As you gobble down another Marshmallow Peep or pick out another pesky strand of Easter basket grass from your two year old’s hair this coming Sunday, just think about how lucky you are.
Imagine living in a world where your hands might be cut off for possessing a book. This is not an imagination exercise. We are not going “back in time” to the second century A.D. This is also not a seventh grade English Lit class discussing Fahrenheit 451. It is right here, right now. Maybe not “right here,” but “right THERE.”
This blog was originally intended to show how one can volunteer from home for a variety of causes, but of course my passion, animal rescue, completely dominates. I would like to take a moment to talk about another cause.
I had the privilege several weeks ago to learn more about Open Doors. I have heard of it before, and could intellectually grasp the meaning, but meeting people and hearing stories really imprinted upon my heart just how much we take for granted and how important it is.
Open Doors was started by an extremely brave person who goes by the handle “Brother Andrew,” whose name wasn’t Andrew, nor was he a monk. He is known throughout the world also as “Brother Smuggler” or “Bible Smuggler.” In the late 1960s, he modified a Volkswagen with secret compartments in the attempt to smuggle Bibles into people behind the Iron Curtain who so much desired to own one and read one. As you know, people were not only not allowed to “assemble,” which was seen as dangerous by a communist government, but they were also not allowed to possess a Bible or other spiritual literature. Knowing that their lives were at risk, people on the inside read them and helped him.
(pictured: In the bottom right is “The Bible Smuggler” in Russian, the story of Brother Smuggler, and it sits just to the right of a Russian Bible. In the center is The Bible translated into Chinese. Also on the table are children’s Bible stories in the Kazakh language. An Arabic Bible is just out of the frame at the far left in yellow.)

Now, Brother Andrew is in his 80s, but most people half his age cannot keep up with him. There are many more volunteers now who carry on his mission. Right now, if you are living in North Korea, parts of China, and parts of the Middle East, and in a list of other places you may not have thought of, a Bible is not only forbidden but you could be tortured or killed for possessing one or reading from it, and even sometimes talking about it. Despite this, the mission just keeps on growing. No matter how many people are persecuted, the demand for them grows. Open Doors has risen to the occasion by translated not only the Bible but other related materials into over 100 language.
Despite the fact that people are routinely kidnapped, beaten, disfigured, or killed for simply having a Bible in their hand or professing their faith, the demand for them grows and grows by leaps and bounds every year.
Why do people risk their lives, and why do governments not want their people to have these books? The same reason they didn’t hundreds of years ago. The poor, the women, the weak, the old, the very young, and the widowed who are generally easy to keep one’s foot on top of feel empowered by the Word and friendship of Jesus Christ. It is said by just giving a person one Bible, at least 10 other people read it too.
I salute the brave men and women who have lost their luggage, had their passports seized, or lost their lives through their efforts.
The largest funder for Open Doors is the Christian Motorcyclists Association. Once a year, they have a Run for The Sun ride that raises funds for Open Doors and two other projects. If you are a biker interested in joining on your local ride, or you are interested in pledging a motorcyclist in their efforts, leave me a comment and I can get you the information you need.
I’ll be riding too.