Jan 23, 2010

Not Food, Not Shelter - Haiti Needs Bibles?



We applaud companies for inventing solar powered cell phones and solar powered garden lights, but when I heard about solar powered audio bibles, I paused for a second. Then I heard these hi-tech bibles were being shipped over to Haiti after the recent devastating earthquake that left 1.5 million people homeless and thousands dead.

I was appalled.

A US-based Christian Group, Faith Comes by Hearing, sent over 600 such bibles, called Proclaimers, a few days ago and wants to send 3000 more. Each Proclaimer costs around $100.

If this doesn’t madden you, little else will.

Amid the logistical and humanitarian chaos, these guys believes the poverty and hunger-stricken survivors will forget they are shelter-less, forget they’re dying of starvation, forget they’re short of medicines and doctors, forget their loved ones are still missing, and forget that all these troubles could have been lessened if instead of shipping boxes full of audio bibles, the Christian group had sent food, medicines and shelter.

I agree the soul needs healing too, but the need of the hour certainly isn’t an audio sermon. And this news comes days after the US military was accused of diverting aircrafts carrying international aid on the pretext that it’s a greater priority for more US troops to enter Haiti to maintain peace and order.

Sadly, some parties have forgotten the value of human life.

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