Lutheran Braille Workers

PO Box 5000 Yucaipa, CA 92399 • 800-925-6092 • www.LBWinc.org

Helping People Touch thePromises of Jesus

Illuminations

1ILLUMINATIONS Spring 2013

Spring 2013

As you probably know, Jesus used the analogy of the mustard seed, which is among the smallest of seeds but grows into a large bush, to show how something so small and seemingly inconsequential can have a tremendous impact. “Walking with My Lord,” by Donna Streufert is the name of one of the “Mustard Seed” devotions published by the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, (LWML). It is the latest to be re-formatted into our specialized Large Print.

Initially, back in 1971, the LWML began developing

the Mustard Seed Series of personal Bible studies as packets of individual leaflets “to help women working outside the home share their faith during coffee breaks and lunch hour discussions.” To adapt them for readers with visual impairment, Lutheran Braille Workers,

(LBW), has compiled some of them into convenient Large Print Books.

In addition to “Walking with My Lord,” three other Mustard Seed Devotional books are currently available in Large Print. They are: “Begin with God,” “Give God Glory” and “Lift Me Up, Lord.” Besides the four Mustard Seeds, LBW also produces the Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly magazine into Large Print, Braille, and on Cassette. The magazine is available via free subscription.

We sincerely thank the LWML for their many years of partnership with LBW in helping to provide God’s Word to people with visual impairment. Information from their website www.lwml.org. contributed to the writing of this article. ~ Roy Fisher

WHAT’S INSIDEWalking with Jesus 2

Hand In Hand, Arm In Arm 3

LBW & BSSA Enable Mr. Khumalo 4

Cramped Spaces 5

LLB Re-Opens For Business 6

“Mustard Seeds” – In Large Print

Mustard Seeds in Large Print - Devotionals include: “Walking

With My Lord,” “Lift Me Up Lord,” “Give God Glory,” and

“Begin With God.” Each are available free of charge.

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In November of last year, Lutheran Braille Workers sent four representatives to a meeting of the World Blind Union. Rose (LBW’s Braille Administrator) and her husband Ed, Ken Loeber, one of our Board members and I enjoyed flying to Bangkok, Thailand to join about 1,500 other people from around the world at this quadra-annual (once every four years) event.

The hospitality committee for the event was excellent. There were many volunteers in orange shirts always ready to help any of the attendees. For example, every

attendee was met at the airport and escorted through customs and onto the hotel shuttle. Whenever we had a question or needed directions, one of the volunteers was standing by to help.

It was very common to see volunteers in orange shirts leading a person who was blind. Every once in a while you would see a whole train of people, all with white canes, each holding the arm or the shoulder of the person in front of them, the lead person holding onto the arm or shoulder of an orange-shirted volunteer.

It struck me that this might be a good illustration of the Church. All of us are, by nature, spiritually blind, unable to safely navigate a path through life. Jesus is our Leader, the One who “leads me beside the quiet waters,” and

“guides me in paths of righteousness,” as the Psalmist writes.

Lutheran Braille Workers has a serious responsibility to people throughout the world who are blind. LBW is like the lead person in the train; everyone connected to us depends on our connection with Jesus. People throughout the world depend on LBW to stay connected and to reach out so that others can grasp onto the One who is The Way. Through LBW, people come to know Jesus.

Just as the World Blind Union is a world-wide advocacy organization that supports and encourages equal access to all aspects of society, Lutheran Braille Workers is a world-wide ministry that supports and encourages equal access to God’s Word and His Church. And, we need your help. There are more than 258 million people with severe vision loss; almost 40 million of those people are completely blind. With your prayers and support, this ministry invites people to join the “Jesus train” by reaching out to people that they too will walk with Jesus into eternity.

Please keep LBW in your prayers. Please also consider a generous contribution. Your gift of any amount will make an important difference in the life of one of God’s precious children. And finally, thank you for all your prayers and support and especially for your willingness to walk side-by-side as together we walk with Jesus. ~ Rev. Phil Pledger

People who are blind being escorted to another part of the convention by a convention representative.

Walking with Jesus

2ILLUMINATIONS Spring 2013

3ILLUMINATIONS Spring 2013

Please prayerfully consider Lutheran Braille Workers in your Estate Planning.

If you ever see my wife and I walking together, you will see us walking hand in hand or arm in arm. You might think or say, “Ah, they are in love.” This is true, but we walk hand in hand, arm in arm for more than love.

When my hand is not in her hand, they are doing many things. Certainly they read Braille; they type on my talking computer, pull my rolling suitcase as I travel, and make the sign of the cross in the worship service. My hands even do many chores at home. My hands fold in prayer and of course, my hands hold my cane when I walk.

Most times in buildings, however, I don’t use my cane. Usually this is fine, but once in a while ... well, the cut or bruise is the visible mark of my running into something.

Walking hand in hand—that’s how our God is with us: leading; guiding; keeping us safe. When we let go that’s when there are problems—big problems, but He never gives up, gives in or goes away. He keeps reaching for us to help guide and hold us.

As we enter this New Year, let’s be sure we are walking, holding onto the hand of Jesus. His hands bled and He died for you and me. His hands keep us safe. His hands give gifts of life and salvation. God is GOOD!

Mission work is similar. Sure you can do it alone but with many people, you are able to help and support one another.

We look to you because we do not walk alone. Your prayers, financial support, volunteer time, eyes and ears for opportunities are just a few of the ways we WALK TOGETHER; in mission work for and with people who are blind. ~ Pastor Dave Andrus

Hand In Hand, Arm In Arm

Man leads a person who is blind, arm in arm.

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4ILLUMINATIONS Spring 2013

PROMISE MAKERS

Honored people who have contributed time, talent and treasure to enhance and advance the ministry of

Lutheran Braille Workers.

A partnership was developed in 2008 between Lutheran Braille Workers (LBW) and The Bible Society of South Africa (BSSA), when representatives of both organizations met at the World Blind Union in Cape Town, South Africa. Over the past eight years many Braille Bibles have been requested by BSSA; Representatives of the BSSA tell us it can take days for them to deliver the Bibles to the remote villages or towns.

One of the Grade 2 Bibles received by BSSA was delivered to Mr. Khumalo of Margate, a village located in the Kwazulu-Natal region, 1,463 km (910 miles) from Cape Town. Driving time is approximately 19 ½ hours.

“Hi there, just to inform you we did receive the Braille Bible at Margate Bible Education Centre and were able to deliver it to Mr. Khumalo – his reaction at the size of the Bible was, ‘Yoh! Aybo!’ His mother commented she’d never seen him read before, as he was sent to a residential

school. He was extremely grateful! My thanks to whoever made it possible to obtain the Bible.” C. Parsons

This “thank you” note is for You; the volunteer and/or donor who has given Mr. Khumalo the gift to “Walk with Jesus.”

~ Rose Jaimes

LBW and BSSA Enable Mr. Khumalo to Walk with Jesus

To all the Lutheran Braille Workers,

“I just want to thank you all for the incredible work that you are doing. Last summer I was lucky enough to go out to Bolivia with the Christian Charity Latin Link. As part of a team of 7, I was able to immerse myself in the Bolivian culture, painting and building a church in the small town of Betanzos. Whilst we were there we met a man who is blind, who only had the New Testament in Braille and as a team we knew we wanted to bless him with the rest of the Bible. Thanks to you we are able to do so! A member of our team got in contact with you and you have done the rest. We couldn’t believe that it was all free of charge! I pray that God continues to bless you in your amazing work and that you are always able to provide the blind with the Word. Keep up the fantastic work! Much love in Christ,

Sara”

Mr. Khumalo joyfully reads to his son the Braille Bible given by Lutheran Braille Workers.

“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” – Psalm 25:5

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dr. George Locke - Chair Dr. Werner EssigMr. Kenneth Loeber - Vice Chair Mrs. Julia NeimesRev. Norman Finke - Secretary Mrs. Carol M. ZemkeMr. J. Kelly Tripp - TreasurerRev. Dennis Stueve - Chaplain Tax ID: 95-6048152

NEWSLETTER STAFF

Rev. Dr. Phillip M. Pledger - PresidentJan Fisher - VP of Ministry OperationsRev. Dave Andrus - Director of Christian OutreachRose Jaimes - Braille AdministratorRoy Fisher - Large Print AdministratorKathy Buss - Donor RelationsDavid Crespo - IT Specialist

Dear Pastor Dave,

“God Bless You and thank-you for your hand. Everyone at our Church is so busy with their own families that they don’t think about folks with no where to go on Christmas. I try to remember that Jesus loves me but Christmas is not the fun it used to be. I find myself longing to be in heaven so I could see Jesus and my parents and brother and my grandparents and twin brothers I never knew. I ended up eating at the Salvation Army with a blind friend and some other ladies with power chairs and walkers. So I have a full stomach but the tears are starting to flow now that I am back home. Your sister in Christ, Angela”

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A supervisor of a Christian home for mentally troubled boys was alerted by one of the staff of a situation. One of the boys went missing, sort of.

The supervisor followed the staff member to the boy’s room and pointed to the bed. The supervisor understood the boy was hiding under the bed. It was the weekend. Some of the kids went home to family as it was the holidays. No one came for this boy. He was sad and very lonely. His hiding under the bed was not so surprising as it reflected his inner feelings.

Having worked for years with troubled kids, the supervisor knew demands and pressure would not bring him out from under the bed or his inner shell.

So the supervisor talked some about the upcoming day: its events; food; activities. The boy did not come out.

The supervisor sat down on the floor by the bed. He talked about the sunshine outside; the games planned for the afternoon; and the special dessert that would be served at supper. The boy didn’t come out.

The supervisor lifted up the bed sheet which draped to the floor. Two blue eyes looked at him from way back under the bed. So the supervisor laid down and slid in next to the troubled sad boy. Now he said nothing, just laid there with him.

After a while, the supervisor felt the small, cold hand of

the boy in his hand. So the supervisor then said, “You know it’s kind of cramped under here, why don’t we go where there is more room?” So as the supervisor and the boy slid out, they remained holding hands.

Talking didn’t do it. Incentives didn’t do it. Coming into the cramped little world, sharing his space, holding his hand, is what the little troubled boy needed. The supervisor understood this, because he too learned this himself a long time ago.

Our God came into our cramped lonely world, and to our cramped lonely bodies, he held our hand with His hands; which took the nails on the cross and our punishment.

God is always with us. ~Pastor Dave

Cramped Spaces

6ILLUMINATIONS Spring 2013

The Lutheran Library for the Blind has a long history in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. It was established in 1939 and was first housed at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, with the help of a former seminary student who was blinded in an industrial accident. His name was Fred Graepp.

In 1941 the Library was moved to Chicago and in 1952 was moved back to St. Louis. That same year the Library added “talking books” to its collection. In 1959 the Library was moved to Concordia Publishing House where more than 7,000 readers were patrons of this Library. Between 1983 and 1987 the Library was housed at the International Center but was moved back to Concordia Publishing House in 1987.

In 2002 the Library was moved yet again to its own space on Watson Road, St. Louis. When the Synod’s ministry to people with visual impairment became a stand-alone ministry, the Library came under the management of the newly formed Lutheran Blind Mission in 2003.

When Lutheran Blind Mission Society merged with Lutheran Braille Workers in July of 2012, the Lutheran Library for the Blind was moved to Jacksonville, Florida. About 6,500 titles were shipped along with shelving and support equipment. Two semi-trucks were filled to the brim and unloaded into a building located at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, Florida.

The Lutheran Library for the Blind is North America’s largest Christian lending library. The Library offers nearly 6,500 Christian and wholesome fiction books in Braille,

Large Print, or recorded on audiocassette tapes. All are available on loan free of charge.

Housed in one of the buildings on the Holy Cross Lutheran Church campus in Jacksonville, FL, the Lutheran Library for the Blind has a new Librarian, Julia Neimes. Because of the merger of Lutheran Blind Mission with Lutheran Braille Workers and the move from St. Louis to Jacksonville, the

Library has not been lending any materials . . . until now.

To order books in Braille or Large Print or to order books on cassette tape, you can contact the Library directly, toll free: 888-215-2455. Or, you can email your requests or questions to LLB@LBWinc.org. The Library is open to anyone with low vision or to people who are blind. The Lutheran Library is open Monday – Friday, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

LeAnn, “lead volunteer,” in front of the many books and

cassettes available to check out at the Lutheran Library.

Lutheran Library for the Blind – Re-Opens for Business

In January 2013, we received an email from the United Bible Societies Global Ministry Exchange, regarding the shipment of Braille Gospels and Genesis we sent to Costa Rica. Here is a statement from Mr. Nelson; “This is the culmination of a task that I’ve done with great satisfaction, before today, I felt that I had not done anything of value in my life; but in receiving these portions of the Bible, a lifelong dream of mine has materialized.”

“Touching the Promises of Jesus”

Update From Costa Rica

Mr. Nelson from Costa Rica enjoying the Gospels.