What Countries Did 'God'S Smuggler' Distribute Bibles In?

I remember reading 'God's Smuggler' years ago, and the sheer scale of Brother Andrew's mission still gives me chills. He smuggled Bibles into Communist-controlled countries where Christianity was suppressed, mostly focusing on Eastern Europe during the Cold War era. The book details his dangerous trips behind the Iron Curtain—specifically into places like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Romania. He even ventured into Soviet Russia itself, where possessing a Bible could land you in a labor camp. The logistics were insane: hiding scriptures in Volkswagen Beetles, under fake car panels, or even in crates labeled as harmless goods. What struck me was how he adapted to each country’s border controls, learning which guards to avoid or bribe. The man had nerves of steel.

As someone fascinated by Cold War history, 'God's Smuggler' offers a gripping look at underground faith movements. Brother Andrew’s operations spanned multiple continents, but his most famous work was in Eastern Bloc nations. He prioritized countries with extreme religious persecution, like Albania (the world’s first atheist state under Enver Hoxha) and Bulgaria, where Christians faced brutal interrogations. China also made his list during Mao’s Cultural Revolution—he described sneaking Bibles past Red Guards by disguising them as propaganda leaflets.

Later, his network expanded to Middle Eastern countries like Syria and Egypt, where distributing Christian texts was illegal but not always as tightly monitored. The book doesn’t just name-drop locations; it paints vivid scenes of how different regimes reacted. East Germany had meticulous searches, while Yugoslavia’s relatively open borders allowed quicker drops. The variations in risk and method per country show his strategic brilliance.

What’s often overlooked is his post-USSR work in Muslim-majority nations. He mentions Iraq and Afghanistan briefly, emphasizing how tribal leaders sometimes protected Bible smugglers if they respected local customs. The man didn’t just deliver books; he studied cultural nuances to survive.

If you think missionary work is tame, 'God's Smuggler' will wreck that idea. Brother Andrew went where faith was literally illegal—countries like Cuba under Castro, where he hid Bibles in sugar shipments. He describes Romania’s Securitate tearing apart his luggage while miraculously missing the scriptures stitched into his coat lining. The guy even got Bibles into North Korea by partnering with fishermen along the Yellow Sea coast.

His later missions shifted to war zones. During the Bosnian War, he delivered New Testaments to refugees who’d lost everything. In Sudan, he bribed warlords to allow Bible distribution in exchange for medical supplies. The book doesn’t romanticize it; he admits some shipments were confiscated or led to arrests. But the man kept going, adapting routes based on which borders had corrupt officials or lax oversight. His work proves faith isn’t confined by maps or regimes.