Yuan Tao Hong was heartbroken when her mother would break down in tears, trying to make sense of letters on a page. “My mother would sit and cry because she could not read her Bible,” Yuan explains.

And Yuan’s sadness was multiplied, because she knew her mother wasn’t the only one grieving not being able to read God’s Word. The majority of elderly people living in rural China, especially women, cannot read or write.

Unlike most people in her village, Yuan learned to read and write. Seeing an opportunity to share her gifts and God’s glory, she decided to teach her community how to read the Bible. With the help of American Bible Society financial partners and ministry partners in China, Yuan was equipped with the materials and tools she needed to teach literacy through the timeless truths of God’s Word.

One Word at a Time

Yuan’s students hike through the heat and crowd into narrow church pews that look like tiered stadium seats. But these stadium seats aren’t for entertainment—they’re for learning how to read by using God’s Word. Standing in front of her students, For each class, Yuan distributes two items: Bibles and literacy booklets, unlocking God’s love for each of them.

Over the course of several months, Yuan teaches the basics of reading to her eager students.

They work diligently to see God’s Word come alive on the pages in front of them—one word at a time. For those who haven’t yet mastered their signature, she teaches them writing. For those who are shy, she encourages them to read the Bible aloud with a group.

With the ability to read and write, Yuan’s students uncover the power of God’s Word for themselves. As literacy teacher Jiao Guoyan shares, for many elderly students, “Learning to read is a dream come true.”

We are so grateful for your prayerful support to see that all Chinese believers receive a Bible of their very own. Through your generous partnership with American Bible Society, you are helping people like Yuan reach rural Chinese communities, find truth and hope in God’s Word.