Plymouth Brethren Christian Church donate 200 bibles to schools around Maidstone
A campaign over the summer months saw almost 200 Bibles distributed across schools in the Maidstone area. Members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC) ran the scheme during July 2013, to donate Bibles completely free of charge to local schools. This was funded entirely by the PBCC, with personal donations of time and money.
Every school in the local area was contacted and 19 schools responded with a request to receive Bibles. A total of 194 Bibles were delivered on 22nd July 2013.
Another 30 Bibles were requested to be sent to children who were being taught at home but as the delivery address was in Northamptonshire these were donated by another Gospel Hall Trust in that area.
The table below shows a summary of Bibles donated during July 2013:
Name of School |
No. of Bibles Donated |
St Pauls Infant School |
10 |
Pennies Nursery |
12 |
Maidstone Grammar School |
30 |
Greenfields Community Primary School |
11 |
The Oaks Academy |
8 |
Tree Tops Academy |
5 |
Shernold School |
6 |
Palace Wood Primary School |
14 |
Allington Primary School |
14 |
University College for the Creative |
6 |
Mid Kent College of H & FE |
10 |
St Michaels CE Junior School |
10 |
Bower Grove School |
8 |
Sunrise Day Nursery |
10 |
Boughton Monchelsea Primary School |
10 |
Linton Park School |
10 |
Coxheath Primary School |
10 |
Yalding St Peter & St Paul CE Primary School |
10 |
Total |
194 |
The volunteer who delivered the Bibles reported that it took five hours and around 50 miles of driving in total, ensuring all requests were fulfilled. Since the initial bible distribution was started, Maidstone Gospel Hall Trust has received requests for a further 294 Bibles for local schools, which they will be kindly donating.
Below is a copy of an email received from one of the schools, following their receipt of the Bibles:
From: Joanne Duncan
Sent: 24 July 2013 10:42
To: Chester Boyt
Subject: Bibles
Dear Chester
Thank you very much for the Bibles the Maidstone Gospel Hall Trust has generously donated to the school.
Kind regards
Jo
Coxheath Primary School
From: Chester Boyt
Sent: 24 July 2013 10:53
To: Joanne Duncan
Subject: RE: Bibles
Dear Joanne,
Thank you for your email.
Please be free to ask if you would like any more in the future.
Kind regards
Chester Boyt
From: Joanne Duncan
Sent: 24 July 2013 11:02
To: Chester Boyt
Subject: RE: Bibles
Dear Chester
Thank you. There are enough bibles for one in each class.
Kind regards
Jo
Coxheath Primary School
Some of the handwritten letters of thanks and gratitude from the school children who received the Bibles:
We have just had another wave of requests for Bibles from schools and have donated 283 free Bibles this month!
Good to know that some people out there realise the need for God’s Word in their lives.
It is also good that the children will grow up having had the Bible read to them at school.
Well done Maidstone – more of us should do it – every school needs a Bible – let’s get going!
The letters from the children are simply amazing, and almost made me cry! Such a worthwhile mission, Maidstone – It makes me realise just how ‘cluttered up’ I tend to be, as a grown-up 🙁
Doesn’t have to be, though – there is surely a way of getting back to that childlike simplicity, trust and innocence!
Another 32 Bibles donated… following a request from Barming Primary School.
Practically made me cry, those letters. Its amazing what God will do for each child.
This is Brilliant,
To get young children to read the bible early so that they can see the marvelous works of Christ and get to Jesus and become a Christian so that they can help to carry on these good works is just the best thing that could happen.
Well done Maidstone.
hey thats cool. well done to get together all those bibles. so amazed by your diligence! keep up all your good work…..
Following further requests, during December we have donated 304 Bibles to local schools. The appreciation they have shown has been incredible.
A very good idea! Even our brethren school doesn’t have one! Though most of the students keep them in their school bags and we are encouraged to read a Proverb at lunch. No doubt God will see some positive results because of this!!
very good to see the youth interested in something so precious and worthwhile, it’s good to start young!
So good to see Bibles – The Word of God – appreciated in an increasingly secular world. And what you read in childhood, and are impressed by, can shape your whole life. Even the simple possession of a Bible in your pocket can make a difference to how you face life’s challenges or events that might overwhelm you. I have proved it.
What a good idea to donate Bibles to schools to help with RE lessons etc. And also, how sweet to see the kids writing in to say thank you!