Sushil^* grew up in a remote part of Suriname near the border of French Guiana, where he lived in a shanty made of branches and leaves. But at one point, his parents left him behind to find better work elsewhere.

Being separated from his dad and mom was heartbreaking, and Sushil was sent to live with his grandmother. When there were no possibilities for him to further his studies, Sushil’s life was uprooted again when he went to live with his aunt in the city.

But even then, Sushil knew that this was good. “If I would have stayed in the village, there was a great possibility that I would have become a witch doctor,” Sushil explains. They were already starting to [teach] me the tricks and knowledge.”

Sushil’s new home with his aunt wouldn’t last very long, though. “My aunt had no time for me because of her work,” he remembers. “[She] decided to put me in the orphanage.”

Alone and abandoned by his family, Sushil could have given up on his life. But instead, he gave his heart to Jesus. At the orphanage, Sushil received his First Bible, and he accepted Jesus as his Savior. This now 16-year-old received what God promises in Ezekiel 11:19 (GNT) — “a new heart and a new mind.”

“My life has changed because I do not live for myself anymore. I live for Jesus,” he shares. “The Bible means so much to me. It has taught me to live with respect for others and God as well. It has taught me to glorify God in everything I do.”

What a powerful reminder of how God works through His Word and His people to change lives for eternity! We are grateful for American Bible Society’s financial partners who empower people in Suriname and around the world to be lights of hope through Scripture. Through their continued support, we pray even more people like Sushil will know God and be forever changed through His Word.

^*Name changed to protect identity.