Did you know that blind or legally blind persons in your congregation can receive a variety of services from an unusual organization—the Christian Record Braille Foundation? Currently, 167 full-time workers and numerous volunteers are making Christian publications and programs available to more than 60,000 blind persons. And these services are provided without charge to those who have need of them regardless of race, creed, or denominational affiliation! It all began in 1899 when a blind man from Nebraska, Austin Wilson, urged the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists to increase its concern and services for the blind. The result? Wilson was hired, along with his wife, and the Christian Record Braille Foundation was born. Initial steps were pioneering ones indeed. The first issue of the Christian Record Braille Magazine (a total of 75 copies) was produced using an old washing-machine wringer as a stereotype machine! Through the intervening years, God's blessing on dedicated personnel has brought great growth to the work of the CRBF and a multiplication of its services to the blind and disabled.
The Christian Record Braille Foundation certainly has its work cut out for it. Approximately 6 million legally blind and 500,000 totally blind persons live in the United States, along with 14 million hearing-impaired and 2 million deaf per sons. Of course, outside the United States the disabled population becomes an even larger, more staggering figure.
Pastor Harry Sutcliffe, Ph.D., a friendly, articulate, blind minister, is director of the Episcopal Guild for the Blind in New York City. He is also an enthusiastic Bible student and an avid reader of Braille and recorded materials produced by the Christian Record Braille Foundation. When interviewed in Oklahoma City by CRBF officials, while attending a convention of the American Association of Workers for the Blind (AAWB), he spoke of blind pastors, church leaders, and laymen who are "crying out for the deeper things in life" in addition to the rudiments of faith.
"As you sit there, in Lincoln, Nebraska (location of the CRBF headquarters)," he said, "you may think, 'Who is reading this material? Is anyone out there being reached?' I assure you, souls are being saved; growth in grace is taking place. My prayer is that the Lord will continue to bless you and make you a blessing."
The chaplain of a State rehabilitation center recently wrote the CRBF. "We thank you for the large-print materials sent to us to bring the joy of Christ to those with limited vision. The materials are much appreciated and used." He adds that although "we are a State-operated comprehensive center," we still have the "freedom of making your materials avail able to our clients."
What services does the Christian Record Braille Foundation offer, and how extensively is its work being utilized? Since its initial work was for the blind, this aspect still receives a primary emphasis, although recently the CRBF has instituted efforts to aid individuals with other types of disabilities. Hundreds of wholesome, inspirational books and monthly magazines, including titles on travel, biography, science, and religion, are provided in formats to meet the needs of various visual handicaps—Braille, large print, flexible discs, and cassette recordings. These bring joy and self-fulfillment to blind readers. Several Bible study courses are also available that have brought spiritual guidance and salvation to thou sands. Approximately eight thousand of these were distributed during 1980.
Last year thirty-six summer camps for the blind attracted a combined attendance of two thousand campers. The first CRBF winter camp (held in Colorado) involved twenty-six youth from seventeen States in such activities as skiing, snowmobiling, and cross-country hiking. Another such camp was held this year.
Six glaucoma screening clinics were held in 1980 in which 1,000 persons were examined. Forty-six were referred to ophthalmologists in an effort to prevent glaucoma-caused future blindness. And August of 1980 saw a newly acquired Canadian branch office of the CRBF opened in British Columbia in order to add impetus to the work in Canada.
After eighty years of serving the needs of blind citizens, the CRBF launched an additional program in March, 1980, to provide for the long-neglected needs of the deaf and hearing impaired. Under the guidance of a trained director of services, a monthly newsletter, New Dawn, has already reached a circulation of 1,100; thousands of manual alphabet cards have been distributed to churches and other groups; and a teletype phone (TTY) has been installed at the CRBF's Lincoln office to provide contact with deaf persons. As funds are available, future plans include sign language classes, Bible study guides, camps and retreats for deaf persons, as well as workshops and seminars to assist pastors and laymen in providing for the spiritual and social needs of deaf people.
To carry out such an extensive program requires a large number of individuals actually making contact with those who need such services. A team of about one hundred district representatives and ten area directors visited 32,000 blind persons during 1980 and processed 304,000 requests for free services. These representatives also contact businessmen for contributions to assist in the support of this humanitarian work. In addition to other sources of funding, the annual offering taken in Seventh-day Adventist congregations across North America helps to support the work of the Christian Record Braille Foundation. The offering date this year is July 11.
If you have blind or hearing-impaired individuals in your congregation or community and would be interested in learning more about the free services the Christian Record Braille Foundation can provide for them, write or call: Christian Record Braille Foundation, P.O. Box 6097, Lincoln, Nebraska 68506. Telephone (402) 488-0981.
