© 2018 International Urantia Association (IUA)
The number of people who are exposed to the word “Urantia,” as well as the book and its teachings year after year at book fairs is staggering. The impact on lives—priceless.
Global seeding of The Urantia Book and its teachings at book fairs is changing lives. Lives are changed when students learn how to work together as a team, and how to share their spiritual inspiration with others. Truth-seeking individuals are exposed to the soul-satisfying truths of the fifth epochal revelation. And our unseen friends gain expanded opportunities to lead mortals to the understanding of humanity’s status as beloved children of our Heavenly Father… all of us brothers and sisters.
Following are two stories of people whose lives were changed after finding The Urantia Book at a book fair:
¶ Andrés Ramirez’ Story
I have been a reader of The Urantia Book who read alone since 1995 until April 2001, when I attended the Bogotá International Book Fair. It was there for the first time I met other readers of The Urantia Book at a booth some volunteers had rented. I was so happy and surprised to know about the existence of a group of readers in my city. And, I learned that there was a Urantia Association in this city as well. At that time I didn’t suspect I was going to be so involved in the future with this organization at the administrative and personal level.
I must confess I had some fears about the nature of this organization and the type of meetings they had, so it took me about a year before finally deciding to contact anyone. After getting in touch with the readers and study groups, I soon made very good friends and my understanding of the book started to grow exponentially. And, even though I didn’t understand the differences between the Urantia organizations, their structure or their relationship with study groups, I started to volunteer in the projects of the association, and little by little I learned.
And because of what finding other readers at the book fair meant to me, I continue to volunteer and help organize the booth. I also continue serving within my local and national associations and am currently serving as Vice President on the International Service Board where I am learning even more from working with my brothers and sisters around the world.
¶ Esther Andrade Burgos’s Story
It was a Saturday afternoon in April of 2015 when my brother invited me to visit the Bogotá Book Fair. We toured various booths without much interest and without much eagerness, until we were almost leaving at the end of the afternoon when an image of Jesus caught my attention. So much so that I would dare to say that he invited me to approach the booth where a couple of people shared a smile with me. When I asked what the image of the universe was about, there ensued a 40-minute conversation that captured me, and a certainty arose within me that I had arrived at a place where my questions would be finally resolved. From that day and each day, The Urantia Book is my main reading.
I believe nothing that happens in our lives is a coincidence, and that everything corresponds to a perfect plan and things arrive when we are ready to receive them with gratitude and joy. Having come to know the revelation of The Urantia Book confirmed this belief.
From this initial introduction at the Bogotá Book Fair, I joined a study group; I have integrated with other readers. I have read the book twice. Its teachings really have given me tools to understand my purpose of life, to understand and feel the unconditional love of our Father, and to approach the adversities of my existence in this world with faith, hope and courage.
I am happy each day and I want to share with many people these teachings, that I interpret them as true, in my own way. It is for this reason that recently I shared a talk with readers of Bogotá about the beliefs that impede the task of our Thought Adjuster in our mind.
The benefits of having a consistent presence at book fairs is enormous. However, renting book fair space is expensive. Your donation to Urantia Association’s Global Seeding Fund makes this possible.