 Filling a ‘vital role’ in the Middle East, the Bible Society caters to the needs of diversified communities
Despite the global economic crunch, the head of the only Christian publishing organization in the Persian Gulf says the group is “more than surviving.” The Bible Society in the Gulf has 16 bookstores—called Christian resource centers—in Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar as well as a Bible warehouse in Yemen. In 2003, the organization had eight centers, according to General Secretary Hrayr Jebejian. “The economy has impacted the Bible Society,” Jebejian told Christian Retailing. “But we are surviving, and a bit more than that. Thank God that we have not closed any resource centers so far.” Also known as the Arabian Gulf, the region is made up of seven countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAB), Bahrain, Oman and Yemen—and 45 million people. Arabic is the official language of the region, and each state’s national religion is Islam. The governments of the Muslim-dominated nations only allow the distribution and sale of Christian products activity in the compound of Christian churches. Bahrain is the only country in the gulf that allows the sale and distribution of Christian items outside a church compound and in secular bookshops. Approximately 15 million people of the gulf’s 45 million residents are expatriate workers, who come from all over Asia—
including India, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and China. Jebejian estimated that approximately 2 million of the expatriates who live in the gulf are Christians. “The church is very lively, and the expatriate communities all love to buy and read Christian products,” said Jebejian, who has worked for the Bible Society since 1981 and oversees its entire operation. “A big number of expatriates have lost their jobs, and this reality has had a negative impacted on the sales turnover. We are recovering now though.” With a staff of 16, the resource centers carry Bibles, books and literature, gift items, card and multimedia products. Jebejian noted that the Bible Society is challenged to meet the needs of more than 150 nationalities and ethnic groups as well as work with a large number of different churches and denominations. “There is a great need for Christian resources in the gulf,” said Jebejian, who is based in Nicosia in the island of Cyprus, and commutes by plane to Beirut, Lebanon. “The gulf community is highly diversified.,” he added. “Communities have different tastes and needs. We try to cater to the needs of all these different communities by making Scripture and Christian literature available.” Jebejian said that the Bible Society does not face persecution. “All the Christian products are imported into the Persian Gulf countries through the government channels,” he added. “The resource centers are legally recognized and registered from the respective authorities.” Christian Trade Association International Chief Operations Officer Kim Pettit told Christian Retailing  that the organization is making an impact in the region. The Bible Society “fills a vital role in the Middle East, where Christians are a minority,” she said. “Its ministry in encouraging the church and in promoting God’s Word in the region is invaluable.”
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