Ecuadorians of all ages are handwriting the entire Bible -- one verse at a time -- as part of the Bible Marathon project in Ecuador sponsored by HCJB Global and IBS-STL Latin America.

Writing just one verse apiece to total more than 30,000 verses of Scripture, they will corporately produce a giant Bible throughout the course of the next year.

Inaugurated at a special breakfast at Radio Station HCJB in Quito on 27 September, the project began with a meeting of evangelical pastors hosted by the station.

Radio announcements notified listeners of the opportunity, and the following day hundreds of schoolchildren visited the station.

After patiently waiting in lines, each took a pen in hand and wrote down verses from Genesis and Matthew.

Throughout the year, the giant book will be taken to other Ecuadorian cities as well, serving as what Pablo del Salto of IBS-STL in Ecuador compared to an Olympic torch bringing moral light to the nation.

He compared the marathon to a beehive of spiritual activity, serving to spur on congregations to pray that Ecuador would be governed by the counsel of the Bible.

The book will eventually be kept on display at HCJB Global's Ministry Centre in Quito with copies to be presented to the executive and legislative branches of Ecuador's government.

Tatiana De La Torre, director of local radio at Radio Station HCJB, said the marathon promotes the motto, "For the Evangelisation of Ecuador, More Bibles, More Good News."

She said it aims for the "evangelisation in our society and to reveal the relevance of the Word of God for personal change as well as social change in our country".

After leaving the station, the giant pages of Scripture were then taken to Christian bookstores and will later be presented at local churches where others may write, adding their names to a growing list of scribes.

Donations received from Bible Marathon participants will be used by the sponsoring ministries to air gospel radio promos and distribute thousands of Bibles across Ecuador.