Leila* is one of the many Haitians who lost nearly everything after a massive earthquake. Food was scarce, her mother lost her job, and her father left. Leila found herself living in a makeshift tent, without anywhere to turn for comfort.

“We lacked everything we needed to live with dignity,” she says. “During the day, I had to stay outside because of the intense heat. And when it rained, I was afraid of being washed away.”

The only Bible Leila had was a French translation that she could not read, leaving her in a pit of spiritual despair. “I was always on the defensive,” she says. “I could not control my emotions. I was lost without God, because I did not have the Word of God to read.”

But then Leila received a Bible in Creole, her heart language, made possible by partners of American Bible Society.

“This Bible was the most important gift I’ve ever received,” Leila says. “It is the key to my salvation.”

Leila says her friends have noticed the inner peace her Bible has given her. “They say I’ve changed a lot and treat me with more respect. I realized how important I am to God, and each day I turn to His love to grow spiritually.”

Hundreds of thousands of Haitians have suffered through countless natural disasters and epidemics. They are depending on faithful friends like you for the hope and healing the Bible can provide.

To those who provided her Bible, Leila says “thank you from the bottom of my heart… You’ve brought me peace and I am ready to follow my Savior.”

*Name changed to protect privacy.