When governments all over the world forced churches to close their doors during the worst of the pandemic, the audio Bibles our faithful partners provided became invaluable tools for building faith and reaching the lost.

In Togo, 16-year-old Hadiza* heard the Word of God for the first time, and her life changed forever. “I come from a pagan family where we always speak badly of Christians and everything that is done in churches,” Hadiza explains.

But after the churches closed, Hadiza noticed that some neighbors in her village began gathering outside to listen to a device. Since they were not in a church building and her curiosity was piqued, she walked over to find out more.

“I had no concept of the message of salvation,” she says. “My parents and I relied more on voodoo and the gods of our ancestors.”

In time, Hadiza accepted Jesus as her Savior. When news of her salvation reached her parents, she was persecuted by her family and others in her village. “My parents considered me a rebel . . . garbage . . . and bad luck for the family,” she recalls. They cut her off, believing that even her presence in their home would make her father lose the powers he believed he received from his ancestors.

Undeterred, Hadiza continues to follow Jesus. She is so grateful for the Bible she received. Her eyes light up as she shares, “When I read a passage and it touches my heart, I mark it with a highlighter so I can read it again. There are Bible verses that inspire me and give me courage in my difficult times. Today, I am no longer afraid that people will see me with my Bible.”

Even though her life has been threatened since she became a Christian, Hadiza looks to God’s Word and verses like Romans 8:31b for strength . . . If God is for us, who can be against us? (GNT).

Thanks to the generous support of our faithful partners, audio Bible listening groups reach over 2 million people in more than 50 countries around the world every year with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

*Names changed for privacy