New Downloads : Dr. Marino DiGangi

Dr. Marino DiGangi's Bible Messages, which he recorded especially for Aurora Ministries/Audio Bibles for the Blind, is now available via download (free of any cost - To ANYONE) in English, Spanish & Italian.

http://audiobiblesfortheblind.org/downloads/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=2

Jim's View

For unto us is born this day Saviour which is Christ the Lord

We are approaching the end of the year with a flurry of activity, some very encouraging, and others not so encouraging. On the encouraging side, we have had a flood of orders for the Audio Bible these past few weeks. That has left us scrambling to produce more Bibles and get them sent on their way as quickly as possible. We are finishing our year on a very receptive and positive note from the professionals who serve the visually impaired and print handicapped community. There is much interest in finding out how they can get Audio Bibles for those they serve.

Because of budget restraints, we have lost some key and dear staff members. This has made a heavy work load even heavier for those of us who are left. However, we are committed to continue to provide a Free Audio Bible to every visually impaired and print handicapped individual who requests one.

We look forward to the New Year and the opportunities God will bring our way. With the help of our ministry partners, we will continue to look for ways we can serve the visually impaired and print handicapped by providing them with their own Audio Bible. The demand and the need have never been greater.

I encourage you to check the different resources available on our web site. The latest is the Christmas CD by Sam Lane, a blind concert pianist. You can download it completely free. You will be blessed by it.

Responses From Recipients

The following are just a few of the many responses we have received in past few days:

Thank you so very much for the Audio New Testament Cassettes. I just received it and have listened to it for 2 hours. I plan to listen to all of it then turn around and listen to all of it over and over again. I really do appreciate it. I am 80 years old.
L S

I received my Audio Old Testament yesterday. I have already gone through the New Testament you previously sent. I sure love my Audio Bible. Thank you so very much.
D L

I love my Audio Bible. I am 91. It is my lifeline.
O D

Thank you so much for the Audio Bible I received today. I shared the information with my friend who is a therapy supervisor in rehab. She is eager to put it to use.
J M

I just love my Audio Bible. You don't know how much it lifts my spirits.
B G

I want to tell you how much I love my Audio Bible. It has been such a blessing. May God bless each one of you dear people for your help in sending to people who can no longer see and miss the reading of their Bible. It has brought many happy hours for me.
P W

All of us at Aurora Ministries/Audio Bibles For The Blind want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a blessing-filled New Year. Words can never express how we appreciate all of you who help us in this vital ministry to the sight impaired and print handicapped. We cherish your prayers, financial support and words of encouragement.

That is how I see it.

Until Next Time,
Jim

New Download : Sam Lane Christmas Album

Sam Lane's Christmas Album - 2009

http://audiobiblesfortheblind.org/downloads/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=3

Sam Lane, an accomplished classically trained concert pianist and a dear friend of Aurora Ministries, has been blind from birth.

We hope this album will bring you much joy. If you would like to partner with us to help provide Audio Bibles FREE of any charge to the blind, visually impaired and print handicapped, please visit us at www.AudioBiblePartners.org.

From all of us at Aurora Ministries/Audio Bibles for the Blind, Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year.

Jim's View

A letter recently came across my desk from the Ukraine. By the time we received the letter and had it translated into English, a few months have passed. It was a blessing to me, and I thought you would enjoy it also. G. Sharovarskij wrote:

The Resurrection Day of 2009 brought double joy to us. Just before the Resurrection Day, we received your priceless gift: the Bible on tape, a player and a generator for which we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are now able to listen to the precious Word of God without ceasing as you have recorded it in our mother tongue. May the Lord protect you and bless you abundantly. You are in our prayers. May you always be in good health and happy in Jesus.

Blind invalids from Ukraine.

It is a joy for us to join with all of our ministry partners in making God's Word available to those around the world who cannot see to read, yet have a hunger in their heart for the Word of God.

Be sure to check out our latest story of the month. You can find it on our home page. We are also on Facebook, My Space and Twitter. Help us spread the word. We are excited about the opportunities God is giving us to provide His Word to visually impaired and print handicapped people around the world. Thanks for being a part of this vital ministry.

That is how I see it.

Until Next Time,
Jim

Jim's View

Did you know that by 2015 the blind population in America is expected to double?

Some weeks ago we provided our ministry partners thank-you cards on which they could write a personal message of appreciation to our wounded warriors and veterans. We received many wonderful responses of kind words and thoughtful expressions. Those cards have been passed along, and I am sure those messages of love, appreciation and encouragement will bring much joy to those who receive them.
My wife and I had the pleasure this week of visiting a V.A. Hospital and personally delivering a bundle of the thank-you cards to be passed along to wounded warriors and veterans who are patients there. We were also able to bring along some Audio Bibles for the chaplains to give to their veterans and wounded warrior patients. The chaplains were very appreciative of the cards, but most of all for the Audio Bibles. They shared a number of examples of how their soldier patients were blessed by receiving an Audio Bible. One of the chaplains told of giving one of our Audio Bibles to a patient who had lost his sight. The chaplain had been able to spend limited time reading the Scriptures to him, but could not always be available to read to him. With his own Audio Bible he is now able fill his long lonely hours being comforted by listening to the Word of God.

I encourage you to spend spend a few moments browsing our Audio Bibles For The Blind web page. We have posted several new, informative and interesting videos that tell more about our ministry. I think you will enjoy watching them.

Thanks again for your partnership in helping us do what we could not do without your prayers and financial support. Please do not hesitate to contact us when we can be of service.

That is how I see it.

Until Next Time,
Jim

Jim's View

Do you realize that every seven minutes someone in America will become blind or visually impaired?

We are thankful for the opportunity to send so many Audio Bibles to those who are not able to use print Bibles. This is a very busy time of the year for us. Our production staff is going full steam ahead to keep up with the demand for Audio Bibles.

I was on the phone today talking to a veteran who has lost his vision. He is an amazing individual. We had the joy of providing him with an Audio Bible. Another individual wrote us thanking us for the Audio Bible we had sent. She said, "It has been many years since I was able to read the Bible so it was such a treat to relax and listen to the Word of God." Another lady wrote telling us about the illness of her husband and his battle with cancer and the treatment he is undergoing. She said the Audio Bible has been a wonderful blessing and encouragement to him, and he listens to it every day.

I wish you could be with us to meet some of these neat people, or listen in on phone conversations when they call. You would truly be blessed as we are.

I am often asked how we can give the Audio Bible for free. My response is always the same. I tell them we have wonderful caring partners who believe in this ministry and help us financially. Otherwise we could not do it. We have volunteers who come and give us a hand in our production department. We had a group of seniors from a local church who came today and helped us assemble five hundred Audio Bibles. Those Bibles will soon be going out to visually impaired and print handicapped people all across the country.

I say it often, but I can never say it enough. We are wonderfully blessed and so very thankful for our ministry partners. We thank God for you and the valuable caring service you perform.

That is how I see it.

Until Next time,
Jim

Jim's View

Have you ever considered how many people cannot read their Bible because of their visual impairment? The number is staggering! Some estimates put the number at 180 million people worldwide. That is hard for me to grasp, but if all those people were equally spread throughout the United States, it would mean roughly one out of every two people would be visually impaired. That number would equal the combined population of England, France and Italy. Of the 180 million who have visual impairment, 45 million are blind and 135 million have partial sight. Low vision ranks as the second leading cause of disability in America. According to Prevent Blindness America, twice as many people will be blind in 2030 as there are today. It is our passion to provide God’s Word to help bring light into their darkened world.

Responses From Audio Bible Recipients.
We recently received a request from an Activity Director requesting some Audio Bibles for her patients. She writes, "I am requesting the New Testament on audio cassette in the following languages: (1) Haitian-Creole for two residents, both of whom are solely Creole speaking. They are nearing the end of life, and are unable to read at this time. (2) Greek for a resident who has dementia and lost the ability to read. No one here speaks Greek and hearing her language will be familiar and soothing to her. (3) Farsi for a resident who is legally blind with dementia. Thank you so much in advance for the Bible tapes. They will be a great way to improve our resident's quality of life."

A note from the Czech Republic reads, "Oh, what a joy it is to see our blind listening to the Word of God. Most of our blind had no one to read for them so you can only imagine their happiness since you made it possible for them to listen to their Audio Bible any time they want."

We are continually updating our web page. Check out all the links and let us know what you think. Among other things, you will find information about a free service we have recently begun in order to offer help and suggestions about estate planning and planned giving. If we can be of service to you, I hope you will contact us.

We continue to be thankful in these difficult economic times for those who are faithfully standing with us in helping us provide Audio Bibles to those who are unable to read because of their physical limitations. Requests for Bibles are coming to us in even greater numbers. Without the help of our ministry partners, we would not be able to fill the orders. Thanks to all who are part of the team.

That is how I see it.

Until Next time,
Jim