Emmanuel* lived in the slums of Togo with little to call his own.

His makeshift home was just one of many in his village in Togo where the poorest of the poor from nearby areas crowd together hoping to find work in the city.

The 11-year-old’s small home had no electricity, and his family shared a bathroom with many other families. He didn’t even have a bed of his own and slept on the floor with his siblings.

Most importantly, Emmanuel had no hope.

“I had bad ideas. I liked fighting very often and in all cases I wanted to strangle my opponent,” Emmanuel admits. “When my father got home from his work, he used to punish me severely.”

Emmanuel and his family are among the majority of the population in Togo that live in poverty. Political turmoil and natural disasters, like flooding, have left many families in crisis.

One day, Emmanuel attended a children’s event sponsored by members of the Bible Society. There, Emmanuel received a coloring book with Bible stories and a Children’s Bible!

“It was my very first time to have a Bible,” Emmanuel explains. “It was a great joy for me to have my own Bible. This book became my companion. Whenever I have free time, I read it.”

Because he has engaged with God’s Word, Emmanuel’s “life has been totally transformed.” He says, “I know that something has changed my life. I thank Jesus Christ for setting my mind free from evil ideas of violence.”

Children like Emmanuel who are living in desperate situations need the hope of Scripture. The faithfulness of our financial partners places Bibles in the hands and hearts of boys and girls around the world.

When children meet God through the power of His Word, their lives are transformed! “I am no longer violent,” Emmanuel says. “I obey my parents and even help them in their daily activities.”

Through the generosity of American Bible Society friends, God is transforming hearts and lives with His Word in poverty-stricken areas of Togo and around the world.

*Name changed to protect privacy.