In 1998, WFRN listeners pledged over 15,000 Bibles!

In 1998, WFRN and The Bible League sent Bob Collier on a Mission of Truth to Southeast Asia and China. Bob visited China, Thailand, Indonesia, and Singapore and brought back the photos you see on this page, plus the first hand experience of being in Southeast Asia and seeing how great the need is for God's Word. In China there is on average only one Bible for every seven Christians. But in many remote areas there are no Bibles at all!!! In Vietnam ten churches are sharing one Bible. The churches stagger the times of their services so someone can deliver the Bible (on bicycle) from one church to the next! By helping in this effort to send Bibles, WFRN listeners gave Christians in Southeast Asia and China the strength to endure the persecution they face every day. These believers tell Bible League representatives all the time: "We don't pray for the persecution to end. We pray that we may receive Bibles to remain strong in Christ in the face of the persecution." Imagine never being able to read the Bible. That is the situation in Southeast Asia and China. Christians in the fast-growing churches live under persecution and violence. They face prison, torture, even death, for following Jesus -- and they don't even have the Book they need to stay strong -- the Bible. They are like soldiers without swords. That's why WFRN and The Bible League teamed up to send Bibles to Christians in Southeast Asia and China. On the trip, Bob saw churches and Christian owned businesses that were destroyed, simply because the owners are Christian. Every day Christians are being persecuted in Southeast Asia, yet they strive on. The Need for Scriptures Burma - 89% Buddist, 4% Christian - Importation of Bibles banned since 1966. Cambodia - 95% Buddist - Has a difficult language for foriegners to learn. China - officially Athiest - 50-100 million Christians of 1.2 billion people. It is estimated that 80-90% of the population would read the Bible if only they had one. Currently up to 200 believers share one copy of the Word. Indonesia - 87% Muslim, 9% Christian - Heavy anti-Christian violence Laos - 60% Buddist - The government is attempting to stamp out Christianity Thialand - 95% Buddist - Large camps of refugees from Burma Vietnam - Erratic persecution, depending on region, Bibles confiscated at the borders

Bob the Tourist in China Bob (in yellow) on the Great Wall Bob Clowns Around at the Circus

More than 4,000 businesses destroyed by riots, fire and looting in May, 1998. Only the nearby McDonalds was spared. The rest of this city block in Jakarta was destroyed. Rubble is all that remains of a large mansion that was the home of one of former President Soharto's council members.	A bank in the major shopping district of Solo, Indonesia is completely destroyed. A three story shopping center gutted by fire - this Christian owned building will not be rebuilt. Bob and fellow broadcasters who participated on this trip.