Northern Ireland: Bibles for Babies
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
Proverbs 22:6, for many of us, is a very familiar verse, but what does it look like practically in a living room in Drumcoo, or a kitchen in Cloughmills, on an ordinary Tuesday evening?
As a supporter of Bible Society Northern Ireland, you already know the power of God’s Word to shape hearts, bring comfort, and guide lives - both across the world and here at home. But have you ever stopped to consider just how early that journey can begin?
Many people who continue in faith as adults first encountered the Bible, prayer or church in their earliest years - often within their own home. Because for so many, that is where faith begins.
A story at bedtime. A simple prayer before dinner. A conversation about God’s love. These small, early interactions can shape a lifetime.
And that’s why our Bibles for Babies project is so important.
We’re passionate about families reading the Bible together, so we’re making it as easy as possible by placing Bibles directly into the hands of families across Northern Ireland.
The first Bible sent out is a beautifully illustrated storybook Bible and was chosen to help parents and carers introduce the Bible in a gentle, age-appropriate way during those precious early years. But this is a five-year commitment, so each year, we send out engagement activities to children as they turn 2, 3, and 4. Then on their 5th birthday, we send a full children’s Bible.
Each stage is carefully designed to grow with the child - pointing back to the stories they will have read in their storybook Bibles, and encouraging families to keep engaging with the Bible as their child grows.
Since January 2022, we have had the privilege of distributing over 6,000 storybook Bibles to families across Northern Ireland, but it doesn’t stop there.
We’re beginning to see how God is using these simple resources in remarkable ways. One mother told us she wanted her daughter, Grace*, “to know the importance of God’s Word.” Each year, as Grace opened the envelope addressed to her, her family found themselves reading together, chatting through Bible stories and fielding questions that were, in her mum’s words, “surprisingly deep.” “It has been a marker of God’s faithfulness,” she said, “watching her grow not only in years but spiritually.”
Another mother also recently shared,
“The project has helped keep faith and Bible learning present in our home over the years. The resources have been encouraging and have provided opportunities for meaningful conversations as a family. A particularly significant impact has been that my husband and I both came to faith and gave our lives to Christ six months ago.”
We were amazed when we read that. A Bible placed in a home for a child, and God used it to reach a whole family.
That is the power of placing God’s Word where life is lived.
Stories like these remind us why this project matters, but providing this kind of long-term, meaningful support comes at a cost.
It costs around £35 to support one child and their family across the full five-year journey. That’s £35 to help place God’s Word into a home. £35 to help equip parents and carers to share Bible stories. £35 to help build strong foundations of faith in a child’s life.
Would you consider making a special gift today to help sustain, and maybe even grow, Bibles for Babies in Northern Ireland?
£35
could support one child and their family across the full five years
£70
could reach two families with God’s Word
£140
could help four children begin their journey with the Bible
£350
could place Bibles and engagement materials into the homes of 10 families
Each year, it costs us around £52,500 to run Bibles for Babies - covering production, resources, and delivery. We are grateful that some of this is already funded by generous partners, but we still have a shortfall of around £30,000 per year. Without additional support, and with increasing costs, we may have to limit how many new families we can register, meaning some children may never receive that first Bible.
Every gift, whatever the size, will help ensure that more families across Northern Ireland receive not just a Bible, but the opportunity to build a foundation of faith together at home. Alternatively, you could support a child’s full 5-year journey for just £3 a month.
Because when God’s Word is present in those early years, in those everyday moments, it can shape a life for years to come.
Somewhere in Northern Ireland tonight, a parent will open God’s Word with their child - perhaps for the very first time. Your gift today could make that moment possible.