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2003

January

Literature from the book-stand installed at Modern Knowledge Institute in Minsk will help Students to enrich their erudition with everlasting truth (see UBS World Report 376, Apr/May 2003, page 28)

Masherov' Vinebsk State University's Library was filled up with 38 copies of spiritual books (19 items)

1,027 books have been sent through Vitebsk Library Distributing Center to 21 libraries of Vitebsk and 24 libraries of Vitebsk Region

At Vitebsk Central Library (Frunze Av. 30 "a") a book-stand has been equipped with 25 items of BS literature; other 25 books have been presented to the library

Sets of children's spiritual literature have been given to Children's Home of vil. Bolshije Ledsy, Vitebsk region, and Coloring Books, 'God's World Around Us', to Children's Home of Vitebsk, where the pre-school children live

Spiritual literature was presented to 'GALANT' teaching and production enterprise of Vitebsk Deaf People Society, and to Vitebsk Oblast Organization of Deaf People Society

February

Book-stands with spiritual literature of the Bible Society were erected at Minsk Institute of managers' improvement of skills and re-orientation, and at a library of Berioza town, Brest area

March

Bible literature has been given to the following organizations and institutions of Grodno Oblast:
- Central Library System of Grodno;
- Karsky' Grodno Oblast Science Library;
- Home of Veterans (17 Fomicheva Str., Grodno);
- Children's Home (48 J. Kupala Str., Grodno);
- Boarding-School for children-orphans in Porechje village, Grodno area;
- Children's Home in Ponemune village, Grodno area;
- 'Tsvetlit' teaching & production enterprise of the Deaf People Society of Grodno

April

Two boarding-schools for deaf and dull hearing children of Rechitsa town, Gomel area, have received spiritual literature

A book-stand with Biblical literature has appeared at European Humanitarian University of Minsk

May

Trip to Minsk Theological Seminary in Zshirovichy; spiritual literature was given to the students graduated from the Seminary. Mitropolitan Filaret presented a BS representative with a diploma for a long-term and fruitful cooperation between the Bible Society and Minsk Spiritual Academy and Seminary spiritual literature has been distributed at boarding-school in Molodechno town, Minsk Oblast

June

Library of the boarding-school for elder people in Belynichi town, Mogilev area, was replenished with literature of the Bible Society
Byelorussuan Children's Bibles have been delivered to Belarus Association of Help to Disabled Children (9 Serdicha Str., Minsk)

A set of spiritual literature has been given to a boarding-school for children-orphans (2 Suvorova Str., Krugloje, Mogilev area)

18 branches of the Belarussian Blind People Society (12 Volodarskogo Str., Minsk) have received sets of spiritual literature

Re-election of the BS Executive Director, due to move of its working director, Potupchik Iakov Platonovich, to another job. On the concours basis, Igor Vladimirovich Mikhailov was elected a new Executive Director of the Bible Society, assumption of an office since 1 July 2003. Igor Mikhailov has been working for the Society since September 1991

2002

February

8 February

BSRB staff met with Director of Boarding-School #13 for mentally disabled children (25 Vaushasova Str.); questions concerning provision with spiritual literature were discussed

March

5-8 March

John Elwolde and Thomas Kaut, translation consultants for the UBS, visited BSRB to render consultancy over translation of the Gospel of John into Byelorussian. At their meeting with Filaret, Mitropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Ekzarkh of All Byelorussia questions of further translation were discussed.
Together with BS staff, there were resolved some moot points concerning preparation to publishing of the New Testament in Byelorussian, translation made by Catholic Priest V.Chernjavsky; further steps in that direction were outlined, and necessary works schedule elaborated

10 March

BS members visited "Salvation" Pentecostal Church in Baranovichy town, in order to acquaint its members with a project of rendering help to the libraries situated in Chernobyl area

12 March

At Children's home #7 (68 Kizshevatova Str.) its managers and teachers held a meeting with BSRB staff; various Christian literature was distributed to children

14 March

Large number of various spiritual literature was given to children of Children's home #5 (4 Odintsova Str.)

17 March

Trip to a Pentecostal Church of Soligorsk town; Church members were informed on our project of rendering help to libraries, and concrete measures at that direction were mapped out

20 March

"CHRIST THE HOLY SUN " Byelorussian collected poetry saw the light

April

2-5 April

BSRB Director Y.Potupchik held meetings with Heads of Pentecostal and Adventists Churches, as well as with "Царкоўнае Слова" (Church Word) and "Христианская семья" (Christian Family) journals, and "Крыніца жыцця" (Source of Life) magazine editorial staff; there they decided on carrying out a contest among readers, 'How has the Bible influenced my life?'

17 April

Children orphans dwelling at a family-like children's home #8 received spiritual literature from the Bible Society

May

Children's Homes of Minsk received spiritual literature. Delivery of similar literature to Children's Homes and Boarding-Schools of the Republic has begun.
Trip to the area contaminated with radiation (Chernobyl project).

July

Christian Literature Exhibit Stands installation


2001

January

"Days of the Bible" in the Baptist churches "Light of the Gospel" and "Blagovestiye".
The sermon about the role of the Bible in the modern world; presentation of the new publications of the Bible Society; fundraising campaign for the blind and those with poor eyesight.

Lectures in the technical colleges and secondary schools of Minsk and Dokshitsy held by the Bible Society and "Protection of Life at its Beginning" Fund.
The youth took part in the talk about the value of human life, about the inadmissibility of immorality and abortions, about God; at the end of the discussion the films "Silent Scream" and "The Unborn Want to Live" were demonstrated.

The distribution of the New Testament audiocassettes and the spiritual literature to the chairpersons of 18 libraries of the Visually Impaired Belarusian Association.
The staff of the Bible Society recommended the scheme of listening to the cassettes during a year

February

Show-stand with Christian literature was designed at the Central National Library in Minsk, and Biblical literature was supplied
The readers of the National and regional libraries have eventually got the long-awaited access to the various Christian literature, including scientific, reference and encyclopedic sources in the native, as well as foreign languages.

April

'Jesus' film demonstration at Children's Home #4
Children deprived of parental care got consolation and hope

'Bible Days' at the Central Baptist Church in Gomel and the Adventist Church in Borisov
There was preached on the role of the Bible in today world; new BS' editions were shown; fund raising for acquiring of literature for Chernobyl area libraries

May

All the 18 libraries of Gomel were supplied with literature, 25 books for each library.
The presentation of the literature for all the libraries was held with participation of the representative of the United Bible Societies Philippe Poole.

Contest and exhibition of the art works of the biblical contents, organized by the Bible Society and the Minsk Art College named after Peter Glebka.
The exhibition showed a considerable interest of the young artists towards Christian stories and images and allowed us to make contacts for the future cooperation.

Visit to Gomel and Mogilev departments of the Byelorussian Association of Visually Impaired People
The situation with the audiocassettes is made clear; the wishes of the invalids and the libraries' staff are taken into concideration.

June

Meeting with clergymen of all Orthodox parishes of Gomel Eparchy
The Bible Society Executive Director Yakov Potupchik, when speaking before the priests, told them about the work of the Bible Society, its current projects and the new publications. Each priest received a set of audiocassettes for his parish.

"The Day of the Bible" at the Pentecostal church of Krasnoye town
The sermon about the role of the Bible in the modern society; presentation of the new publications of the Bible Society; fund raising for the acquisition of spiritual literature for the libraries in the Chernobyl area.

July

'Bible in 21st Century' lecture for students of Minsk Pedagogical University
The Bible Society President Germann Rodov noted the ever-increasing importance of the biblical knowledge for the youth.

September

The Bible Society President visits the Minsk spiritual center opened by the Seventh-Day Adventists Church.
Ways of co-operation between BSRB and Adventist Churches were discussed

The Bible Society staff meets the Belarusian poets, authors of Christian poems.
The discussion and choosing the poems that are to be included into the collection of Belarusian Christian poetry the Bible Society plans to publish in the nearest future.

'Bible Day' at a Pentecostal Church of Nesvizsh town
There was preached on the role of the Bible in today world; new BS' editions were shown; fund raising for acquiring of literature for Chernobyl area libraries

BS leaders met with Cardinal Kazimir Sventak, Mitropolitan, Archimandrite of Minsk and Mogilev, at the Pinsk Theological Seminary opening day
Various spiritual literature from the Bible Society was given as a gift to the Seminary library, and ways of co-operation between BS and the Catholic Church were discussed

Meeting with all Pentecostal pastors of Belarus
1. 'God's world around us' coloring book for little ones was presented
2. As a part of the Chernobyl project, rendering assistance to libraries was discussed

Trip to Mogilyov and supplying the library collector with sets of literature for all the 19 city libraries.

November

'Bible Day' at 'Gethsemane' Pentecostal Church in Minsk

The Bible Society accounting and elective conference held on November 17.
Account of the Board' three-year activity was balanced, and new tasks for next period were set

BSRB Director I.Potupchik delivered a lecture to pregnant women at a Regional Hospital, dedicated to the Mother Day
In his appearance, BS Director stressed on the importance of implanting spiritual values into children's hearts from the very beginning of their life

BSRB President had a meeting and talk with Belarussian literary people at PEN-Club
The talks about the current state and perspectives of the Belarusian language, the translations of the Bible and about the possibilities for cooperation with national writers and poets concerning the publication of Christian literature in Belarusian.

December

The ByeBS President's speech before the teachers and students of the Minsk State Pedagogical University named after Maxim Tank.

BSRB Director and staff members were received at the Committee on Religious Affaires of Minsk Executive Committee
1. New version of the 'Good News' book was presented
2. Account is given on the project of rendering assistance to libraries.
3. Ways of rendering assistance to orphans were discussed

The Bible Society director met with handicapped children and their parents at the Soviet district Children's Hospital Minsk.
The words of consolation from the Bible for the handicapped children and their parents were spoken.

2000

February

Centralized distribution of the cassettes in all colonies of Belarus through the prison staff responsible for educational work.
Visit to Vitebsk to see how the listening to the audiocassettes in the colonies has been doing (pic.1).

March

On March 4, 2000 on the initiative of the Bible Society of the Republic of Belarus in the building of the European Humanitarian University (EHU) was held the public presentation of the translation of the Gospel according to Mark into the Belarusian language, the translation that was created through the work of the Commission for the translation of the Holy Scripture into the Belarusian language of the Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). In the year when all the Christians celebrate 2000 years since Christmas this is a noteworthy event in the life of the Belarusian people.
Heads of the Christian Churches, represented in the Board of the Bible Society, took part in the Presentation of the Gospel of Mark, namely:

Mitropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filapet, Patriarchial Exarch of All Belarus
Bishop Kirill, Vicar Bishop of Minsk and Moguilev' Archyeparkh
Archybishop Dominique (Grushevsky), Ambassador of Vatican
Bishop A.Firisiuk, Chairman of Byelorussian Christian Baptist Union
Bishop Serguey Khomich, Chairman of Penticostals' Union
Pastor I.Ostrovsky, Chairman of Confederation of Adventist Churches
The members of the Scripture Translation Commission, representatives of European Humanitarian University's Theological faculty, theologians, and EHU students were present at the event. Among those invited were pastors and ministers from a number of other churches, theological schools, and missions (pic.2).
This event may not impress an uninitiated person; but in fact, this is an out-of-the-ordinary event, for in the CIS there had never before been such a gathering of the leaders of the main Christian denominations with an eye to discussing the problems of the Bible work in the Republic. And that was not the only time the Bible Society of the Republic of Belarus organized meetings of the church leaders for the discussion of the spiritual life, ways and methods of cooperation. So it has by now become a good tradition - coming together, see the central and understand the importance of such meetings.

Mitropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchial Exarch of All Belarus Filaret opened the meeting (pic.3). Mentioning the fact that people mostly celebrate the oncoming of the new Millennium or the New Year, not taking into account that this is not just the year 2000 by calendar, but also the 2000th birthday of Jesus Christ our Savior. So this is to be reminded of, especially to those who are not saved yet, and this anniversary year is most auspicious for the opportunity to tell people about Jesus, which should by no means be lost. The preaching in the national language is becoming more and more significant, so the Gospel according to Mark published shortly after the Gospel according Matthew, contributes greatly to this task. It should be noted that the Commission for the translation of the Holy Scripture into the Belarusian language with financial support of the Bible Society of the Republic of Belarus did that translation.

The President of the Bible Society German Rodov (pic.4) stated the significance of the publication of the Gospel according to Mark in the anniversary year, for it, being the shortest of all the Gospels, is better perceived and understood by unbelievers during their first steps towards the faith. Mr. President expressed hope that the Gospel according to Luke would be published in the same year.

Members of the Commission on Translation of Scripture and main translators, Fr.Sergui Gordun (pic.5) and D-r I.A.Charota (pic.6), did an excursus to the history of the previous translations of the Holy Bible into the Belarusian language, having analyzed their merits and shortcomings, and basing upon it the need for a new one; outlined the problems and difficulties they had had to face in their work, especially the difficulty of the very translation made in the circumstances of lasting stagnation, which has slowed down the development of the Belarusian language and writing.

In conclusion German Rodov, who led the meeting, expressed everybody's opinion that nowadays it is more essential to think not so much of the building of churches and temples and of the interconfessional controversies, as of uniting our efforts in the preaching the God's Word, so that we may reach unbelievers, of which we still have many in the country, for Christ. This meeting helped the leaders of the mainstream Christianity, represented in the Bible Society of the Republic of Belarus to take a new look onto the key tendencies in the interconfessional activities, specifically: while each confession is sure to keep to its own confessional practice, we should deepen our contacts around the Holy Scripture. That is why the United Bible Societies and the Bible society of the Republic of Belarus were mentioned as a place for such meetings and contacts.


In March the Bible Society staff met the managers of the Libraries of the Society for the Blind and directly with the invalids (pic.7). During this meeting the "He Opened My Eyes" (John 9:30) project was discussed, which involved provision of 21000 invalids with The New Testament audiocassettes, Braille books and large type Bibles for those who have obsolete eyesight.

September

"I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5b)

The BSRB cares for building and developing contacts with all the Bible Societies, as we are always interested in being aware of your challenges and problems, as well as the interesting decisions you make and the projects you perform in the field of disseminating the Holy Scriptures in your countries. Also, we would like to know how you cooperate with and support different strata of your society. We have always aimed at rendering help to poor fellow-countrymen, as well as convicts, the aged, destitute orphans, the disabled etc, and to help such people has always been our high priority. Those affected by the disastrous consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe are also of our great concern.

Dear colleagues, here we would like to give you an account of the trip we took to the area highly polluted by radiation, and share the impression made on us. First, let us give you some statistic information on the present situation resulted from that tragic explosion, the devastating consequences of which are far beyond to be coped with without outside help.

The Chernobyl explosion occurred in 1986 brought about high pollution of our country's territory. Belarus accepted more than 70% of the whole amount of the radioactive nucleuses erupted, and 3,660,000 people populating 23% of the country's territory found themselves living in a badly contaminated area. Nowadays, 14 years after the explosion had occurred, 2,000,000 people including 500,000 children, still inhabit the areas highly contaminated by radionuclides. There are 811 nursery schools, 911 schools, 78 vocational schools, and 19 boarding schools still functioning there. The main impact of radiation now comes from the food of the local growing the residents of the polluted regions consume. Due to caesium-137 and ctrontium-90 high content of the soil, the food provides over 80% of maximum permissible body burden per year. The country-folk receive a dose 5-6 times as much as the town dwellers.

To compare with adults, young organisms' metabolism is more intensive, and, being coupled with less body weight, this factor makes them far more vulnerable to the destructive effect of radiation. Given equal food intake, children receive a dose 3-5 times as much as adults. From 1986 through 1999 neoplasm sickness rate has increased 2.4 times in those regions; the rates of the diseases of endocrine system, nervous system, sense organs, and circulatory system also have shown considerable growth (4.5, 3.5, 3.5, 4 times respectively). So have the rates of other diseases, as the serious malfunctioning of the respiratory, immune, antioxidant, digestive and other systems have been detected. Depression, anxiety, despair, loss of hope for the future, helplessness that ensue from inability to change anything, an absence of social security, a sense of inferiority, various mental disorders- all these have turned to be a great burden, which lies heavily on the families residing in the polluted areas, the aged and children most vulnerable.

Planning the trip, we have decided to go through the contaminated zone, riding from its northern to southern borders, and the picture represented below will help you to imagine the real conditions the considerable part of our folk lives in.

PICTURED ACCOUNT OF A TRIP TO THE CONTAMINATED AREAS

Tuesday, 19 September 2000. Karma and Gomel.

We left Minsk at an early hour for the inhabited location of Karma, Gomel county. There we met the local missionary named Vassily (pic.8), who had become our guide.Even though Karma is located comparatively far from the Chernobyl nuclear station, this area is highly contaminated. Many surrounding settlements are evicted and now stand empty. Warning signs "Danger of radiation", "Entry and Exit are not allowed" along with the toll bar down put an end to the hope of the people's ever returning (pic.9).

"No bar is ever able to stop proclaiming the Word of God", we thought. Vassily and his family serve the Lord, sharing the Gospel through the ministry accomplishing in the country church not far from Karma. "Most of all we would like to supply every family with the Bible, help us with this, please", said brother Vassily at parting.

We visited St. Nicolas Orthodox Church in Karma. The parishioners were very thankful and glad to receive the spiritual literature from the Bible Society (pic.11). Colorful books will be of great help to both them and their children in satisfying their spiritual hunger.

Gomel region has suffered from the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster most of all. Though this tragedy is gradually being forgotten in the West, it still remains to be very painful for them whose lives has been heavily affected by this disaster. They carry on facing the destructive consequences, bearing the heavy burden of the wide range of problems they are forced to cope with. High irradiation dozes coupled with contaminated food have brought about considerable worsening of the children's health. Thyroid cancer case rate increased 13 times among the children of the zone. More than 600 kids affected with blood vessels cancer are the inmates of the regional Gomel hospital, 200 of them are invalids. They all periodically come through the treatment course in hematological department of the hospital.

The mother with her children on her lap (pic.12) has been in hospital for six months already, her third kid remained at home. How expressible are the eyes at the face of the tired woman, whose kid has been an inmate for a long while (pic.13).

This boy (pic.14) has been treated for 7 months. He feels deeply lonely, because his parents live far away, and rarely visit him.

The children (pic.15) go on hoping to return home someday.

The believers from the Gomel' church have visited this hospital for 3 years, holding Bible lessons and bringing help and encouragement to the children.

Many parents taking care for their kids attend the Bible classes along with them, displaying attention and asking various questions. They would also like to receive spiritual literature so that to proceed with talking to the kids about God.

The hospital's staff numbers some 2,000. They witness the sufferings of the inmates, and, showing concern for the patients and encouraging them, they too need to have love and mercy manifested towards them. Only when they come to the Lord that they will be able to pass the hope to the poor kids. We applied to the Lord for the opportunity of supplying both the kids and their parents and the staff with spiritual literature to be provided. The majority of the parents displayed desire to have their own Bibles, which is sadly impossible for the time being, because in this case new kids arriving will have no Bibles, thus be deprived of the precious opportunity of hearing the life-transforming Word of God (pic.16).

Wednesday, 20 September 2000, Hoyniki town

Our car is heading towards Khoiniki and Bragin, situated in the south of Belarus. These areas are the most contaminated with radiation. The radiation level here is more that 100 curie per square km. The dreadful features of these areas are the very high level of radioactive contamination, high death rate and disease incidence, especially among children. Every 4th inhabitant of this district is a child under 15.

We stop in the village of Peredovik on the way to Khoiniki. These elderly women rejoiced at having received large-lettered Gospels. " It's very depressing over here in winter evenings", they say, "and these New Testaments will make us forget our loneliness. Many other elderly people would like to receive them" (pic.17).

In the completely evicted village Vysokoye there has been only one inhabitant left - a veteran of two wars named Grigoriy (pic.18). The old warrior refused to leave his home. He desperately needs a simple human fellowship, so the fellowship with God through His Word would certainly do him good in this deserted village.

In the evening we had a fellowship in a small church in Khoiniki, where the believers complained about the shortage in literature and shared the problems of their lives. We tried to sympathize with their problems so that to understand the opportunities of rendering our help in future (pic.19).

Thursday, 21 September 2000, Bragin.

Here we are in Bragin. The town is strikingly desolate. Straight after the disaster all its inhabitants were evacuated, but later some of them returned. The Lord brought to our minds a verse from Is.6,12 "The Lord has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land". In the central square of Bragin there is a memorial wall where the names of all the deserted villages of this district are inscribed (pic.20).

In the afternoon we are in Khrakovichi village of the Bragin district. This is the south of Belarus, not far from Chernobyl. Here are the wonderful fertile land, the warmest climate in Belarus, which gives the dwellers an opportunity to grow even melons and watermelons. Now here are the desolate places. There once were 300 houses, of which by now have only left 60. Burdened with sorrow, we wandered along the houses sheltered by bushes (pic.21). Eventually we got to the house of the oldest dweller of this village Stephan Novik, the pastor of the Baptist church. "Please, do help us with the Bibles: the people left here are in acute need for the Word of God", he says (pic.22). As we move slowly along the village street, we notice an inscription on the fence of one of the houses (pic.23). It is an extract from a poem by the Belarusian national poet Yanka Kupala, and it tells of the anguish a person feels when he leaves his home. Then we were stopped by one of the few inhabitants still left in the village, Victor. He told us that he didn't leave home, in contrast with his mother who later, not having found accommodation, returned to the village. Now the village is the place, where alcoholics, vagabonds, drug addicts and formerly incarcerated squat. When we gave the Holy Bible to Victor, his face shone with a happy smile, which wasn't typical of him (pic.24). We read aloud for him the passage from Job 8,21 "He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing". Victor asked us to bring the Bibles for all the dwellers of the village. As we went out of the village, we met a boy, whom we gave a Bible for children. As it turned out to be, the boy was long dreaming of that gift, so he began reading right there, on a bench near his house (pic.25). But so many kids are still waiting for our help!

Our trip is nearing an end. The Bible Society has always acknowledged how deep is the tragedy of of Chernobyl, how vast are its economic and social consequences for the Belarusian people. But only after that trip we have eventually perceived how great is the need of the people living there in the Holy Scripture and the spiritual literature. Our hearts were tearing apart because we couldn't help all of them due to the limited resources of the Bible Society. The only consolation for us was the fact that those thousands of books that we have already distributed among the Chernobyl zone inhabitants spiritually supported those who had lost their hope for a better future. So we are more than ever adamant in our strife for helping these people. The Bible Society staff nowto the full extent feels the importance of this support, and sees the amount of help needed there. To give this support and help we need your prayer and financial support.

October

Meeting with children from the Chernobyl area taking place every year through a health improving course of treatment at Children's Health Center in Zshdanovichy township
Over 120 children heard the Good News of our Saviour, and got Children's Bibles and New Testaments

November

Presentation of the Gospel according to Mark new translation into Belarusian took place at European Humanitarian University. The book was published in four languages, i.e. Russian, Belarusian, Slavonic, and Greek. The presentation was attended by the Heads of all Christian confessions
There was a discussion concerning the quality of the translation; the wish to increase the number of publications in the Belarusian language was aired.

Visit to the Belarusian Children's Hospice, where the children, whose health condition considers to be hopeless, had received Christian literature. It was one more powerful testimony for us that these books give comfort and hope to the children and their parents.

December

In cooperation with the "Island of Hope" Mission, BSRB held an action purposed to help to the children suffering from Down syndrome.
The happy faces of the children, who were getting the Christian literature, proved that the Good News is always bound to bring fruit - even in the hearts of the mentally disabled children.

Trip to Slutsk town, and delivery of Children's literature to the Church of St. Mikhail for the Sunday School.
We pray that the disseminated literature conduce to spiritual upbringing the youth in the hard times our people are going through these days.

1999

April

Visit to Minsk Children's Hospice and giving spiritual literature (pic.1) for the children discharged from oncological centers in hopeless condition. We believe that God will help them and their parents, and hope that those already left this world (pic.2) abide with Him now.

May

Holding Christian evenings, in terms of the Society' Enlightenment Projects, with participation of BS' members and a famous national poet Arthur Volsky, in small towns Begomel and Dokshitsy.
Meeting at the Minsk Eparchial Office of Russian Orthodox Church, presentation the FCBH Program, a proposal to co-work (pic.3 and pic.4).
A delegation of Japanese Christian Churches was met at the BS' Office. Exchange of opinions, discussion on ways of collaboration took place (pic.5).

June

Participation in an Orthodox Poetry and Music Festival, organized by Orthodox Education Center (pic.6).
Visit to Minsk' Orthodox Seminary in Zhirovichy to take part in a grand occasion, i.e. a large number of graduates this year. BS representative addressed a meeting, appealed for co-operation, presented Bible Encyclopaedias to final-year students, and handed them BS visiting-cards and booklets (pic.7 and pic.8).

July

Providing children's libraries of Minsk with Children's Bibles, Bible Stories, Stories of Jesus etc.
Giving Scriptures to Minsk 'adult' libraries via distributing center for libraries.

August

Participation in the celebratory event on the occasion of inauguration of the Cathedral of Assumption located in Molodechno town, Minsk region. The BS representative delivered a greeting speech, and spiritual literature for the Children's Sunday School was given (pic.9).

September

BS members met with the officials of the Main Administrative Department on Sentence Execution in Belarus. Current situation in prisons as well as possibilities of passing FCBH cassettes to the prisoners were discussed.

December

BS leaders and the Heads of different Christian Churches during a meeting dedicated to the Millennium, being held at the Minsk' Educational Center (pic.10).
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