As a land-locked country, Switzerland doesn’t seem the most obvious place for United Beach Missions to operate.
But in the first fortnight of July, thousands of people visit Montreux for the world famous International Jazz Festival. The ‘Kiosque Biblique’ is a permanent small wooden chalet, built in 1965, situated along the lake front and open from March to October each year. It is owned by the local Christian bookshop and run by volunteers. The kiosk sells drinks, postcards and souvenirs, but its main purpose is to sell Bibles and Christian books in many languages. Everybody who buys something is offered a free leaflet about the Christian faith in their own language.
The kiosk is strategically placed and during the Jazz Festival it is in the middle of the temporary street market that lines the waterfront. Each day up to 20,000 people walk by. Many stop. Thousands of drinks were sold and handed over with a gospel leaflet. 31 Bibles in 11 languages were also sold and numerous conversations took place.
