<Tr> <Th> Key people </Th> <Td> Dan Heighway (Executive Director) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> www.gideons.org </Td> </Tr> <P> Gideons International is an evangelical Christian association founded in 1899 in Wisconsin . The Gideons' primary activity is distributing copies of the Bible free of charge . This Bible distribution is a global enterprise taking place in 201 countries, territories and possessions . The association's members focus on distributing complete Bibles, New Testaments, or portions thereof . These copies are printed in over 107 languages . The association is most widely known for its Bibles placed in lodging rooms . The Gideons also distribute to hospitals and other medical offices, schools and colleges as well as jails and prisons . The association takes its name from the Biblical figure Gideon depicted in Judges 6 . </P> <P> The Gideons began distributing free Bibles, the endeavor for which it is chiefly known, in 1908, when the first Bibles were placed in the rooms of the Superior Hotel in Superior, Montana . Members of The Gideons International currently distribute over 80 million Scriptures annually, and the numbers are growing, especially in places like Brazil, India, and Asia . On average, more than two copies of the Bible are distributed per second through Gideons International . In late April 2015, Gideons distributed their historic two billionth Scripture . The distribution of the first one billion Bibles and New Testaments by Gideon members spanned 93 years (1908 to 2001). The second billion was attained in less than 14 years (2002 to 2015). </P>

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