July Is RAISE THE RENT Month

     One of my favorite Arabic expressions is minzaman.  I like the way it sounds as well as its meaning which can be translated, “a long time ago.”

     Winter was coming, and the students in the mountains of Tennessee were going to be uncomfortable unless Johnson Bible College could find a way to fire up the furnaces to lessen the chill that the snow and bitter winds would surely bring.

     Someone came up with a plan.  I am told that one month each year was set aside to provide coal for the furnaces of JBC.  In high school we learned that coal under extreme pressure produces diamonds. 

     Consider the elders, preachers, teachers, preachers’ wives, missionaries, writers and authors who have been jewels in the Lord’s hands trained and nurtured at Johnson Bible College. In fact, the preacher at First Christian, Alton IL, who taught and baptized Harvey and all his brothers and sisters, was a graduate of Johnson.

     What is this minzaman story about coal and Johnson Bible College leading up to?  Our long time friend, Gordon Clymer, ministered in Tennessee and told us the account above.  He suggested that we do something similar for raising the rent for BOOKS & MORE, a lighthouse in the very center of the turbulent Middle East.

·         May 24th at our 4th birthday celebration the Jordan Government’s Director of the National Library stated publicly that there is no other library in the Middle East which is as well done as this one

·         We have over 400 membership units representing close to a thousand individuals

·         Our members are divided about equally between Muslims and Christians

·         It’s the small children who bring joy and life to our library.  They run in ahead of mom and dad and delight to have their parents read to them whether in English, Arabic or another language

·         A young boy reluctantly became interested in reading which led him to enter the spelling bee at his school.  Nancy suggested he watch the movie Akeelah and the Bee which helped him win the city wide spelling bee for Amman

·         A 20-something professional shared at our recent birthday celebration how she loves coming to Books and More because to her we are like a safe haven

·         Two years ago a teen named Islam walked by and saw the books in the window.  He comes from a troubled family, but enjoys coming in nearly every day as part of our cheerful library family

     Jordan requires that rent be collected annually not monthly.  You may recall that last year we discovered in the middle of July that we could have possession of the whole building and $30,000.00 would be due on August 1st.  Considering the location and the increased space, it was a very reasonable amount; however, the scarcity of time was daunting.

     August 1, 2014 is right around the corner and another $30,000.00 will be expected; as far as we know the landlord does not intend to increase the payment for the Jordan library.

     Here is how you can help us pay the rent in July which is due the following month.  Send your special gift of “coal” which God can transform into diamonds to OPEN DOOR LIBRARIES, P.O. Box 7494, San Jose CA 95150.  You will receive a tax deductible receipt and thank you letter.                                                                                                      

                                                                                                     

Gratefully Yours,

 

Harvey and Nancy Bacus

 

BOOKS & MORE, Amman Jordan