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Verse:And how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. —2 Timothy 3:15, NIV
Education is the master key that unlocks two major doors.
The first is the door to access the past, revealing both the wisdom and mistakes of the previous generations.
The second is the door to the future, providing hope for a better life. Kofi Annan, former United Nations secretary-general, stated that “literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.”15 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 26, states that “everyone has the right to education” and “elementary education shall be compulsory.” On November 17, 1965, with the purpose of encouraging nations and communities to reach this literacy goal, UNESCO designated September 8 as International Literacy Day.
But, as of 2013, there were “some 774 million adults who cannot read or write,” and “two-thirds of these people are women.”18 In 2018, a UNESCO Institute for Statistics report showed that “about 258 million children and youth are out of school.” Concerned over the issue, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, at its 1995 General Conference Session in Utrecht, the Netherlands, released an official statement on literacy.
The document states that “the inability to read impacts every aspect of a person’s life —earning power, career opportunities, access to health care information, and even the ability to raise a child properly.
Without the skill of reading, few doors of opportunity can ever be opened.”20 From a religious perspective, the document adds, “Adventists recognize a more vital reason to share the gift of reading.
We believe that the ability to read God’s Word —the good news of salvation— should not be reserved for the privileged few.
We assert that every man, woman, and child should have access to the truths and uplifting power of the Bible.” Are there illiterate people close to where you live and work? If so, perhaps you could mobilize your own community and establish a center of influence to teach illiterate people how to read.
While developing their reading and writing skills, you could also show them the marvelous teachings of God’s Word.
In doing so, you will provide hope for the present and for eternity!