Resources for the Blind began as a personal project of Dr. Arthur Lown to produce a braille version of the Filipino Bible. Blind since childhood, Dr. Lown retired as Director of the Atlanta Public Schools Services for Blind Students in 1970 and moved from the United States to the Philippines to serve as the administrator of the Manila branch of the Summer Institute of Linguistics. In 1980, three blind Filipino pastors, learning about Dr. Lown’s interest in Bible translation, visited him to request his help in transcribing the Filipino Bible into braille. Thus began the first project of what would become Resources for the Blind.
Growing...
After completing the Filipino braille Bible, Dr. Lown immediately began work in other dialects of the Philippines. Soon, he also added audio Bibles in cassette tapes, for those who did not read braille. Large print versions were also added for those who could not see well enough to read regular print. All of these Bibles were distributed free of charge to persons with visual impairment around the Philippines.
No Looking Back...
As requests for other kinds of assistance became more frequent, Dr. Lown asked permission from the Summer Institute of Linguistics to devote himself full time to the needs of blind Filipinos. In 1988, he gathered a board of directors and formally registered Resources for the Blind with the Philippine government as a non-profit charitable organization serving the blind.
What we Look Today...
With a well trained staff of thirty Filipino specialists, Resources for the Blind now provides a full spectrum of services to blind persons nationwide. We are devoted to removing the obstacles that prevent blind Filipinos from reaching the fullest potential that God has for them. This involves us in counseling, rehabilitation, education, and training. We are also actively involved in preventing blindness and in restoring sight whenever possible.
Looking Ahead...
With over half a million visually impaired persons in the Philippines, we must continue to find ways to reach out to those who are in need of our services. Working together with the Lord, we can truly turn darkness into light for thousands of our blind friends in every corner of the Philippines.
