When Manuel* talks about his past, he remembers growing up very poor, shivering at night because his house was so cold — as well as the bad influences that entangled him in a series of dangerous choices. He describes his youth as “totally desperate. I was never calm. I had no peace.”

The dark path Manuel followed ultimately led to his arrest and incarceration for several years. Imprisonment was “rock bottom” and “a very dark valley” for Manuel. But thankfully, friends like you helped provide the light of God’s Word in that dark valley. In prison, Manuel had access to the Bible Society’s audio Bible study courses. As he listened to the Word of God in his heart language, Manuel accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior!

Soon after Manuel was released from prison, a local church invited him to watch the JESUS Film. He was amazed by the exhilaration he experienced while watching the movie. “I am very visual,” he explains. “Seeing the images moved me a lot . . . like when you go on a roller coaster and get very excited.”

After the film, Manuel received a new Bible. He was overwhelmed with emotion. Being able to read Scripture for himself for the first time made him want to cry. He shares, “I have made many mistakes in my life, and reading that God loves us, despite who we are, makes me very happy. I think the Bible is the best gift anyone can receive. Now, I can read my own Bible at any time.”

Through your generosity, you are helping fulfill the last urgent command Jesus gave us before He left this earth — to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). The Bibles you help share are changing the lives and eternities of men, women, and children all over the world! Thanks to you, Manuel now knows that Jesus seeks and saves those who are in the darkest valleys.

*Name changed for privacy