SAN DIEGO, CA (ANS) -- Talking Bibles International produces voice recordings of translated scriptures in hundreds of languages and uploads them onto a device that looks just like a bible but it is a complete audio recording of the bible in their own native tongue.

Harvey and friends looking at paper in Africa

Illiteracy has an immense negative impact on reaching the world for Christ. For example, in many places in the world, as soon a new convert has made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, significant personal, social, and political changes take place in their lives. Many experience alienation from their families as well as loss of possessions and status. Severe beatings are also very common. Without access to scripture enabling them to grow in their faith, these significant changes are compounded by discouragement.

That is the passion behind our ministry. We have lived with these people, visited these desolate areas of the world and see the massive hunger and need for God’s word in their lives.

My name is Harvey Hoekstra, and this is my story…

At the young age of 15, I got very sick and needed to have surgery. After 3 life threatening surgeries and 45 days in the hospital, I made a promise to God that if he got me through this alive I would be a preacher of the gospel and tell the world of his goodness. God saved me, and I kept my promise…
 

Lavina and Harvey Hoekstra

My wife Lavina and I served in the missionary fields in Sudan and Ethiopia for nearly 30 years. When the door to Ethiopia closed in 1977, we moved back to the US and resided in San Diego, CA for fifteen years during which time we continued to develop an audio scripture ministries overseas in Africa, India and other SE Asia countries. Each year we lived out of a suitcase overseas spending time in different locations for a period of three to seven months.

That ministry is now known as Talking Bibles International and is headed up by Mark and Paul Hoekstra, our two youngest sons.

The world’s first “Talking Bible” was created in the year 2000. There were just ten of them. Mark and Paul, my two youngest sons, went to India to explore how their design for a new kind of listening device could become reality. They called it a “Talking Bible”. They had said that to be called a “Talking Bible”, the new listening device had to have the appearance of a Bible and enable an entire audio New Testament to be sealed inside.

Months later when they received those first Talking Bibles manufactured in India, they knew that their expectations had been met. Praising and thanking God, they were ecstatic with joy.

Today, 10 years later, thousands of these uniquely designed Talking Bibles are being manufactured. Every week audio recordings are being formatted to become Talking Bibles in over three hundreds languages. Working with others, our goal is that every translated New Testament becomes available in audio.

The advent of the Talking Bible challenges church and mission people to participate in a worldwide effort to provide God’s precious Word in audio for the one billion adults in our world who do not read. Millions among them are new believers who have come to Christ in our time. They need access to the translated Scriptures if they are to grow strong in their faith and become more effective Disciples of Christ.

Some of my experiences of giving the gift of audio scriptures…

A day I shall never forget was when a teen-aged girl, Argeem returned from her mother’s village several hours away. That particular day she was carrying an Ethiopian Airlines flight bag that I had given her in which to carry her audio player. Reaching into her bag to bring out the player, she also reached in and pulled out a knotted, grass string. On it, were thirteen knots. I had heard about such strings but had not previously seen one.

This is what Argeem told me. She said, “I’ve been in my mother’s village for several days. I played my “radioni” and when it stopped speaking, I said, ‘I’m unable to talk like this machine, but I know that what this machine is saying is true because I’m a person of this Jesus.” She said, “Sometimes someone would say to me, ‘Argeem, will it say it again?’ and I would play it again because they wanted to listen.” Argeem continued by saying that before she left her mother’s village there were thirteen women who had said to her, “Argeem, take some grass and make a string and tie a knot for me, I want to become a person of your Jesus.”

That day is imbedded indelibly in my memory with thanks and praise to God. I tell you this story because our experience with those “knotted strings” in Ethiopia is part of the history, of the Talking Bible.

As the community of Majang believers grew, they went out to villages near and far with these audio messages Young Christians were now confirming the truth of the messages with their own personal testimonies of what Jesus meant to them. Some returned with knotted strings. The longest such string had on it 105 knots.

Twenty-five years later, with no missionaries among them, it is reported that more than 85 percent of the Majang have become Christians. People who have visited that area tell of many large stick and grass buildings now appear in many parts of the forest. They are Majang churches. Let Jesus Christ be praised.

What we did following our years in Ethiopia and how it eventually led to the designing and manufacturing the Talking Bible is already well documented in my book, “From Knotted Strings to Talking Bibles.” In that same book we share in much greater depth about our years, both in the Sudan and in Ethiopia. When I read in it, my heart is strangely warmed. I am inspired and find myself giving praise and thanks to God. I cannot but marvel at God’s leading and faithfulness. I am humbled to recognize what great privileges and responsibilities He entrusted to our family.

Another important facet of the Talking Bible ministry is the opportunity we give people via our website to listen to the Bible for free in many different languages. These include both the Old and New Testaments and special arrangements of selected passages, including a Harmony of the Four Gospels in audio.

Goal: A Talking Bible Sunday in Every church providing Talking Bibles in Every language for Every person who does not read

We pray for your tremendously needed support. You can find out more at: www.talkingbibles.org

Harvey and Lavina Hoekstra served as missionaries in the Sudan and Ethiopia in Africa for nearly thirty years. During their years in the Sudan, Harvey reduced a spoken language to write and translated the entire New Testament into that language. In Ethiopia, they pioneered among people still wearing leaves and grass living in the rain forest in the southwestern part of that country. When the door to Ethiopia closed in 1977, they returned to the United States in Rancho Bernardo, CA for fifteen years during which time they continued to develop an audio Scripture ministries overseas in Africa, India and other SE Asia countries. Each year they lived out of a suitcase overseas spending time in different locations for a period of three to seven months. That ministry is now known as Talking Bibles International and is headed up by Mark and Paul Hoekstra, their two youngest sons. Harvey still serves and chairman of the Board. Harvey has a doctorate from Fuller's School of Intercultural Studies in Pasadena. Harvey and Lavina recently celebrated their 65th Wedding anniversary.