COLOMBIA:
Bible League-trained Colombian pastor living in Pereira provides Bible League training throughout his community. Since his church began holding Bible studies so that people can receive God’s Word, his young daughter has been an inspiration to many.

“My daughter Daniela, who is 9-years-old, was the first one to contact people to start the Bible League Bible studies,” shares her father.

Opposition to the Gospel
When Daniela knocked on the door of a neighbor, she was unaware of the opposition awaiting her. As she invited the woman to her father’s church for Bible study, the husband overheard their conversation. Daniela, in her 9-year-old voice, confidently explained that she would teach them to study the Bible. The husband laughed and interjected, “What else will you teach us?”

But despite his mocking of young Daniela’s desire, God eventually moved in this man’s heart. He and his wife did in fact attend the Bible studies, and now assist in her father’s church—sharing the Good News with others, and testifying of Christ’s work in their lives!

Setting an example
Despite the great spiritual battle raging in Colombia, Daniela continues setting an example of obedience to the Word of God. She courageously invites others to study the Bible, and teaches God’s Word to schoolmates—even those older than herself. “Daniela is a beautiful example for the church as she accomplishes the commands of God,” adds her father.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

LATIN AMERICA:
The need
“My wife and I are merchants by trade,” says Vincent. “The Lord called us to provide God’s Word throughout our village, but we suffered great financial hardship because Bibles are very expensive here in Mexico.”

Vincent and Gloria prayed for wisdom and the provision of God’s Word. “Eventually we traveled to a Christian bookstore, and pleaded, ‘Why do you charge so much for Bibles?’ They answered, ‘Business is business.’” Although hesitant, Vincent and Gloria purchased Bibles from the store for a short time.

Tears of sorrow
“When we could no longer afford Bibles, our hearts filled with sorrow,” says Vincent. “We sobbed and embraced each other.”

Then God intervened! A Bible League-trained Christian saw the crying couple on the street. “He asked about our trouble,” continues Vincent, “and explained that he was on his way to the Bible League office, and he could help meet our need. It was then we knew God heard our prayers!”

Soon, Vincent and Gloria received Bible League training, and began leading Bible studies throughout their village—providing God’s Word to more people than they ever imagined!

Strong in faith
When their lives began producing spiritual fruit, however, Vincent suddenly fell into a coma. Medical specialists gave him little hope for survival, yet Gloria remained by his side in prayer—standing strong in her faith just as she learned from God’s Word.

Then a miracle happened. “After three days I fully recovered!” exclaims Vincent. “And today, after many prayers, Gloria is pregnant with our family heir!” Vincent and Gloria are thankful to be servants of God. Their village is being transformed by the power of His Word.

“…I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible…” (Matthew 17:20 NIV)

SERBIA:
Danica and her husband had reached a point in their lives where both were working hard, but barely providing for their young family’s basic needs. “We couldn’t cope anymore,” says Danica. “We thought there was no way out of our situation.”

God’s Word is the answer
Dobrila and Danilo, two Bible League-trained Christians, began visiting the family and sharing Jesus Christ. Feeling there was no where else to turn, Danica and her husband decided to listen and to learn. They began to study God’s Word.

“As I read and studied the Bible, I felt peace in my soul . . . security . . . joy,” says Danica. “Christ died for us so we could have eternal life.

We accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior.”

Since then Danica and her husband have noticed a difference in their lives. “God heard our prayers and answered them. He turned our situation around. We found answers and deliverance in His Word.”

As a family, they continue to study the Bible together. They now also attend an evangelical church in a nearby village, where they’re gaining greater understanding of their faith and growing in it.

God’s grace is sufficient
“God’s grace is evident to my family and me even though we do not deserve it,” notes Danica. “I personally have experienced that life without Christ means nothing. Today I live my life filled with God’s presence.”

HUNGARY:
“I was living a normal life without God,” shares Krisztina. “I felt like I could manage life on my own.” But there was a void—a deep longing—in Krisztina’s heart that nothing in this world could fill. When tragedy struck, her cold heart opened to receive everlasting love from the Savior.

Revenge
“There is a boy in the neighborhood named Tomi,” says Krisztina. “There are a lot of fights in his home, and he is violent tempered. One day he was playing soccer with my younger brother. They had a minor disagreement and started to argue and fight. Tomi got very angry and yelled, ‘I will get revenge.’

Awakened
“That night I went to sleep, but the next morning I woke in the hospital with tubes in my body and a huge bandage around me.” Tomi had taken revenge for the soccer fight by stabbing the first person he found in the home. But God’s hand of protection was over Krisztina. “I was lying on my stomach, so the knife did not hit my heart!” she exclaims.

“While I was in the hospital, a man [a Bible League-trained worker] from the church in my small town visited me. He talked with me about God’s love, and explained that Jesus died for me and forgives my sins. He gave me a study booklet and a Bible.

Forgiveness
“As I read the Bible and thought about what had happened to me, I accepted Christ as my personal Savior. I prayed right there in my hospital bed. Since I understood that God forgives my sins, I forgave Tomi. He wanted my physical death, but instead, God gave me spiritual life.”

Krisztina now stands strong upon the Scriptures and belongs to a Bible League Bible study. “I read my Bible every day. God talks to me through His Word and gives me direction.”

Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. (Psalm 79:8 NIV)

UKRAINE:
When Gennadiy became a sailor for a naval fleet, he thought he had found the purpose for his life. He had a plan for pursuing security and prosperity. As he did his job and sailed to many ports, he saw only a bright future ahead.

Purpose turns to pointlessness
Then Gennadiy saw the reality of our sinful world. With disappointments piling up and stress coming down on him, he sought refuge in stealing and drinking. “I was living like everybody else who doesn’t know Jesus Christ,” he says. “I couldn’t find a purpose for my life. Everything I built by myself was ruined.”

As he sank deeper into despair, Gennadiy gave in to fear and even thought of ending his life. “I envied my friends who had perished on a submarine,” he says. “At least they had died believing they had a purpose.”

Finding a purpose-filled life in Jesus
When a Bible League-trained Christian invited Gennadiy to a church service, he decided to attend. There he heard the truth from God’s Word and testimonies from people whose lives had been changed by Jesus.

“Hope was born in me,” he says. “This was the beginning of something new. I opened my heart for Jesus and repented. I began to understand God’s plan.”

As Gennadiy studied the Scriptures, God changed his life. Freed from fear and alcohol, he shared the Gospel with his family. His mother, sister, wife, and two daughters have come to know Jesus, too.

“Now I know what I live for,” Gennadiy says. “I found the purpose for my life.” As he continues to study God’s Word with Bible League-trained Christians, he grows in his faith and his commitment to serving God. Think of the many lives God is changing through Gennadiy.

Please pray for Gennadiy as he completes Bible League’s church planter training. Praise God for using this man to help build the kingdom!

INDIA:
Shambhu drives an auto-rickshaw—a three-wheeled, ubiquitous, yellow and black, easily-crushed mode of public transportation. He earns slightly more than $1,000 per year to support his wife and three children. Along with the element of danger that comes with the fast-paced life of a rickshaw driver, Shambhu faces an even bigger danger—the spiritual danger of living a life without Christ.

Family history
India has the third largest Muslim population in the world. According to the CIA World Factbook, only 2.3 percent of India’s 1 billion-plus population is Christian. Shambhu and his family were living life the only way they knew—centered on the Muslim religious beliefs and traditions passed down to them from their families.

However, when a Bible League-trained Christian became a regular passenger on Shambhu’s daily rickshaw route, the Lord opened Shambhu’s heart to the Gospel message of salvation.

The passenger
The Christian passenger had arranged for Shambhu to ferry his children to school each morning. He would often ride along—escorting his children, and faithfully sharing God’s Word with Shambhu.

Eventually, Shambhu accepted an invitation to attend a Bible study. It was there that God revealed the truth to him through the pages of the Bible. Today, his passion is to share the message of salvation with all his riders, and he currently leads a Bible study group of 20-30 of his fellow rickshaw drivers.

Kingdom purpose
In Colossians 4:5 (NIV), God tells us, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” The passenger who shared Christ with Shambhu made the most of his opportunity, and now Shambhu is a Christian with a kingdom purpose.

CENTRAL ASIA:
Have you ever traveled to another country, and then been told you couldn’t return to your homeland? That is what happened to Kalyna. When she left the country of her birth, she had all the proper travel documents she needed to visit a neighboring country and then return home.

An impossible situation
“My travel documents were stolen. I couldn’t go back home,” Kalyna shares. “I was an alien in a country where I didn’t know anyone and didn’t belong.” Imagine the uncertainty and fear she must have felt. She didn’t know where to turn.

Then Kalyna met Vadik, a Bible League-trained Christian. She was able to talk with him, sharing her situation and feelings. “Vadik understood my troubles and wanted to help me,” Kalyna says. “The first thing he did was invite me to a Bible study.

There I met others who were discouraged and disillusioned. We talked and shared together.

We read the Bible together. “Soon Vadik invited me to a church,” she continues. There she met more Bible League-trained Christians who told her about their faith in God. “When I started to communicate with Christians and study the Bible with them, Christ became alive in my life. After our Bible studies, I felt rest and ease in my soul.” Soon she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.

All things are possible with God
Now God’s Word is the foundation of Kalyna’s life. “Since I met Jesus and began to study God’s Word, my life is easier and my soul has found peace,” she says. “I bear my failures easier. I help sick people, too. I live for God because He is in my heart and soul.” Kalyna’s life has changed, and now she is helping others change.

Please pray that Kalyna will continue to trust God to help her deal with her problems. Thank God for the way He works through His people, even in the darkest times.

MIDDLE EAST:
Gabir knew nothing about Jesus. He was bitter toward God because of a disease he had endured since childhood. Many people tried to tell him about God, but he refused to listen. As he sank farther into his bitterness, his only question was: “How could God allow my life to be ruined by this sickness in my body?”

Unexpected developments
When a Bible League-trained church planter visited Gabir’s village, God used him to show Gabir the love of Jesus. “I never experienced love in a practical way like I did from this brother,” Gabir says. “He touched my heart. He showed Jesus to me in everything he said and did.”

Soon Gabir believed the truth of God’s Word and gave his life to Jesus. He began working with the church planter and even hosted a Bible study group at his house. The group had been gathering for about six months when the police invaded their meeting one night. They arrested Gabir and took him to the police station. They wanted him to sign papers that would stop the group from meeting.

Gabir told the police, “I’m a sick man, and it’s hard for me to travel. Those people meet in my house so that I can worship with fellow believers.” One of the officers looked kindly on Gabir and withdrew the papers, and other officers took him home.

God’s amazing provision
“Now I realize why the Lord permitted this disease in my life,” Gabir says. “If I did not have this sickness, they would have closed this meeting.” As Gabir copes with the disease and trusts God, he continues to host the Bible study group.

Gabir’s faith echoes the promise of Romans 8:28 (NKJV): “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

CAMEROON:
Herminie was hungry. She was so hungry that she was searching through garbage bins in her city to find enough food to sustain her for another day. Living in Cameroon, known as one of the most corrupt and complex nations on earth, she just wanted to survive. She knew that many others her age had already turned to crime and prostitution. They had no hope for the future because of the lack of employment, as well as the cheating, bribery, and favoritism that exist in the government. That day Herminie didn’t know that she was also spiritually hungry.

The lost is found
As she was digging through a garbage pile, she found a Bible study book––published by Bible League and written in her language. When she opened it, one title grabbed her attention: “The lost son is found.” She knew the book was special, and she handled it with care. As she began to read, God’s Word touched her heart. She was lost and searching, just like the young man in the book she read. She wanted to find out more about what it means to be found. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Herminie began her search for help.

Never-ending love and grace
God led this lost young woman to a Bible League-trained pastor. He took time to study the Bible with her. He emphasized to her that no matter what she was going through in her life, God would never leave her or forsake her. God touched her through His Word. Soon she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior, was baptized, and now lives as a child of God. Herminie has been found by God’s love and grace.

HAITI:
Throughout Haiti, many families live in economically oppressed areas. The presence of voodoo remains strong. Food scarcity is of constant concern, and people are hungry and desperate. This is Haiti’s social fabric. This is the island where Anel lived for many years—never knowing the love of Jesus Christ.

Trust
As a young boy, Anel placed his trust in his brother—looking to him for guidance. “We left our parents to live in Port-au-Prince, hoping for a better life,” says Anel. “We lived together in a small rented space, and my brother made his money by stealing cars.” However, the influential lifestyle of his brother was soon stripped away. “One day, he was caught by police and sent to jail.”

Abandoned
Alone for the first time in his life, Anel was desperate. “I sold my brother’s things to pay his bail. When he was released he pulled a gun on me because I sold all his valuables.” Betrayed by his brother, and fearful for his life, Anel spent the next few weeks sleeping in a train station—longing to soothe the ever-present hurt in his heart. “I also slept on the floor of a kitchen for a month, which led to thoughts of committing suicide.”

A new path
Anel was homeless, hungry, and alone, yet God had a plan. Anel found food and shelter from an uncle who lived nearby, and the path of his life changed for eternity. His uncle—unbeknownst to him—was a Bible League-trained Haitian Christian filled with love and compassion.

When Anel’s uncle shared the Good News of the Gospel, Anel’s loneliness lifted. “I gave up on committing suicide, and I have found a new family in Christ. What grace God has!”

Refuge
Anel rejoices that the Bible is now his daily bread, and he places his trust in Christ alone. He is filled with an all-consuming passion to reach others with the message of salvation. “I want to bring hope to orphans and to those who contemplate suicide.”

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:2 (NIV)