two siblings as child soldiers in that civil war. The story starts with a man by the name of Bosco. What was his story? Bosco's parents, at age seven, were both murdered in that civil war. He would spend his teenage years filled with rage. He wanted revenge, wanted to kill those that murdered his parents, so that's what his teenage years looked like. And it wasn't until a Christian invited him to come to a Bible study from Bible League.
It was in the Burundi language, and this man, Bosco, would go through that. He would hear the hope of the gospel, and God took all that rage and that revenge from his heart. He turned him into a disciple-maker. Robby, fast forward just a little bit, and Bosco became, of course, a believer. He became a pastor and a church planter through Bible League. There's places where there's not an abundance of churches. Bible League is able to come alongside people like Bosco and say, here's materials without charge. And a lot of times, that's an incredible blessing, because a lot of these churches exist where they are in extreme poverty, and so that's always a blessing to people like Bosco. But Bosco became a believer. God turned him into a disciple-maker. One of the first young men that he led to Christ, Robby, was a man by the name of Ferdinand. I met him, you could tell, at 21 years of age. He was very small for his stature.
It was almost sort of unrealistic. But I found out that that all comes from malnutrition. In the world's poorest country, so many of the young people, young adults, are victims of malnutrition as children. And so that was the story of Ferdinand. His father was killed in that civil war. His mother, to make ends meet, became a prostitute, sadly. She forced her kids to steal.
The kids shoplifted, all of that, right? The mother contracted HIV in a very, very sad way. The family, by the way, followed a radicalized version of Islam. And when this young man, Ferdinand, became a believer, his mother kicked him out. She wanted nothing to do with Christianity, but you know, she watched him live out his life in a very admirable way, Robby.
She said, you know what? I want this Jesus. She became a believer. And I can tell you, as people have seen this story unfold, about 113 have come to Christ.
Many of those former radicalized Muslims, this all before the mother died very tragically of HIV, AIDS, something that was afflicted upon her in those years in prostitution. So God did something beautiful in the lives of Bosco and Ferdinand, his mother, and about 113 brand new believers who have come to saving faith in the world's poorest country, Robby. They really have no access to the Word of God, but enter the Truth Network listening family and call by call, click by click, we intend to do something about it today. Yeah, it's just, again, it's amazing how, you know, just one Bible can make such a huge difference in a family and a community and give them the opportunity, because it literally is alive and breathing. It's God himself right there in the Word, and we get an opportunity amazingly, it is amazing, that we get to take part in these getting shared around the globe through these different very, very poor areas.
So easy to do. You just call 1-800-YES-WORD, that's 1-800, Y-E-S-W-O-R-D, or if you go to truthnetwork.com, you're going to see a banner right there for Bible League. So easy to click on that, and again, you know, $100 would send 40 Bibles, just, you know, 50 is going to send 20. It's an amazing thing that we can take part in. Go to truthnetwork.com, we've got so much more Craving God's Word today on Truth Talk Live.
We'll be right back. Truth Talk Live! You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com Welcome back to Truth Talk Live! The world craves God's Word, and today we're here with Michael Woolworth from Bible League to direct some attention to that issue, and hopefully to take part in the solution, as Bible League gives us such a wonderful opportunity every year to take part in getting Bibles out there, which, if you listen to the Truth Network much, you know that we are devoted, completely devoted, to God's Word, to understanding it, teaching it, and spreading it in any which way we can, because we know it's the living God himself, and so, Michael, there's so much more, right? Well, there's so much more, and Robbie, you were asking, you know, what do you do when you crave God's Word? You know, maybe you've got favorite Scriptures that you like to pull out. Is it 1 Peter 5-7?
Cast your cares on him, for he cares for you. Is it the perennial John 3-16 that you see flying on banners in the end zone at football games this time of the year, right? And maybe for you it was John 14, where Jesus says, you know, I go to prepare a place for you, Robbie, when my mom died about a year ago. I know when we grieved her loss, you know, John 14 meant a lot to my family and me, knowing as a believer we'll see my mom again someday. And so, you know, the commonality of all the Christians we're talking about today, they've never read a single verse in their own Bibles, why they do not own one. And so, enter the Truth Network listening family. Over the years, Robbie, as we've come and we've shared what God is doing in His world through His Word, you know, we've mentioned the needs of 300 Bibles here, 500 here, we'll head to Mexico here in a moment where there's a need for about 500 Bibles, but this listening family has come through.
If I can use football speak, they've kicked it through the uprights, and we're simply praying, will you do it again? I know it's a tough time to ask. As I mentioned, presidential election years mean that people tend to be a little tighter-fisted with their discretionary income. I know inflation means everything's up. I know, fresh in our minds, not far from where you're at, Robbie, you know, the flooding, those that have been victimized by the flooding, I would say if that is near and dear to your heart, and I pray that it is, please make a generous gift on behalf of those.
Your tithe goes to your church, of course, but any discretionary income, any money that you reserve for your offerings, you know, I pray that after you give locally to your church and to flooding victims, you know, if God is tugging at your heartstrings to help these Bibleist believers, I can tell you all of us at Bible League were so grateful, and Robbie, we are about 10% of the way to our goal to bless 3,500 Bibleist believers, so 350 answers to prayer to this point, and I want to take you to Mexico. I know we've been all over the world in our times together. We don't spend a lot of time in our own hemisphere, but let me do that in the country of Mexico, and we try to bring stories that are relevant. Robbie, I think this next one will be, it involves the man Joaquin Guzman, better known as El Chapo, right? I think he was captured, what, eight years ago, escaped a couple times, but he is doing life in prison here in America. They are still trying to figure out, as the head of the Sinaloa Drug Cartel, you know, how many lives is he responsible for taking? I think they're still trying to find a tally on that, but the man El Chapo was an associate of the man in the story that I'm going to tell you about, a man by the name of Pablo, who was part of the drug cartel.
You know, about 50% of the people in Mexico live in extreme poverty. Many choose to identify with the cartel, and many are forced, I know there's kids six, seven, eight years of age who are often recruited by the drug cartel. The police have essentially told the citizens there, we cannot protect you from the cartel's violence, and that's plural, cartels. There's many cartels in Mexico, but Pablo was a man that distributed drugs. Part of what he did was he settled debts for the Sinaloa Drug Cartel. Robbie, the DEA knew this man by name. He had a couple of brothers that were actually killed in the process of serving as hitmen with the drug cartel.
This man was also a part of a communist guerrilla group that he'd revolted against the government there, so he was an avid reader of Karl Marx's works. But here's the bottom line, he started feeling compelled to get out of the drug cartel. I don't know why, I guess God may have been at work in his heart, but he had one last debt he had to settle.
He had a lot of money, he had a debt he had to settle. He went to a friend that he thought, okay, can get me back into the cartel, keep me in the cartel, let me get one more hit, if you will, and I'll settle this debt and be done with this. Well, when he went to that friend, Robbie, he didn't realize a few years had lapsed, that friend actually had become a believer, had become a pastor, and led this man Pablo to Christ. That's the long story short, Pablo became not only a believer, but a pastor, and he became a church planter. He went through church planter training from Bible league, and as I mentioned earlier in the hour, where there's parts of the world where there's not a lot of churches, Bible league is there to come alongside people like Pablo and say, here's resources to help grow your church to the glory of God, and so Pablo would utilize that there in the Sinaloa mountain range.
And Robbie, my colleague, a woman by the name of Denise that collected this story, she said, she said, Michael, I've been with you in Chicago, this is how I would liken this. When we walked the five to six miles a day, where Pablo ministers, she said, people would say, you see that little church right there, planted by Pablo, you see this church over here, planted by Pablo, this church over here, planted by Pablo. She said, Michael, it's like there in Chicago where you live, she said, there's Walgreens drugs on every corner, and she said, that's what God has been doing through the man Pablo, a former member of the Sinaloa drug cartel, one of the worst groups in recent history, right? And this man has been used to point people to the hope and the gospel. Robbie, the great need in that part of Mexico is there are very few other ministries that will serve there. Frankly, they're afraid for their safety, they fear for their well-being, and so Bible league has a very unique presence in the Sinaloa mountain range. And so there's a need for 500 Bibles, 500 new believers. These are actually heads of families that want to raise those families to know and love Jesus. And so, you know, really, there's no bookstores, there's no discount retailer, no Amazon to drop a box of Bibles into their village. You know, if I do that here in America, if I go on Amazon right now, you know, I have a Bible on my doorstep by tomorrow morning.
Somebody said, no, by five o'clock tonight, and there's probably some truth to that. But again, those are not options for the Christians we're talking about, just south of the border in Mexico where they want to live to the glory of God. But again, as I say, enter the Truth Network listening family. Robbie, I'd love to circle back to Pablo and those new believers.
They're in Sinaloa, Mexico. Let them know, hey, the Bible is you're praying for, they're coming, they're on their way. Yeah, what an opportunity, really, when you think about it.
Again, they're doubling, you know, there's a match on this. But then you think about what those seeds planted in that particular area that, man, those kids, they wake up every morning to total fear. You know, these cartels are absolutely lawless.
And see, the Bible brings law. Those people that like, I'm trying to remember the man's name that you were talking about. Yeah, Pablo. Like Pablo.
He went from being completely lawless to seeing the value of life, to seeing the value of love, to seeing all those things. And every single one of those 500 Bibles has got just loaded with those seeds that make that impact. And who knows who the next Pablo will be, you know, based on our opportunity, simply, you know, you're sitting there thinking about it. Man, 20 Bibles for $50, or, you know, 40 Bibles for $100. Of that 500, you know, five or six of us get together, and man, and the beautiful thing is that these are needed. These aren't, we hope we're going to give out 500 Bibles, these are 500 people that are asking, right? Yeah, you know, and Robby, we go forth with a couple of Scriptures in mind. Number one, Isaiah 55, my word will go forth, the Lord says it will not return void, it will accomplish my purpose. And then also in 2 Corinthians 9, 10, where Paul writes, God will give you spiritual seed, He'll make that seed grow, He'll produce a great harvest from your goodness.
And you know what your goodness is today? Really, it's a $5 gift, whatever denomination you want to make that. As you say, Robby, with this gift, this matcha means what, 20 Bibles today for $100 is what?
Doubled. That's actually 40 Bibles. So, you know, if you can find a better Kingdom investment today, chase that, but if not, would you be a part of this today? Again, Truth Network, you guys, you get this, you have blessed literally tens of thousands of Bibleist believers all over the world, and that's why we come with stories that we pray are relevant, that really not only tug at your heartstrings, but take you from a place of empathy to becoming a Bible sinner, to being a part of what God is doing. Again, 3,500 answers to prayer, that's where we want to land by the end of October.
Robby, we're 10% there, but again, you know 500 a little more intimately because of the story of Pablo from Mexico. Right, and a way to do that is 1-800-YES-WORD. Again, you can just dial 1-800-YES-WORD, or if you go to TruthNetwork.com, that's easy. The way I do it is just go to TruthNetwork.com, click on that, and it'll allow you to donate whatever situation, whichever denomination that God puts on your heart, and from my standpoint, it's just a matter of prayer. Like, God, is this something that you want me in on? I can see the need, and I know that there's a lot going on with it. I mean, we're seeing pictures and horrible things, reports coming back out of the mountains of North Carolina that just break our hearts, and clearly, those are all needs. That's why prayer comes in handy. You're like, God, where do we go?
We're here. And just like when you're in God's Word, from my standpoint, I love Eugene Peterson, the guy that did his autobiography. He said that Eugene Peterson had a conversational intimacy with the Scriptures, right? And you can imagine what that—I love that word for me personally. I do, I have that conversational intimacy with the Scriptures, and we're offering this opportunity for 3,500 people that as they get this book, they've never had anything like it, they begin to read it and read it, and the next thing you know, they have that conversational intimacy.
It makes all the difference for generations, right? So easy to do. 1-800-Yes-Word, or go to TruthNetwork.com, click on that Bible League banner, and we'll be right back with even more Truth Talk Live. Stay tuned. When all of a sudden you find yourself—even this week, my wife was like, you know, honey, why does God allow stuff like this that goes on in the North Carolina mountains? You know, hard questions like that. Where do you go for answers? Where do you go when you lose that loved one, like Michael was talking about, through some tragedy like that or something?
You know, these folks that we're talking about throughout Africa, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, you know, where do they go? And what we do today could make a huge difference for generations with Bible League. And Michael, I'm so excited that we get to share a little bit more on that. Again, if you're feeling that tug from God, it's 1-800-Yes-Word, or go to TruthNetwork.com right there under the Bible League banner. But Michael, of course, you know, you've got some other stories for us, right?
Well, and Robby, we've got more stories. You know, as I said earlier, above all, we pray that they glorify God. These are stories about what he's doing in his word.
I should say, in his world through his word. And, you know, it would be an encouragement to you and your listeners, because I know that we pray that the name of the Lord Jesus would be lifted high around the globe. But I can tell you today, it is. You're not going to find the stories we're sharing, you know, on the front page of your morning paper on your favorite cable news source. That's why Truth Talk today is so, so important.
And I'm so grateful. All of us at Bible League are, you know, we, as I said, come not preaching ourselves, but Christ crucified. And we're simply connecting you to unmet Bible needs around the world.
It's 500 here, 300 there. We've been to Burundi, Africa, the world's poorest country. We've been in Mexico, where violence really is the rule for the day.
I'll end our time together in the country of Kenya, Africa, in just a moment. But, Robby, let me just say, what does the enemy do to us? You know, he rushes you, pushes you, frightens you, confuses you, condemns you. And yet when you open the pages of scripture, you know, if you've got a Bible in your own language at a level you can understand, you know, because the Holy Spirit ministers through that word as you open scripture, what happens? Well, God steals you.
He leads you. He enlightens you, reassures you, encourages you, certainly convicts where needed, right? But there's a comfort that comes in all of that through opening the Word of God. And Robby, there's not a morning I open my Bible where I don't thank God for having His Word in my own language. I know there's believers all over the world who go without what is so basic to the Christian faith, and that's having a Bible.
But again, call by call, click by clip. During the month of October, Truth Network listeners, you're getting it done. The first 10 percent of that 3500 Bible goal is taken care of. And so I know this is, again, a listening family that really gets this.
And as I said earlier, if you can make a gift to help those that have been victims of the flooding. Of course, your tithe is first to your church. But, you know, if we're sharing a story that tugs on your heart, take that empathy as that further and become a Bible sinner today at 800-Yes-Word. That's 800-Yes-Word or just click the Bible league banner.
You can find that at TruthNetwork.com. I know we're up against the end of the program. In just a few moments, Robby, I've enjoyed being here today. But I want to take you to Kenya, Africa, tell you about a man by the name of William. What's his story? Well, he will walk 31 miles each way to his congregation. He's an itinerant pastor, and Robby, he ministers among the Maasai people the tallest ethnicity in the world.
At about 5'7", I can tell you, I was a little envious of the height these people have. But they're incredibly friendly, they're very happy, and they're growing the number of evangelical Christians among the Maasai tribe. It was only a couple of years ago where the loiben, the chief in that Maasai tribe that controls all the flow of information in and out there.
If you don't have his blessing, I can tell you that information does not get into the tribe. But he had a vision, Robby, I can't explain it completely, but that there was a red book coming. And Bible league, lo and behold, would you know, we translated the Bible into the Maasai language, a modern version, so they could understand it.
And it had a red cover. And I can tell you, God has opened the door for people like William to minister. And this man is serious about delivering the gospel to his congregation. Again, he walks 31 miles each way. You know, I think fitness experts tell us you need about 10,000 steps a day, right? I know my wife always got me out trying to tackle 10,000 steps a day. I figured it out, Robby, 31 miles each way is about 124,000 steps.
So he'd be more than best now by about 114,000 steps. But anyway, this is the receiving end of William's attracts. Well, it's a congregation of Maasai believers. And one of those is a young lady by the name of Anya, 14 years of age. Let me tell you what her story is. What happens to a lot of teenage girls in the Maasai tribe happened to Anya. One of those things, and I won't get graphic about this, but it's female circumcision. There's no known medical benefit. It's humiliating.
It's painful. In fact, in many parts of Kenya, Africa, they have passed laws that prohibit that from happening. But because the Maasai tend to be somewhat disconnected from government controls, it's still a part of that tribe.
That's the first thing. The second thing is arranged marriages. A lot of time these young girls are forced into arranged marriages to older men they don't know, men they don't love. And I can tell you that was the story of young Anya, yet she was a born-again believer. She was married to a man that abused her, did not love her. But Robby, I can tell you, she lived out her faith in a very admirable way. She won his affections and she pointed him to the hope of the gospel. Today he's a believer, but I can tell you the story does not end there. There's about 40 young women all in that same situation, forced into arranged marriages, subjected to all the rituals of the Maasai tribe.
And they're now followers of Jesus. And as we expand the story just a little bit more, there are 500 people that have come to Christ among the Maasai tribe, affiliated with the story of Pastor William, a man who's willing to walk 31 miles each way to shepherd those in his care. And I can tell you, God's at work at the Maasai tribe. Robby, I don't always wake up in the morning and wonder, what is God doing in the great rift valley of Kenya, Africa? But I can tell you, he has not forgotten. So I just would love to leave this impression with your listeners. God is at work. I know we don't always know what's going on a half a world away, but he is truly at work. And again, for many of these Christians we've talked about today, and again, that's the key.
The soil has been worked. They're members of our spiritual family. They really have no hope of a Bible unless the Truth Network family will come through for them. So no pressure there. But at $5 a Bible, Robby, we do have friends in another part of the country that have said we want to double every single gift. We know this is an incredibly difficult time to give with inflation, election year, the flooding.
All of these things mean it's very easy to say no. And so they really want to see us get across the finish line by the end of October. And so they said very generously, very gladly, by the way, that they would like to double every single gift regardless of size today. And so, again, to God be the glory.
Wow, it sounds like we lost Michael. So he's going to call him back, but what he was going to say is that it's $5 sends a Bible, $60 sends 12, $100 sends 20. But understand that that's going to be doubled. So $5 sends two Bibles, right? And, you know, don't despise the day of small beginnings, right?
If $5 is what you can do, do $5, right? $60 sends 12, or in this case, 24, or, you know, as we talked about, $100 sends 40 Bibles. When I think about that tribe, as Michael was describing it, and oh my goodness, here's this man walking 31 miles, right?
The shepherd is flocked. And you can see the resources aren't something he probably has a great deal of. You can imagine the hope that you're going to give that man when he realizes that, oh my goodness, the people in America stepped up and they put 500. You can imagine the love that he has for God's word if he walks 31 miles every day. One way, you know, however that works, it's unbelievable. But nonetheless, the passion that he has to be able to see God's hand provide for him, and we can be a part of that, right? Again, if you're one of those that could afford $100 and send 40 of those, I mean, five of us would do that. We would get these Bibles into this wonderful man's hand that has worked so hard.
And what an opportunity we have to do such a thing. We got Michael back. Yeah, I guess the call dropped, Robbie. I don't know what the last thing I said was, but hopefully it was worthy of listening to. But anyway, Robbie, all of that to say.
What a wonderful hour together again. Just giving glory to God for what he's doing in his world through his word. And again, you know, we're asking your listeners to step into the stories of people like the Messiah tribe. You know, those new converts associated with this former drug cartel member.
You know, Christians in the poorest country in the world. And again, I can tell you, Robbie, I've given out Bibles. I've traveled the world.
We have friends that fund those trips. And as I've done that, I can't help but think of the Truth Network listening family that's given so sacrificially over the years to see those kingdom transactions. People have cried, they've shouted, they've jumped for joy. And again, Robbie, with every gift today, whether it's by phone or online, you know, you're putting tears of joy on the faces of Bible-less believers.
They're waiting and what a joy to let them know the Bibles, they're coming, they're on their way. Right. The hope, again, that, you know, I've heard that for years and years as people who travel. The hope that comes that people out there care are essentially telling them that God cares.
Right? And that God has the resources to make the need. And again, as Michael always says, and I couldn't agree more, God is the hero of this story. And we just, he gives us this opportunity because he could find other ways, and he will find other ways to get his Word in their hands. But we have the opportunity to take part in that and what an honor it is and what a joy it is to partner with Bible League. And we want to remind you one time, again, it's 1-800-YES-WORD, that's 1-800-Y-E-S-W-O-R-D, yes, word. Or you can just go to truthnetwork.com, click on the Bible League banner, and go right there where it belongs.
So, Michael, your last word. Well, Paul writes, when one part of the body suffers, we suffer together. Robbie, there are millions around the world who go without a Bible, but again, call by call, click by click.
I assure you, tears of joy will be flowing on the faces of Bibleist believers. But thanks for being a great friend to Bible League listeners. You've been incredibly kind. Let's do it. I know 3,500, it's a big number, but if there's a group that can get us there, Robbie, it is the Truth Network Listening Family. Yeah, it's amazing. And again, it is the Truth Listening Family that keeps us all going, and I am so grateful for each and every one of you listening today. We've got a great show lined up for you tomorrow, and of course, we've got lots of wonderful programming, Matt Slake, etc., coming up right after this. So thanks again for listening, and be prayerful about this opportunity to take part with the Bible League, truthnetwork.com.
