When you speak with Fredah*, you can see a glimmer of hope behind her dark eyes. Joy shines through her beautiful smile. Deep in her heart an innocence — once violently stripped away — is gently being restored, with the help of our friends and partners.

Fredah lives in Malawi, in southern Africa. Hers is one of the poorest countries in the world, yet this young lady is proud of the grass-thatched hut in the village where she grew up with four brothers and two sisters. “Our house looked fine by our standards,” she recalls. “Well ventilated and far away from overgrown bushes.”

From her home, it was just a short walk to the primary school she attended until she was 6 years old . . . until the day everything in her life changed. The headmaster of the school asked little Fredah to come to his office. He locked the door behind her and assaulted her. He was arrested, but Fredah was left traumatized and in despair.

“I wished I was dead,” she shares. “I lost my self-esteem and had no peace of mind.” The stares and teasing from the other students drove her to drop out of school. She eventually enrolled at a different school several miles from her village where no one knew her.

During those painful years, Fredah continued to attend church with her parents. But without a Bible she could truly understand, she had difficulty keeping up with the teachings. “I felt desperate not to have a Bible.”

Thanks to the continued generosity of our friends, Fredah received a new Bible in her heart language.

Fredah could not conceal her excitement as she said, “This Bible brings hope in my life!” She continued, “It will enhance my understanding of God . . . I can’t believe that we Elhomwe speakers can have a Bible in our own language.”

We are thankful to our partners for helping transform lives with the hope of God’s Word, which makes all things new and brings hope and healing to those who are heartbroken and in despair. This ongoing support ensures that more people will receive Scripture in their heart language and have the chance to experience the life-changing love of God.

*Name changed for privacy