Smuggling the Book of Hope

The printing of Bibles was not allowed during the 1950’s and 1960’s in Eastern Europe where the communist ideology reigned. This painful situation was recognized by some brave Christians from the West who dared to cross the Iron Curtain to bring encouragement. Brother Andrew from the Netherlands was the first who started  to come and act. We first met him in 1959 in Budapest. My father who was a Baptist pastor and had studied in Hamburg Seminary became his good friend and main interpreter.

Brother Andrew and several other missions like OM and Slavic Gospel Association started smuggling Bibles into our countries. We were among the recipients and distributors. Christian brothers and sisters heard the news and came to our home to collect Bibles as secretively as possible. Many came from Romania since about two million Hungarians lived there. Some also came from Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.

The big trouble started when we received Russian Bibles and a friend started distributing them in Russian army camp. When that was discovered in 1966,  my father's preaching permit was withheld. Because of that he lost his ministry, home and income. With a six-member family,  a very difficult time started for him and for us all.

Despite all these difficulties, I deeply desired to travel to the Soviet Union to pass Bibles to those people who had an even greater shortage than we Hungarians. One year later in 1967, when I was 19 years old, I joined a communist youth group (this was the only possible way to travel) and took a train to Moscow with several Bibles in my suit case.

At the Soviet border, everybody had to be thoroughly checked. Every item was taken out of our suitcases to make sure no harm would be made to the ideology of the mighty Soviet Union. As I watched the solders doing their job I felt fear and loneliness. What would happen to me?

But when it was my turn the officer signaled me to pass. This time Jesus saved me from troubles and saved the Bibles for Russian people. Only God knows what role those smuggled Bibles played in bringing hope and keeping the Christian faith in our countries. 

Ildiko Kovács  (Ildiko and her husband Géza live in Budapest where they continue to be engaged in pastoring and discipling.)