Over 500,000 Children in Former Communist Nations Receive Bibles, Hear Gospel

HURST, Texas, Aug. 15, 2023 – Following a successful spring “Bibles for Kids” fundraising campaign, EEM (Eastern European Mission), a ministry that has steadfastly worked for more than 60 years to supply free Bibles to Eastern Europe and the surrounding nations, will be providing over 500,000 Bibles for teens and children in nations such as Hungary, Croatia and North Macedonia.

The first group of over 100,000 Bibles was distributed recently in Hungary via a Christian puppet ministry Palanta Mission for Children and Youth, which presented the Gospel in the public schools. By the end of June, 40,000 Children's Bibles and nearly 50,000 Teen Bibles had been distributed to more than 2,000 educational institutions. The Bibles were specifically requested by the heads of schools and kindergartens throughout the nation. “We believe, we hope that the seeds sown, the saving message of the Gospel through the more than 100,000 Bibles will find open hearts and bear fruits,” said Sára Juhász-Balogh, coordinator of children’s resources. 

Another 250,000 Bibles were sent to North Macedonia, the second half of a commitment to this nation that started last year in cooperation with the local Orthodox Church and public schools. “We are excited about the partnerships we have formed with local church leaders and the government of North Macedonia, particularly with regard to providing Children’s Bibles in public schools throughout the nation,” said EEM president Bob Burckle. In May, Vice President Dirk Smith and Marketing Director Brooke Kehl traveled with National Director Jura Lazar to follow up on the latest delivery of 250,000 Bibles and continue to develop relationships with new ministry partners on the ground.

In regions where the Croatian language is spoken, a total of over one million Bibles – both adult and children’s books – have been provided over the last several years, with a significant number of those Children’s Bibles delivered thanks to the Bibles for Kids campaign.

Many of these eastern European nations are following Ukraine’s example, which invited EEM to distribute Bibles throughout its public-school systems for use in the teaching of Christian education and ethics classes. Now, Ukrainian children’s Bibles are also being delivered in other nations throughout Eastern Europe where families have sought refuge from the war, including significant numbers in Poland, Hungary and Moldova. Similarly, Hungarian children living as a minority in Croatia received Bible-based materials in their own language so that they can now learn about God at school without a language barrier.

“We are so grateful for our many donors who contribute to make these gifts possible, so that these children can grow up with a knowledge of God, unlike previous generations in these nations,” said EEM vice president Dirk Smith. “We love seeing how even the children who donate to our Bibles for Kids campaign receive a blessing knowing that they’ve helped other kids around the world learn to follow Jesus.”

To learn more about EEM or to make a donation, visit https://www.eem.org.

About Eastern European Mission
Eastern European Mission (EEM) was established in 1961 to provide Bibles and Bible-based materials throughout the former communist bloc countries in Eastern Europe. Today, EEM publishes and prints Bibles and New Testaments as well as Teen Bibles, Children’s Bibles, and coloring books, distributing them through a vast network of partner churches and organizations reaching more than 32 countries in 23 different languages, including Farsi and Arabic. For more information, visit EEM’s website at www.eem.org/. 

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 Media Contact: 
 Melany Ethridge
972-267-1111 
 melany@alarryross.com