DID YOU HEAR: ‘Flowers for Bibles' coming to fairgrounds
By DIONNE GLEATON, T&D Staff Writer Friday, May 13, 2005Loquat trees from Cameron, iris and lilies from Sawyerdale, peppermint, spearmint and chocolate mint plants from Bowman — Deloris Zeigler of St. Matthews has found these and more as part of a community effort to spread the word of Christ in Africa.
Zeigler and other individuals, businesses, churches, garden clubs and other groups from Calhoun, Bamberg, Lexington and Orangeburg counties are selling yard flowers, plants and shrubs to buy Holy Bibles for Africans.
A Flowers for Bibles festival and yard sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, May 27, and Saturday, May 28, at the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds. Donations and all of the proceeds from the plant sales will go toward purchasing Bibles written in both English and Swahili to be sent to Kenya.
The project has already raised $1,600, enough funds to purchase 400 Bibles. The Rev. Terry Wilder, pastor of Swansea Baptist Church, and a mission team will be traveling to Nairobi, Kenya, with the Bibles in September.
In the meantime, people have already donated containers, plants, bulbs, flowers and seeds to the interdenominational project.
"I know the need for the word to be spread abroad, and this is a way that I could help. When people come together, they can do many things," the Rev. Edna Abraham of Christian Antioch House of Prayers said.
Margaret Williams of First Baptist Church of Orangeburg said Zeigler has been doing a great job with what she considered a beautiful project with a strong purpose. "We want to spread the Gospel as far as we can, and I think these plants will add beauty wherever they go. The Bibles will be bought in a language that the Kenyans can understand, and it's a wonderful idea," she said.
Zeigler said check donations will go through the Swansea Baptist Church. Interested individuals can reach for more information or participation in the project should contact Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sturkie, 803-655-7371; Deloris Zeigler, 803-874-4113; Beulah Hand, 803-245-2395; Edna Abraham, 803-535-0725; and Stella Amaker at 803-536-0055.
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