Giving Bibles to United States Armed Forces Service People

It is a long story of how I got started with this project, and I'll tell it later in another posting, but for now, I'll just describe the project.  I learned about these bibles, the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), quite by accident, and I gave the first one to a young marine who was headed for Iraq and combat soon.  I gave him the Marine's Bible, which is seen in this image.  I learned that this bible was offered in versions of The Soldier's Bible, The Sailor's Bible, The Airman's Bible, The Coastguardman's Bible, and of course, The Marine's Bible.  Of course, for a time, I knew only of The Marine's Bible.  The photograph is of my bible and I was not a marine; I was a sailor in the United States Navy so I have a Sailor's Bible with my name on it.  I use this copy of The Marine's Bible for demonstration, and show and tell purposes.  The bible I gave to the young marine went to Iraq with him where he used it in his own readings and in offering prayer services to his fellow marines.  He carried it constantly in his fatigues, in a large pocket, and it returned with him, safely, but with considerable wear, sweat and blood stains, and many worn pages.

That's what we intended it for.

I have since provided him with a second bible with his name on the cover.  This is a tough bible; it has a leather cover with a tab enclosure and an attached leather book mark.  In the back are prayers offered by celebrated military leaders:  General George S. Patton, General Jimmy Stewart (the actor), Captain Eddie Rickenbacker and others.  It contains the oath of enlistment, service prayers and important tools for the serviceman, sailor, soldier, or marine.  The marines I have given it to love it, and they are happy to have it.

I had given one or two to marines I knew and then it struck me to give it to as many as I can.  I dreamed of sending 1,000 Marine's Bibles to the marines in Iraq and I contacted one or two churches, which expressed interest and a small measure of support but then posed the question:  Could we do it?  I contacted the Chaplain's Office in Washington, D.C. and found out how difficult this would be to do.  Mildly daunted but not defeated, I rethought what I was trying to do, what I could do, and I changed my mission.  I set a goal to somehow give 100 of the Marine's Bible to marines.  I went to the local recruiting office, met the recruiter and told him of my goal and soon I was giving these bibles to marines locally.  If I know the name of the marine it is going to, then the name is printed on the front.  If I don't, the then Bible cover simply reads "To a Marine."  I leave it to the recruiters to give the bibles to whom they wish and let them decide how to do it.  I don't know how many of the young marines know where the bible gifts originate; it's not important.  The important thing is that the marine has his own, personalized Marine's Bible.

Stephen Joe Payne