Bob Wurl and Evaline Otieno
Bob is one of the original Project 24 guys. He took on orphan support through 1001 Orphans and the person he “adopted” was Evaline Otieno. He writes, ” Evaline is now 19 years old and plans to begin college soon. She wants to go college to do something in the medical field, a lab technician or similar. (David says she can then work in one of the Aids/HIV clinics). I brought with me the Bible from the 2001 National Youth Gathering and gave it to her. She told me she did not have her own Bible until now.”
Our churches overflow with Bibles. Our fewllowship halls have bookcases full of Bibles. Bibles stand unused and unopened from confirmations and weddings. We have to force our students to open a Bible and getting them to acually read it is a chore. Here is someone that always wanted one and finally gets a used one from our youth convemtion in 2001. Better late than never I guess.
Long before his redisovery of the Gospel and long before his work as a reformer, Luther had embarked on a love affair with the Bible. But at the beginning of the 16th Century this was anything but typical. Far from our day in which the devotional reading of Scripture, available in hundreds of versions and editions, is roundly encouraged, in that day few had access to the Scriptures in the vernacular. What Scripture they knew had been heard in the liturgy and Scripture readings (in Latin!). Those who did have access to a Bible were not especially encouraged to read it. It was looked upon by many as a dark and obscure book, one that needed expert guidance to understand. Thus, there is nothing unusual about Luther’s claim that the first time he even saw a Bible was in a University library in Erfurt when he was twenty years old. At this time he apparently read the story of Hannah in 1 Samuel. (Dr. Richard P. Bucher )
Perhaps Bob’s “adoption” of Evaline will lead to a life long love affair with the Scriptures. She will, I hope get to study medicine and live her dreams. But I hope she loves her Bible and the Savior that it reaveals and delivers. I hope the Kenyans don’t become like us. Luther described us very well.
The neglect of Scripture, even by spiritual leaders, is one of the greatest evils in the world. Everything else, arts or literature, (sports), is pursued and practiced day and night, and there is no end of labor and effort; but Holy Scripture is neglected as though there were no need of it. Those who condescend to read it want to absorb everything at once. There has never been an art or a book on earth that everyone has so quickly mastered as the Holy Scriptures. But its words are not, as some think, mere literature (Lesewort); they are words of life (Lebewort), intended not for speculation and fancy but for life and action. By why complain? No one pays any attention to our lament. May Christ our Lord help us by His Spirit to love and honor His holy Word with all our hearts. Amen (LW 14:46).
