Gabon is a nation on the west coast of Africa where over a third of the population lives below the poverty line. Power losses and water shortages are frequent, and the majority of roads are unpaved.

Due to the widespread poverty and the effects of the AIDS epidemic, children in Gabon are especially vulnerable.

Children like Serena* . . .

Serena was barely 5 years old when she became orphaned and homeless, wandering the streets alone. When she saw other children going to an orphanage, she followed along, desperate for food, safety, and a sense of belonging. And praise God, the orphanage took her in.

In addition to the basics like nourishing food and a soft bed, Serena received a Bible of her very own, thanks to friends of American Bible Society.

“My Bible is the Word of God,” Serena says. “It makes me feel good when I read the stories in the Bible. My favorite is David and Goliath.”

For the first time, Serena has hope for the future. “I want to learn, to go to school, and, above all, to do good things,” she says.

One of Serena’s favorite things is when “grown-ups come and tell us the stories of the

Bible and how we can succeed in life, even if we no longer have parents to keep us.”

The faithfulness of our financial partners gave Serena and other hurting children like her their very first Bibles, and we thank them for showing these children the love and acceptance they desperately need.

*Name changed to protect privacy.