Having This Ministry
A Digital Newsletter from Living Stream Ministry

August 2021, Issue No. 4

Report from the 2021 Cairo International Book Fair

This year’s Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF) hosted 1,218 publishers from Egypt and other Arab countries as well as numerous other foreign publishing agencies, including seven from Africa, twelve from Asia, five from Europe and the US. Although this year only 1.7 million visitors came to CIBF, we believe that this was the Lord’s answer to our prayers to bring serious seekers who had every intention to purchase and read the books. We at Al-Jadwal Al-Haii (AJAH), representing Living Stream Ministry, again had a booth in CIBF, and with the help of a group of serving ones who speak Arabic, we were able to present the riches of this ministry to many seeking ones. The Lord is carrying out His divine history within human history, and at CIBF 2021 we experienced the reality in His word in 2 Timothy 1:10: “our Savior Christ Jesus…nullified death and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel.” It was a unique and strategic opportunity for the ministry of the age to run and spread in the Arabic Language among Arabic speakers in the Middle East. This year the Lord attracted many sons of peace to our booth who were from the predominant religion in the Middle East.

Book Fair Booth
Two Girls Looking at Books

We believe that this labor was in the Body. Many members in the Body prayed for this event and for a strategic location, and the Lord definitely answered the prayers of the saints. Most of our visitors this year were from the predominant religion in the region. One of them came and asked for some ministry books that explain the first five books of Moses, and the serving ones recommended Life-study of Genesis. He was happy to purchase the four available volumes in this series. Three college students, two males and one female, also from the predominant religion, were attracted by the book The Mystery of Christ, and then when they saw the series Life-study of John, they ended up purchasing both titles. One of them mentioned that he began to read the Bible. Another visitor from the predominant religion came to the booth but did not talk to the serving ones; he seemed to know exactly who we were and what he wanted. He purchased Life-study of Genesis and left. Another lady from the predominant religion came but did not know that we were a Christian booth. When she found this out, she said to the serving ones, “This should be perfectly fine. I would like to know about you people.” She ended up purchasing the full set of Life Lessons as she was attracted by the table of contents on the books’ covers. A senior student from Yemen visited the booth, and after a pleasant conversation with the serving ones, he purchased Life-study of John. We have several encouraging testimonies concerning those from the predominant religion. A serving one at the booth gave this testimony saying, “I was not able to preach the gospel to these ones, but I could sell them a book!” We pray that the Lord will preach the gospel to them through the ministry. Most of our visitors were happy to leave their contact information and want to be notified about new releases and future events.

We also received a good number of visitors who share the same faith with us. Three Coptic priests visited the booth and were very interested in Life-study of Genesis and purchased it. One of them was very open and mentioned that he was very familiar with Watchman Nee. He also asked to be contacted whenever there are new releases. A dear brother in the Lord, who is a pastor and has been a faithful customer of AJAH’s during past CIBF events, sent his younger son to our booth to purchase all the new releases of the ministry books this year. Later this brother called a full-time serving brother in the Arabic publication work and asked him if there is a meeting that is linked to the ministry where he could send his son.

Looking at Books

At CIBF we offered over seventy ministry books and booklets in Arabic in our booth, and this year we had these new titles:

  • Life-study of Genesis (first four volumes)
  • Life-study of John (all four volumes)
  • Life Lessons (the complete set)
  • New Believer’s Series (twenty-four lessons combined in one volume)

Please continue to pray for the following:

  • the shepherding and the follow-up of CIBF contacts to be according to God;
  • the ministry to be read and to operate in each person who purchased a book so that each would subjectively experience Christ;
  • the ongoing translation work into Arabic of the ministry books;
  • the Arabic publication work in general and the distribution channels in the Middle East in particular;
  • the preparation for the next Cairo International Book Fair, which we expect will be in 6 months, at its regular time in January; and
  • the Lord’s move in the church in Cairo and among all His seekers and lovers who speak Arabic throughout the earth.