Volume 11, Issue 2, May 2006
Note from the Director
Working with presses, books, invoices, or accounting every day tends to isolate the EBI staff from the very people we serve. However, we get encouraging letters from those who receive our publications. It gives us a boost. We are including portions of two of those letters.
The first letter is one of many from pastors who received a pastor’s library. Generous donors in the United States pay for these. We continue to get requests for the libraries. If you would like to participate in this effort, you can send a check for $150 to Baptist Mid-Missions, marked pastor’s libraries, and we will provide a library consisting of 26 volumes, valued at approximately $330 to a needy Baptist pastor in Latin America. (All gifts are tax deductible.)
Now that the junior Sunday school materials are complete, we will begin working on primary materials. As with the junior materials, this project will cost about $80,000 over the next three to four years. We can only meet this target date if we have the funds available. Would you be willing to invest in this project either with a one-time gift or a monthly commitment? Send all contributions to the Baptist Mid-Missions address with a note saying “EBI Primary Materials.” Those who have faithfully contributed to the Committee of 1000 are already partially supporting this project. Let me thank you in advance for those who will receive our publications because you gave. As always we count on your continued prayers.
Letters from the Fields
Dear Sister Bernice,
I am Pastor Wildoro Mendoza, who not too long ago bought a Scofield Bible from you on sale. Sister, EBI just sent me blessings! A box of blessings, books from EBI, and I only have to pay $20.00! Wooooow! What a blessing! Pastor Jonathan Stilwell just told me. He is the missionary in charge of BMM in Peru. Thank you very much! I didn’t think it would arrive soooo fast! I wish to inform you that I desire to know about your special offers. I invite you to visit our web page and listen to music of hymns I make.
Dear EBI,
…I tell you that thanks to God we are using the junior Sunday school material on the Old Testament from EBI that the missionary Gary Whipple sold me here in Lima…I appreciate the latest news from EBI. We will keep in touch and be waiting for materials that edify and are so GOOD.
Spotlight on Staff
Dr. Marvin and Joan Stephens came to EBI in 1994 after a number of years in college teaching and business. Marvin was asked to assume the role of Business manager and in 2000 he became Director. Marvin received his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Nebraska and taught for 11 years at a Christian college in Ohio. Following that he became Vice President and Technical Director of an environmental testing laboratory and was employed there for 12 years. It was during this time that he became experienced in business procedures, which have enabled him to manage his responsibilities at EBI. Joan works in the shipping department of EBI, and is also involved in editing and writing promotional materials. The Stephens are active in their local church. They are the parents of three children and grandparents of five.
New Equipment in the Print Shop!
This past month we were privileged to purchase a new shrink wrap machine for the printing and shipping departments. We often wrap materials in plastic in order to keep them in good condition for shipping and storage. Our old machine is very slow, as only one item at a time can be put through the machine. The new machine is capable of wrapping up to fifteen packages in one minute!
Words of Praise
Two new Wiersbe books are now available: Compasivos en Cristo (Luke 1–13) and Valientes en Cristo (Luke 14–24.) These books bring our total number of Wiersbe commentaries to sixteen.
All twelve quarters of the junior Sunday school material are now complete. We are so pleased with the fine reception these have received. This has been a long and labor intensive, as well as expensive project. It is a blessing to know that these are an answer to requests we have had for many years.
Growing Pains
The Shipping Room is getting crowded! Due to continuous expansion of our inventory, we have found it necessary to do some rearranging. Friday, April 14th, was the big day. We arrived at the Publishing House dressed to work and within a few hours new shelving had been carried in, and some extra cleaning had taken place. It is great to have extra shelf space, but it will soon be used as new books are being completed.
Memorial Gifts Given
In Memory of — Given by
Dot Lee — Mr. and Mrs. Robert Owen
Eno Reiter — Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Reiter