Alejandra* was afraid her parents would die. They were all she had.

Last year, when the 12-year-old’s parents both came down with COVID-19, Alejandra lived in fear. “I felt very afraid of the possibility they could die . . . and at the same time, get infected myself and die,” she admits.

The COVID-19 pandemic turned many lives upside down over the past year. When children are hurt, it’s even more heartbreaking. Alejandra already knew her share of hard times. She grew up in a small house of wood and tin, next to the city dump in a very poor area of Nicaragua.

“When my parents had to stop working because they were sick, we did not have anything to eat,” she recalls. Alejandra’s neighbors pulled together to bring them food. Many of them barely survived themselves, scavenging for plastics and metals from the dump to sell.

Nicaragua is one of the poorest nations in Latin America, where access to basic services is a daily challenge. During the pandemic, friends like you gave hope to hurting families like Alejandra’s by distributing 100,000 Bibles.

Alejandra received her very first Bible during this challenging time. The Scriptures gave her peace and helped calm her fears throughout the pandemic.

“I feel so happy when I read the Bible because I am learning about Jesus . . . and His love for children,” she explains. “I am so excited for this gift. The Bible has changed me.”

Today, Alejandra’s parents are healthy again, and they all attend church together. We are grateful to our financial partners for fueling our efforts to provide much-needed Bibles during the pandemic.

*Name has been changed to protect privacy