MAHONING VALLEY 50 years of spreading the Word

A Youngstown man has been distributing Bibles with the Gideons for half a century.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR RELIGION EDITOR
YOUNGSTOWN -- A man in Bogota, Colombia, writes that he and his family are happy now. An Italian wrote he now knows he is valued by God. An Arizona woman wrote that having faith in God gave her a reason to live through tough times.
These are typical of the letters in The Gideon, the magazine of The Gideons International, the organization best known for placing Bibles in hotel rooms.
The magazine calls letters from people who were affected by reading those Bibles "returns," in the sense that a message sent out brings a message in return.
D.D. Davis: "Returns" are nothing new to Youngstown businessman David D. Davis, best known as D.D. Davis, who has been distributing Bibles through the Gideons for 50 years. He's held all the local offices and is currently president in charge of distribution.
Davis recalled being asked to a Gideon meeting and, "The first thing you know I was highly involved."
The Gideons also distribute Bibles to doctor's offices, hospitals and nursing homes, prisons, college campuses and near the property of public schools.
There are only 200,000 Gideons worldwide, including 8,000 in Ohio, says Davis. The Gideons distribute Bibles in 176 countries in 180 different languages. Davis said the response from authorities in other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, is often warmer than in this country.
The Bibles: Davis has a well-worn briefcase that contains various Gideon Bibles. One in English, one in Korean and English, one in English, French and German used in Europe, and large print for nursing homes. Bibles come in hard-cover and paperback with different colored covers. Each color represents a different target group. For example, the white-covered Bible is aimed at those in the nursing profession.
The Bibles are either King James or New English translations. Other translations require payment of a royalty fee, which would push up the printing costs.
In the front of each Gideon Bible are lists of verses. One directs readers to specific verses when they are lonely, afraid, discouraged or need peace. Another gives Scriptures on topics such as adultery, anger and death. Another gives teachings on courage, forgiveness and freedom.
Those lists are designed to aid the person in a time of need who literally doesn't know where to turn in the Bible for help.
The reason is simple, Davis says: the Bible is the word of God and it has power to help people. "It speaks to each one. And it speaks to each one differently," said the businessman.
The word, Davis says, changes lives: "That's the only thing that changes people. Changed lives, that's what it's all about."
And the changes don't stop at the return column.
Davis recalled the Biblical parable of the seeds in Mark 4:13-20, that describes how some people who hear the word don't understand or act on it but others who do go on to minister and bear fruit "thirty, sixty and a hundredfold."
It's impossible to tell how many people are helped by even one person who hears, Davis said.
Good feeling: When a person's faith comes alive because of the Gideons, Davis said he feels good.
"It makes me want to shout -- hallelujah! There's no greater feeling. Not that I did anything. It's the Lord's doing," Davis said.
The Gideons take their name from Judges chapters 7-9, in which Gideon rescues Israel with a small band of men.
Modern Gideons gather in "camps" which handle Bible distributions in a given area. There are three in Youngstown. The camps earlier this year gave out 15,000 Bibles during what the organization calls a "blitz." That includes replacing worn or tattered Bibles. Normally, says Davis, the groups distribute about 6,000 Bibles a year.