Diana Kross is proof that age is no barrier to sharing the gospel.
This dynamic 87-year-old is the force behind a mission project that is making a significant impact.
For the past decade, Mrs Kross has been collecting Bibles for distribution in the Pacific islands. To date she has collected more than 1000 Bibles.
Living in the Noosa coast area of Queensland, Mrs Kross sources the Bibles by visiting local second-hand shops. Some she receives for free, while others require a nominal fee ranging from 50 cents to $2 per Bible. Over the years she has collected new leather-bound editions, children’s Bibles and study Bibles in various translations.
Her inspiration for starting the project was the World Changers Bibles initiative, which has distributed thousands of Bibles to young people in the South Pacific. Mrs Kross initially worked with Clinton Jackson, a science teacher from Brisbane Adventist College, who used to travel to the Solomon Islands doing missionary work.
She then enlisted the help of her son, Dr Nick Kross, who visits the Pacific islands in his leadership role at the South Pacific Division (SPD). Dr Kross is delighted to be able to distribute the Bibles and he finds that the recipients are “so appreciative of these valuable gifts”.
“There’s power in the Word of God, regardless if it is new or a second-hand Bible,” Dr Kross said.
“Everyone can do something to make a difference in the lives of others,” he added. “My mum has found her ministry in second-hand shops and is serving the Pacific from sunny Queensland.
“She also recites the Lord’s Prayer and her favourite psalm—Psalm 23—daily. These passages are her inspirational ministry texts.”
Anyone with Bibles at home or who is willing to collect them from local op-shops is asked to bring them to the SPD office at 148 Fox Valley Rd, Wahroonga. Staff at the Division office will then distribute the Bibles to many families across the Pacific, making a lasting impact on their lives.
