At the end of last year, I visited Sri Lanka. I was able to see for myself the state of the country and I heard many stories and testimonies from the locals, including examples of persecution.
Christians long to read God's Word and grow in their faith, but poverty in the country means many new believers cannot afford to buy a Bible.
I visited one of these new believers and she told me her touching story of how she came to faith in Jesus:
Young mother cured of paralysis
"I was born a Buddhist. My mother became a Christian, but I continued as a Buddhist. I had a stroke and became paralyzed on one side. My daughter was only one and a half years old. The doctors had given up hope and said I couldn't survive."
"At that time, my mom took me to a meeting. God touched me and healed me. And from that day on, I have had Christ as my personal savior."
Couldn't afford a Bible
It's amazing how God has healed and met her in this way. And the daughter, who is standing next to her as we talk, has her mother back. That was 13 years ago today, and she has never had her own Bible, but has had to make do with borrowing her sister's from time to time. So she has been a Christian for years without having her own Bible so she could read God's Word and grow in her faith.
However, thanks to donors from the Danish European Mission, she finally has her own Bible.
"It's very valuable to me. I don't have the opportunity to go to a store and buy a Bible. The
The only income we have is what my husband earns. I couldn't imagine being able to buy a Bible."
"I'm a Sunday school teacher, so I use the Bible there. I also use it for my personal
edification and read it every day."
This 36-year-old woman is happy and grateful to have a Bible. "The Bible is my life"she says and smiles.
However, there is still one thing she wants more than anything.
"My husband is not a Christian. He doesn't object to me going to church and believing in Christ. He doesn't go to the Buddhist temple either, and when the priest comes to visit, he also prays for my husband, but he doesn't go to church."
"My hope is that one day my husband will become a Christian and start going to church. That's my biggest hope and I think it will happen very soon."
There are many like this woman who need a Bible. Because there is still a great
poverty in this beautiful country when you visit the many small villages. Both new believers and people who have been Christians for a long time passionately desire to own a copy of God's Word.
You can answer the prayers and longings of these people by helping to ensure that even more Sri Lankans get a Bible. It only costs 30 kroner to ensure that a poor Christian can get a copy of the Bible in their own language.
