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August 2018 Newsletter | Changing Times

In 2010, we wrote an article about the “Changing Times” in our Summer Newsletter. This article talked about how fast technology was changing, especially technology used by the blind and visually-impaired all over the world.

We talked about how many of the experts, at that time, were predicting the end of audio cassette tapes—which became a reality. Even if you still had a cassette tape today, that was able to withstand the test of time, finding a working cassette player to use it in could be difficult.

The National Library Service had just released the new “digital” Talking Book players and was slowly converting everyone’s cassette players to the new digital service. Many users seemed to be unhappy with the change, but as they got used to the new player, they found it was much easier to manage and listen to their books—especially the Bible.

To be honest, this was a difficult time for the ministry. We were still providing cassette Audio Bibles to some and digital Audio Bibles to others. The process, as well as the cost was overwhelming at times, and we had to put strict limits on the number of digital Audio Bibles we could provide each month.

This limit caused many people, who wanted the new digital Audio Bibles, to have to purchase a blank cartridge from the library service and send it to us so we could put the Audio Bible on it for them. There were also times when we had to turn people away because we didn’t have the funding available to help everyone. It was heartbreaking to the entire staff.

We unfortunately watched other ministries similar to ours also go through struggles of the changing times. Far too many closed their doors permanently because the financial burden to change was too great.

But by His Grace, prayers were answered! Through the financial support of many of our recipients, their friends, families, churches and even many of the professionals who referred their clients to us, we’ve been able to provide digital Audio Bibles to thousands of people FREE OF CHARGE.

In fact, just today alone, our staff and volunteers printed nearly one-hundred digital Audio Bible orders that need to be produced, packed and shipped.

Our goal is still to make sure every blind person has an accessible Audio Bible they get to keep and use anytime they want. We can do this by providing one free digital cartridge to each person.

But it’s not over—technology is changing faster than ever! Whatever technology becomes available which gives blind and print-disabled users the ability to hear and use a Bible, we will keep moving forward to make sure it’s available to them.

If you are one of our financial supporters who is helping us keep up with the changing times, THANK YOU! We couldn’t do this without your partnership.

Maybe you have considered partnering with us? You just might be giving the gift someone desperately needs. Will you give as generously as you can, on behalf of God’s Word and our blind and visually-impaired brothers and sisters who long to hear it?

Please, prayerfully consider how you might partner with us.

Aug 31, 2018
Allen Decker

Aurora Ministries - The Cassette Tape Years (video)

It's hard to believe it was nearly 10 years ago we switched from analog cassette tapes to digital media. Go back in time and watch a couple old videos that show how we used to make cassettes in high-volume.

If your are interested in reading more about our history, visit our about us page.

Aug 16, 2018
Allen Decker
Tags: about us cassette history tape video

July 2018 - "THANK YOU"

One of our favorite things is when we receive a “thank you” letter or email from one of our Audio Bible recipients. What a joy it is to hear that the Bible we sent was in their hands and how much it means to them.

Today, I want to share with you a couple of quotes from some of those people—after all, we couldn’t have sent them the gift of an Audio Bible without the love and support of friends like you. So, these “Thank you” letters were meant for you too.

“I write to communicate to you how radically grateful I am for the gift of the Audio Bible. Many weeks earlier the Texas State Library accepted my membership for the Talking Book Program. When I inquired about the Bible for visually impaired, I was told of your ministry, and that I could receive the Bible. I guess I assumed that meant I could check out the Bible as I check out other books, but was told it was for me to keep. Thank you for blessing me with the recorded Word of God!” –Sharon

“Thank you for the King James and Spanish Bibles you sent me. I will use these in a home for blind children. I feel that these Bibles will be a blessing to the children and I want to thank you for this gift.” – Jamie

“On behalf of my wife Ada, we wish to thank you for the Audio Bible you so graciously sent to her. It has been very uplifting.” –Robert

“I have lost most of my vision and it is wonderful to have the Bible “reading” available on a personal basis. The audio is well done and the indexing makes it possible to locate passages.” –Trenna

“Thank you so much for the gift of the Scriptures in audio. I am really enjoying the hours of listening. As my sight has failed, the one thing that I have missed the most is not being able to read my Bible. I truly do appreciate this Audio Bible.” –Bill

“I wanted to let you know how thrilled my client was recently when he received his Audio Bible. I was happy to be there visiting when it arrived. We opened the package and he was praising God the whole time. Thank you so much from me and him. –Deanne

“Getting the Bible was one of the greatest things anybody ever did for me. Enclosed is a small contribution. I wanted to do for somebody else what you all did for me. I know that I’ll never be able to get out there and personally help, but I can do the best I can to help others by giving.” –Thenita

Perhaps your own life has been blessed by the touch of God’s Word. If so, I invite you to respond as Thenita did. Please help us provide the life-changing gift of an Audio Bible to someone that is blind or print-disabled with your generous gift.

Whatever you are led to send, I know it will indeed help others and bring a true blessing into lives darkened by a print impairment.

Please, prayerfully consider how you might partner with us.

If you would like to give a donation online, by mail, by telephone, or by text message, get information on our donation page.

Jul 27, 2018
Allen Decker

June 2018 | Make 'm Smile/NFB

For the past several years, Aurora Ministries has been attending a special event called “Make ’m Smile” by Nathaniel’s Hope Foundation. Make ’m Smile is an outdoor festival for children with special needs, referred to as VIP’s (very important person).

Companies, ministries, and vendors set up booths around beautiful Lake Eola, a 23 acre park in downtown Orlando Florida. Each booth provides resources, information, activities and games specific for the VIP children and their families.

While most of the VIP’s have some eyesight, they also typically suffer from a print-handicap that keeps them from being able to read or manage the pages of a printed book, especially the Bible, so each year we distribute hundreds of free audio CD’s to the VIP’s. These CD’s have selected Scripture readings from The New Testament to tell them who Jesus is.

This is the first time some of them have heard the name Jesus.

Last month, hundreds of the VIP’s received a free CD, while many more requested a Children’s Bible and Children’s devotional on MP3 disc or a talking book cartridge for the National Library’s digital Talking Book Player, which were also provided to them at no cost. It’s also a chance for them to get a “hands-on” demonstration of our low-cost, accessible Audio Bible players, audio Story-Teller players, and audio book players.

If you could only see the smile on a child’s face when they receive this free gift—It’s hard to put in words their joy and excitement—and the joy we receive just watching them! I’m sure you would feel this also if you could be there with us. But in some ways, you are. If it weren’t for the support of friends like you, none of these children would have been able to receive these gifts.

If you missed the opportunity to support us for this year’s Make ’m Smile event, it’s not too late. There isn’t a week that goes by that we don’t receive a call, email or letter in the mail to help a VIP child with a print disability receive an Audio Bible, Bible story, or Bible devotional. This is why we added the International Children’s Bible to our list of available Audio Bibles over a decade ago.

It’s not only VIP’s—we want to help as many blind & visually impaired people as we can—but we’d never be able to provide Audio Bibles to every print disabled person that requests one. This is why we are asking for your help.

By the time you receive this letter, we will already be attending another event at the National Federation of the Blind’s National Convention, where thousands of blind men, women, & children, will stop by our booth and ask who we are and what we do.

It’s the perfect opportunity to give them an Audio Bible for their accessible devices and players—free of charge. It’s not uncommon for a non-believer to accept our free gift. Only God knows what happens after they leave our booth, but if we can introduce Jesus Christ to just one person, it is worth it.

This is why we must go and share with them the Good News.

Providing Audio Bibles in many different formats is our specialty. Visitors to our booth are often amazed that we have Audio Bibles available for so many accessible devices and players.

We do this because we believe the Word of God is of great importance and we want everyone, regardless of print disabilities, to have access to the Scriptures. We hope you also believe this.

Please, prayerfully consider how you might partner with us.

P.S. If you haven't seen our short video from this years Make 'm Smile event, you can watch it below.