MIAMI (Reuters) - As international aid agencies rush food, water and medicine to Haiti’s earthquake victims, a U.S. faith-based group is sending Bibles to Haitians in their hour of need. Not any Bible. These are solar-powered audible Bibles that can broadcast the holy scriptures in Haitian Creole to 300 people at a time. Called the ‘Proclaimer’, the audio Bible delivers ‘digital quality’ and is designed for ‘poor and illiterate people’, the Faith Comes By Hearing group said. It added 600 of the devices were already on their way to Haiti. The Albuquerque-based organization said it was responding to the Haitian crisis by ‘providing faith, hope and love through God’s Word in audio’. With tens of thousands of Port-au-Prince residents living outdoors because their homes have collapsed or they fear aftershocks from Tuesday's quake, the audio Bible can bring them ‘hope and comfort that comes from knowing God has not forgotten them through this tragedy’, the group said on its website. ‘The Proclaimer is self-powered and can play the Bible in the jungle, desert or ... even on the moon!’ said the group’s website
By Anthony Boadle, editing by Pascal Fletcher
By Anthony Boadle, editing by Pascal Fletcher
One of the many groups who are not taking advantage of the misery in Haiti to make converts is The Tzu Chi Foundation. Have a look at http://www.us.tzuchi.org/usa/home.nsf/photonews/k12950
3 comments:
A headache! Just what the Haitians need at the moment on top of their manifold other sufferings. Actually I can see an opening for a "proclaimer style" Digha Nikaya for just such occasions... Hmmm on second thoughts!
I have read that these "Proclaimers" can be reprogrammed. Some folks are suggesting that some of them will be "repurposed" to make public service announcements such as locations for food distribution and so forth.
Additionally the parts when sold outside Port-au-Prince will give a little money or goods to folks who can't get it otherwise. One sees this kind of repurposing activity in any poor area of the world. Personally I'm all for providing for the immediate needs of the survivors by any means necessary.
Some good thoughts that-
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