Changing lives through God’s Word

When Kem Raj was unable to find a job in his native country of Nepal, he decided to travel to the Gulf States in search of work. There, he found a job as a night watchman. But increasingly Kem found himself feeling trapped and alone. Unable to either eat or sleep, he grew weaker and weaker. Desperately, he tried all kinds of remedies but to no avail.

Kem Raj who came to faith through the Bible.

Aleksei grew up in Novoaltaysk in the Altai Krai region, in southern Russia. Drugs were easy to come by in those parts, and by the time he was 23 years old Aleksei was a heroin addict.

Aleksei, on right, with recovering drug addicts at a drug rehabilitation centre.

A former gangster, Komlavi repented one day during an audio Bibles session and asked Jesus into his life.

Chen Guo Zi “I have been a Christian for 14 years. Today, I have received my very first Bible.”

80 year old Mrs Chen Guo Zi.

Duan Xuezhi is pleased to have received a Bible with a large font he can easily read.

69 year old Duan Xuezhi.

Wang Yuan Yuan, who was recently baptised:

“I love the Bible and I believe every word it contains is the truth.”

21 year old Wang Yuan Yuan.

Once withdrawn and fearful, eight year old Xiao Daifa, who was born blind and abandoned by her parents, is now a confident and smiling child.

“I felt like I was in darkness when I found out I was HIV-positive,” says 40-year-old Marie Jeanne. “Then I was given a Bible. Now I have peace and hope.”

“It was a huge shock when I was diagnosed with HIV,” says 38-year-old Judith. “I turned to the Bible. I still have many problems but I have hope in God.”

Seventy year old Jin can’t stop smiling or singing. She’s walked for three hours in sub-zero temperatures to get to church.

The reason? Today, free Bibles are being given out to the congregation. And she’s got one.

Jin smiles for joy after receiving her free Bible.

In spite of losing her eldest son, her house and her work in the earthquake Irma (pictured) is learning to live again. Irma and her family live in a tent in Cepem camp, one of many tent cities that sprang up after the earthquake.

As Maxine (pictured) lay buried under the rubble of her own restaurant, her only comfort was a poster of the Ten Commandments, which she meditated on as she lay trapped. She felt a deep peace that somehow she would be rescued.

 

“My name is A.S. Mark. I live in India. I am completely blind. I was so pleased when the Bible Society of India gave me Braille Bible portions in both Tamil and English.”

 

“My uncle was a heroin addict. He had sunk very low. He met a pastor from a church, who shared God’s love and forgiveness with him. He became a devout Christian.”

 

“I was raised in a Buddhist family. When I was 18, I had a Christian boyfriend who invited me to go to church with him. His mother gave me a Bible.”

Anjoli Roy is only 22 years old. Her schooling ended after her parents arranged an early marriage for her.

 

As a little girl, Mrs Bala wanted to learn to read and write, but owing to her family’s poverty she was unable to. Now, at the age of 75 she has been attending Bible Society literacy classes at a church in Kotalipara in southwestern Bangladesh.

Poverty, rather than riches, has been the outcome of freedom for many in Ukraine. Into the vacuum left by the demise of communism has come not joy but crime and immorality. The Chernobyl disaster still affects huge swaths of the country and the AIDS virus is beginning to take its toll.

Anna: “I’ve been a believer since 1996, but I could never read the Bible because of my poor eyesight. Having this New Testament means so much to me. I pray that I will be able to continue reading it every day for the rest of my life.”

“I’m an orphan. I had heard about God, but I lived my life without him. Everything changed when I got frostbite and had to have my legs amputated. I’m very grateful that someone put this book into my hands because now I can find out more about God.”