The Gideons

This article is to give readers some information about the activities of the Gideons in Waterlooville and the surrounding area. The South-East Hants Branch serves the Parish and covers the geographical area from the Sussex border at Emsworth along the line of the Downs to the River Hamble, excluding Portsmouth City. Many readers will be familiar with the Gideons Bibles and Testaments with their maroon covers found in Hospitals and Hotels. The placing and topping up of these is everyday work to the local Branch and additionally they have set themselves the task of handing New Testaments to as many children as possible as they enter Secondary Schools. In the last School year, local Gideons achieved a high coverage and this year are working towards the same objective. This is seen as vital work in these times when the basics of the Christian faith are not understood by so many people.

Additionally, the Branch is currently engaged in building up links with Homes for the Elderly and has just been privileged to be able to present a complete new set of Bibles to the Rowans Hospice for use at every bedside and in the public rooms.

The Branch welcomes opportunities to supply Bibles to the Armed Forces locally. It is planned to make them available to the new Defence Police Training College at Southwick (formerly H.M.S. Dryad) as this is established there. The Branch has also been challenged about making Bibles available in tertiary Colleges in the area. Already plans are in hand to do so at Fareham College.

Beyond the local area the Gideons are continually seeking opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus and to distribute Bibles. During the Autumn many Branches combined together to 'blitz' Birmingham. Within a few days 14,000 Bibles were accepted by residents across the City.

Local Gideons hope and believe that they are supporting the outreach of local Churches into their communities. They are always glad to hear of any new avenues through which Bibles may be distributed. As they go about their work, they would value the prayers of readers. If you would like to be more closely involved, there is a scheme to become a 'Friend of the Gideons' and perhaps help to fund the costs of printing the Bibles being distributed locally. To discover more or for further details about any of the items mentioned above, please telephone (023) 92 257291.

Thank you for the time you have taken to read this update.

Cedric Moppett
South-East Hants Branch.