In this Testify series, our staff at American Bible Society share the testimonies of people whose lives have been transformed through your prayers.

Your prayers enable us, American Bible Society and our global partners, to share the life-changing message of the Bible with people around the world. And God is moving on hearts in miraculous ways!

Today, Amanda Sypherd, who serves as the manager of the Hero Squad program at American Bible Society will share how your prayers are helping us bring God’s Word to the Military community and how you can continue to pray for the work she is doing. We hope that this testimony inspires you to continue to pray for lives to be transformed through God’s Word.

Tell Us a Little About Yourself and What You Do at American Bible Society

I grew up in the suburbs of Philly and moved to the city of Philly about seven years ago. I’ve been with American Bible Society for four years, though it feels like far longer, in a good way. I work with the Armed Services Ministry team, which has served our Military through the free distribution of Bibles and Scripture engagement resources for more than 200 years.

My role is to manage a wonderful program called Hero Squad, which serves Military children and families with God’s Word. We know that Military kids face challenges that civilian kids might not face, like the extended absences of mom or dad, constant moves, navigating new schools and new friendships, and a range of emotional uncertainties, anxieties and fear.

Hero Squad helps Military children and their families address these unique challenges by connecting them to God’s love through the Bible.

How Does Hero Squad Work?

Through the generous donations of partners, every family that enrolls in the Hero Squad program receives a Welcome Box containing age and gender specific devotionals for each child as well as Bible-based activities and fun gifts for the whole family. Thereafter, quarterly devotionals and family activities are sent in the mail, alongside a variety of ways to engage digitally to Active Duty and Veteran families with children 3-17 years of age. Every resource is designed to help kids and families learn about how they can rely on Jesus through life’s battles together.

And very often we receive feedback from our parents and caregivers about how these resources are blessing their families. Their children are diving into God’s Word and drawing strength and hope from the stories in the Bible, in some cases for the first time. Families are coming together at the dinner table to read God’s Word together. We’ve even heard of young kids leaning into the truths in their devotionals to show more grace and kindness to their siblings and of kids being emboldened to speak about God’s Word to their peers. It’s been really precious to be a part of the program.

Can you share a testimony of someone who has been impacted by the Hero Squad program?

Yes. This story is about Danita. Danita and her family had just relocated to a new town that would be their last military-related transfer. Danita’s husband was to retire soon, so the couple often dreamed about the things their family would do together in the future.

Six weeks after the move, Danita’s husband died suddenly, leaving her and their two daughters to grieve.

Danita told us, “We were still house hunting, church hunting, and looking for schools. We had no community yet, and I felt completely isolated as I entered the hardest days of my life.” That sense of isolation was compounded when the pandemic began just a few weeks later.

The waves of trauma and grief made everything harder. Danita recalls that even reading the Bible her husband had given her on their wedding day “was like staring at a puddle.”

But thanks to a friend, renewed hope arrived in a camouflage-colored cardboard box from Hero Squad.

Danita told us about the moment the first Hero Squad box arrived at her door. She said, “We felt seen for the first time in months.” Her girls love the devotionals, and the new Bible Danita received is easier to read and less threadbare than her other Bible. They even use the boxes to hold keepsakes and mementos of their dad. Danita went on to say, “Hero Squad has kept us feeling like we’re still part of the military family and connected to my husband and the legacy he left.”

That’s just one story of so many lives being impacted through the Hero Squad program. Hero Squad is now serving almost 24,000 Military family members.

How can we pray for the work you are doing with Military families?

First, I want to start by thanking our partners for faithfully praying for us. God has answered your prayers by providing the resources needed to make the Hero Squad program accessible to families like Danita’s. And we want to reach even more members of the Military community with the hope found in God’s Word. So here are three specific ways you can pray:

• Pray for Military families. Pray that God will meet the spiritual needs of Military families through his Word and that they will experience God’s peace and comfort daily.
• Pray for our partners. Pray for the chaplains and local churches caring for Military communities. Pray that they will be a godly influence and source of encouragement.
• Pray that resources like Hero Squad and other programs will continue to reach the Military Community. Pray that they will be shared and made widely accessible through digital channels, chaplains, and partner organizations. Also, ask God to move on the hearts of financial partners to give so we can provide the Hero Squad program to Military families at no cost to them.

To learn more about Hero Squad and other Military resources visit our website: www.armedservicesministry.org.