With this edition of Sower, we’re reaching the end of another year, the beginning of summer and the approach of Christmas. What a wonderful time of year!
I love this season. It’s a time to celebrate Jesus’ birth with my church community, spend more time with family and friends, and reflect while reading Scripture.
But as I enjoy reading the Bible, I’m reminded of those around the world who can’t — and the hope they’re missing. Literacy is something we often take for granted in Australia, yet for millions, it’s a barrier to opportunity, dignity, and encountering the greatest story ever told.
This edition of Sower celebrates the impact of Bible-based literacy projects around the world. Thanks to the gifts you give, thousands can learn to read and write, which in turn unlocks life skills and enables them to find joy and hope in God’s word.
You’ll read about adults in Mozambique reclaiming an education they thought they’d missed. For 53-year-old Eulália*, the literacy course was a renewal of hope, which transformed lives and ignited dreams. She shares, “I want to continue learning, growing, and helping other women believe that it's never too late.”
In Lebanon, you’ll read about children like 10-year-old Nabil*, displaced by poverty and conflict, who is learning to read and discovering grace: “I used to be shy reading out loud in class. Now I read Bible verses confidently and we talk about what they mean.”
You’ll also find an update on the work in Kenya, where young people who had no access to a Bible are now reading their own copies of God’s word for themselves. Valerie*, a 14-year-old student, shared: “When words hurt so deeply, I will have the Bible to anchor my response to them … Now having this Bible will firm up my beliefs since I have it to look up to ... May the Word light my paths.” That’s the kind of impact your gift makes possible.
God’s word tells us, “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding ...” (Psalm 119:130, NIV). As we approach Christmas, may you be encouraged that thousands around the world are now able to read the good news of our Saviour and truly grasp that the angels’ message brings great joy for all people (Luke 2:10).
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
GOD BLESS, Chris Melville
INTERIM CEO BIBLE SOCIETY AUSTRALIA
“ When words hurt so deeply, I will have the Bible to anchor my response to them … Now having this Bible will firm up my beliefs since I have it to look up to ... May the Word light my paths.”
"The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding ..." — Psalm 119:130a (NIV)
Reading the Word, Rewriting the Future
In Mozambique, from the final decades of colonial rule to the long years of civil war, and through the slow rebuilding that followed, generations have weathered hardship with strength and dignity. “Mozambique has a national inferiority, because they have just been denied the basic human rights for so long,” observes Alford Ncube, a Pastor and the National Director of Mission Educate. For many, especially women in rural communities, education was a dream deferred, sacrificed to care for siblings, tend fields, or survive displacement. Yet today, that dream is being rekindled. “The first step out of that sense of inferiority,” explains Mission Educate’s Terry King, “is to be able to read and write.” Mission Educate, with the support of Bible Society Australia, is helping individuals reclaim the opportunity to learn, not just for themselves, but for the generations they’ve nurtured along the way.
Hope reborn, dreams rekindled
Sixty years ago, Fernanda* was born into a farming family in rural Mozambique, where her childhood was shaped more by survival than schooling. At nine, she began first grade with hope, but her mother’s illness and her father’s neglect — he favoured his second wife — forced Fernanda to step into adulthood early.
Her uncle, a returned soldier, came to care for her mother, leaving Fernanda to raise her three younger brothers and tend the land. She was forced to leave school, and later, lack of finances and motherhood kept it out of reach. Then, widowed at 41, Fernanda carried the weight of her family throughout the years.
Yet today, seated in a literacy class at the Old Apostolic Church, Fernanda shares, “I say with great pride that my hope of overcoming illiteracy is being reborn.” The Literacy for Life Project has rekindled her dream to read and write. “I am sure that I will achieve my dreams of knowing how to read and write,” she says, “and I will also gain additional knowledge of knowing in the Life Skills classes.”
Literacy: a seed for dreaming
For many Mozambicans, especially those in rural and cyclone-affected communities, the legacy of colonialism, civil war and poverty has meant generations have lived without access to education. The inability to read and write has not only limited opportunities but also fostered a deep sense of shame and dependence. In this context, the Literacy for Life project, run by Mission Educate and supported by Bible Society
“Literacy is very much a seed for dreaming ..."
Australia, is more than a classroom initiative; it is a doorway to dignity, confidence and transformation.
As Terry King, Executive Director of Mission Educate, explains, “Literacy is very much a seed for dreaming. People see that, ‘Okay, I can now read and write. I can write my name. Maybe then I can improve my agriculture. Maybe then I could start my own business. Maybe then I could go out and do other things.’ And it all starts with literacy.” Delivered through trusted local churches and facilitated by Mozambicans themselves, the literacy program teaches adults and vulnerable youth to read, write, and apply life skills in their daily lives.
“A plant that will soon bear fruit”
“Literacy seemed like a dream,” shares António*, who never imagined he’d sit in a classroom again. A father of 11, born and raised in the district of Marromeu, his life had been shaped by farming, family and the quiet acceptance that education had passed him by. He never believed he would make it far into his studies, concerned that at 64 he would get too tired, a concern enforced by the comments of his friends who said, “At your age, you won’t get far.” An additional concern for António was that most of the class were women, which made him feel out of place.
Yet António pressed on, and the dedication and expertise of the facilities and project staff made the difference. “They motivated me a lot,” says António, “so did the class, who I now call my family.” Now 67, he writes his name with pride, shares what he reads in the Bible, and even
interprets manuals. “I looked like a seed that wasn’t going to germinate,” he says, “but now I’m like a plant that will soon bear fruit.” António is preparing to sit the state exams next year and is so thankful for the chances given to him to learn to read and gain life skills.
“Transformed lives, reignited dreams”
Eulália* has lived through loss, resilience, and renewal. As a 53-year-old widow, mother of six and grandmother to fifteen, life has not been easy. Yet nothing can contain the joy and enthusiasm she feels at being a part of the Literacy for Life Project. “From the beginning, I felt that something new was being born within me,” she says. With the support of her facilitator Marta, Eulália learned to identify and write letters and numbers, a personal triumph she never thought possible. The literacy course, Eulália shares, has “been a renewal of hope”, as it not only helps her learn to read and write, but has become a community offering encouragement and wisdom from the Bible. “We have shared our difficulties and received advice based on the Word of God.”
Today, Eulália feels more confident and able to set goals to improve her quality of life. She also finds that she can inspire her family and her community. She offers her sincere thanks to all those from Mission Educate and Bible Society Australia for their love and investment in her and in others. “Your gesture has transformed lives and ignited dreams.” As a way of giving back, Eulália declares her commitment to valuing every opportunity given to her by Mission Educate and dedicating herself to the activities of the literacy centre. She
says, “I want to continue learning, growing, and helping other women believe that it's never too late to study.”
“The arm that used to be heavy for writing has become light”
Education was out of reach for 56-year-old José* in his youth. Born in Beira city and raised in a poor family, the civil war forced him out of school in first grade, and life quickly became a struggle for survival in the 16 years of war which followed. Married at 20 and becoming a father of three, José supported his family by selling charcoal. He noticed that those around him who had been able to attend primary school went on to build more stable lives, and regretted his lost opportunity for an education.
When the Literacy for Life Project arrived in Nhangoma, it felt like a second chance. “The arm that used to be heavy for writing, today has become light,” he says, crediting the patience of his facilitator, Mateus. Now, José is learning to read, write and do arithmetic — and with that, he’s setting goals to improve his family’s future and
inspire his community. “The whole class is happy,” he shares, “and grateful for this beautiful literacy project.” José, along with the other students, have responded to the chance they have been given by taking a serious approach to learning what is offered to them by the teachers.
Across Mozambique, stories like Fernanda’s, António’s, Eulália’s and José’s give us pictures of lives transformed — lives in which dignity is restored, dreams are reignited, and the Word of God is opened to hearts once limited by illiteracy. Through the Literacy for Life Project, learning to read and write has become more than a longedfor skill; literacy is shown to be a gateway to hope, faith in God and a future once thought unreachable.
If you would like to learn more about how lives are being transformed in Mozambique, or to support this project, visit biblesociety.org.au/sow.
*Names of beneficiaries have been changed to protect privacy.
Unlocking the Word: Literacy for Women and Girls in The Gambia
“The first day I held the Manjago Bible, I didn’t believe that I’ll be able to continue using it but now I can ... Now I can read my Manjago Bible,” shares Mariama* with great joy. Mariama is a literacy teacher who used to be a student of literacy not that long ago. Through a literacy program run by the Bible Society of The Gambia, she’s passing on what she has learned and thriving in her role — all while deepening her knowledge of her native language, Manjago.
“I thank God for helping me transition from
teaching kids to now teaching adults. Now I can read my language easily without help because I’m teaching people my native language, my work is a little easier compared to teaching English.”
Mariama’s journey from illiteracy to teaching others captures the heart of a remarkable project run by the Bible Society of The Gambia. In a country where nearly half of all women cannot read or write, the Literacy for Young Girls and Women program is unlocking brighter futures for
A Nation of Languages, a Need for Literacy
The Gambia, the smallest country on mainland Africa, winds along the Gambia River and is surrounded almost entirely by Senegal, with the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Though small in size, it is rich in cultural diversity. More than ten languages are spoken, with Wolof, Mandinka, Jola, Manjago, and Karoninka among the most widely used.
Christians are a flourishing minority in The Gambia, making up around four percent of its population of 2.41 million. The Church in The Gambia is growing but poverty and illiteracy remain a challenge. The Bible Society in The Gambia has already published the Jola and Mandinka Bibles and is currently translating the Wolof Bible to make God’s word accessible to the growing Christian community and its next generation.
Yet translation alone is not enough. A truth lived out by the Bible Society of The Gambia is: “Bible translation without literacy is like offering a treasure with no key.”
Unlocking the Word
That is why the Literacy for Young Girls and Women project began. By teaching women to read, write, and count in their local languages, the program not only restores dignity and confidence but also opens the Bible to them so they can read God's word in their languages and for themselves.
The literacy classes are held in rural communities where a high percentage of adults, especially women, are non-literate. The literacy program runs for four years wherein successful graduates are encouraged to become literacy teachers themselves. The learning is practical, covering alphabets, reading, writing, and numeracy, while
also nurturing spiritual growth through Bible engagement. By 2030, the program aims to empower at least 1,000 new learners each year, with the hope that these learners will share their learning at home with their families and friends, multiplying the impact.
In a 2025 project update report, the Bible Society of The Gambia team says the ripple effect is already visible:
“Women from other nearby communities have approached us, asking for the program to be brought to their villages. This shows the growing demand and value of what we are doing.”
Testimonies from Literacy Learners
Although this project predominantly serves women and girls, many men have also benefitted by learning literacy through this project. John* is one of them. He shares his journey, saying, “One of my challenges at the beginning of this course was differentiating singular and plural and some of the alphabets. Now I have grasped it. I thank God. Now I read the Bible in Wolof at the church. All my friends that laughed at me are now surprised ... whenever I am down, I read the Bible and it heals me.”
For many native Jola learners, the program has deepened their love for their mother tongue. By learning literacy in Jola, participants have strengthened their language skills and helped preserve Jola for future generations. Fatou* shared her joy at her graduation ceremony: “Before, I didn’t even know basic things in Jola but now I thank God that I can express myself fully without borrowing words from other languages ... Now I can write my phone number and save names in Jola. I can even write a letter in Jola now. So I thank Bible Society.”
For others, the gift of literacy has become a calling to help other non-literate friends and family. Tida* shared, “I have changed a lot. I used to wonder how these lessons work but now I am deeply immersed in it. I can read and write. Now I can even teach other people what I have learned ... Any day I see an interested person, I will make enough follow up for them to join.”
Transforming Women, Families, Communities and a Nation
At its heart, this project is about transformation. It gives women who were once excluded from education the chance to discover their voice, to build confidence, and to read the Bible, translated in their native language, for themselves.
As a Staff Member from the Bible Society of The Gambia explains: “When you educate a girl or a woman, you transform her life, and through her, you transform a family, a community, and an entire nation.”
With your support, the Bible Society of The Gambia can continue to spread this literacy program to more rural communities requesting it. Visit biblesociety.org.au/sow.
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
Every $50
could help provide literacy materials for people in the Solomon Islands.
Will you help children and adults gain literacy skills for life, enabling them to Open The Bible?
Every $100
could help train a literacy facilitator in South Sudan or Egypt.
Every $200
could help equip a church in Mozambique to run the Literacy for Life program. Donate
Knowing Jesus through Literacy in Lebanon
"Learning English through Bible stories made me love both more."
“I used to be shy reading out loud in class,” shares 10-year-old Nabil*, who lives in Lebanon. “Now I read Bible verses confidently and we talk about what they mean.”
Nabil is one of many children excluded from formal education, largely due to displacement. With over two million refugees in Lebanon, many children are left without the chance to learn or improve their reading and writing.
Responding to this need, the Bible Society of Lebanon provides safe, Bible-based classes for children from refugee and disadvantaged communities. Fadi*, a program director, shares, “The donation from Bible Society came exactly
when we needed it most. Many of our students had never held a book before, let alone a Bible storybook in their own language. Watching them open these books with joy and curiosity was a moment I will never forget.”
In the first half of 2025, 2,204 children were reached through these literacy classes. Free Bibles and materials are provided, and the impact is clear. Children are growing in confidence and reading ability. “My [12-year-old] daughter used to struggle with English, but through this program, she improved so much,” shares Layla*. “She now enjoys telling us about Bible stories every night. It’s a blessing for the whole family.”
Teachers like Elias*, who teaches Arabic literacy, sees students truly connecting with the material. He says, “Watching my students grow in both their Arabic and their understanding of God’s word has been incredibly fulfilling. They’re not just memorising vocabulary, they’re connecting with Scripture on a deeper level, and that changes everything.”
Rana*, a teacher in a refugee learning centre, is amazed by the Bible literacy books. “Many of our students come from very difficult backgrounds, and these resources have given them a safe and hopeful space to learn,” she shares. “I’ve seen children who used to be restless and distracted now sit quietly, listen, and even ask deep questions about the stories.”
This Bible Society literacy project is transforming every part of these children’s lives. Nabil adds, “I’ve even learned new words like 'forgiveness' and 'grace,'” and a 15-year-old student reflects, “Learning English through Bible stories made me love both more. The lessons stayed with me
because they weren’t just about grammar, they were about life.”
Children in Lebanon are learning to read and getting to know Jesus in a personal way. “I love reading the stories,” says one 10-year-old. “My favourite is about Jesus and the children because it makes me feel that Jesus loves me too. I also like drawing the pictures and telling the stories to my little brother when we go home.”
Will you help more children discover the joy of reading and the love of Jesus? Your support brings hope, literacy, and Scripture to those who need it most. Visit biblesociety.org.au/sow.
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
Dear Lord,
We lift before you all children and adults living in poverty, those who are underprivileged, those who have missed out on an education, and those who have lost the ability to read and write over time. Lord, you see their struggles and their potential, we ask that you pour out your grace and opportunity upon them.
We pray that you bless the literacy projects of Bible Societies and our mission partners around the world. Thank you that these programs not only equip people with practical reading and writing skills but also open their hearts to your word as they learn through reading the Bible.
We pray for every literacy teacher and facilitator. Thank you that many of them were once learners themselves and have successfully graduated from their literacy course. Please bless them with joy and fulfilment as they teach others. May their efforts bear fruit that extends beyond the classroom, multiplying through families, friends, and entire communities.
Lord, in places where literacy rates remain low, especially among adults, we ask that you use these projects to bring lasting change, empowering people year after year to read, learn and grow personally and spiritually. May they be confident to read the Bible for themselves, read Scripture in their church, and participate in Bible studies.
As they learn literacy and numeracy, may they gain lifelong skills for their everyday lives. May you sustain them and be their provider as they sustain and provide for their families and build brighter futures. Thank you for the gift of literacy through your word.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
In places where illiteracy rates are high, whether among women in Mozambique, indigenous communities in Colombia, or refugee children in Lebanon, your gift can transform lives through Bible-based literacy — helping to bring hope, joy, and a better future.
This Christmas, make your gift their hope. Your support equips others with literacy and enables them to read the Bible for themselves.
Donate today at biblesociety.org.au/sow or call 1300
.
2025 Annual Impact Report
Thanks to your generosity, the Bible has reached hearts and homes across Australia and the world this past year. In the 2024–2025 financial year, Bible Society Australia (BSA) partnered with Bible Societies and mission organisations globally to translate, share, and open God’s word for those longing to read it for themselves.
Scriptures Distributed 1,018,246
442,659 (includes free and subsidised)
BSA is supporting Bible translation across 28+ languages in these regions and countries:
Asia
South Pacific
Papua New Guinea
Australia
Mongolian
Vietnamese
Vietnamese minority language
Sri Lankan Sign Language
Tongan
Samoan
Ajie
Nelemwa
Drehu
Nengone
Iaai (New Caledonia)
Tok Pisin
Magi
Vulaa
Gogodala
Mele Ahamb Erromango
Futuna
Lelepa Ngunese
Yuna
Pa Aekom
Motu
Pitjantjatjara
Noongar
Auslan (Australian Sign Langauge)
biblesociety.org.au/impact
Kenya
Light in the Hands of the Young
"This Bible will help me learn more about Jesus and have a relationship with Him … During free time, I will be reading the Bible and gather my friends … we discuss the Word together."
— Daniel*, 11, Mutaki Comprehensive School
Bible Society Australia supports the Bible Society of Kenya (BSK) in placing Bibles into the hands of children and youth who would otherwise go without. In many Kenyan schools, Christian Religious Education (CRE) is a compulsory subject, yet students often lack access to a Bible, especially in rural and low-income communities.
In September 2025, BSK visited 46 schools in Makueni County, distributing Bibles to children facing poverty, abandonment and spiritual darkness. Many shared how the Bible is helping them navigate trauma, build faith and lead others. "This Bible will help me be a better Sunday school teacher at my church,” said Grace*, 14, who recently gave her life to Christ after receiving her first full Bible.
"When words hurt so deeply, I will have the Bible to anchor my response to them”, says 14-year-old Valerie*. “Jeremiah 33:3 speaks to me often, reminding me to call on God for wisdom even when I do not understand. Now having this Bible will firm up my beliefs since I have it to look up to. I feel thankful and sharing this love with me feels special. May the Word light my paths."
Since 2017, 49,431 Scriptures have been distributed across 317 schools and 24 children’s homes in Kenya. In May 2025 alone, 12,000 students in 30 schools received Bibles. Teachers report improved CRE grades and parents say children are more responsible, moral and motivated to attend school.
To read more, visit biblesociety.org.au/blog
*Names have been changed to protect their privacy.
Supporter Update
Hike for Bibles
For over 14 years, Tanya and Jon have faithfully led the Hike for Bibles along Western Australia’s Bibbulmun Track, raising vital funds for Bible Society Australia (BSA). This year marks their final hike — a farewell to a remarkable season of service, sacrifice and spiritual impact. The farewell hike ended in Albany, WA, to the sound of church bells rung by Rev Karen Cave. Supporters from the 110-year-old Albany Action Group and volunteers from St John’s Anglican Church gathered in the church hall for a joyful lunch, celebrating the hikers’ completed journey.
Since 2017, the hike has raised over $145,000 to support frontline chaplains through BSA’s Scripture Grants program. Tanya estimates the total impact since she and Jon began leading in 2012 is closer to $176,000.
But the hike has always been more than a fundraiser. Even the great team of volunteers supporting the hike have been touched. “Some of them are Christians, some of them are not, but they've always supported that we are raising money for Bibles,” Tanya says. “And along the way … some of them will ask a question about, ‘What is all this about?’ And the five-minute stop turns into a 20-minute, half an hour stop while you sit on the side of the track in the middle of nowhere and talk about Christianity … So that's been a really lovely side of it.”
As Tanya and Jon step into new ministries, their legacy continues to inspire. “Be willing to give it a go,” Tanya says. “Sometimes you just have to start.”
If you want to consider your own fundraising hike or events, contact church@biblesociety.org.au. To read more, visit biblesociety.org.au/blog.
Stan Grant’s spiritual re-awakening
Through a serious spiritual re-awakening, Australian journalist and indigenous theologian, Stan Grant has turned his back on anger and outlined his renewed motivation for meeting hate with love and grace. Interviewed by CPX Executive Director, Simon Smart on the CPX podcast, Life & Faith, Grant describes the shape of his spiritual life, the surprising ways it has impacted him and how he sees the world and his place in it.
Simon/ I want to ask you about forgiveness ... Christian faith calls you towards forgiveness and a breaking of the cycle of vengeance and resentment. But is this even possible? How do you begin that process?
Stan/ Miroslav Volf has done so much work around this idea and I love what he says on this. Jurgen Moltmann was his great teacher, as well. These are people who lived through enormous
rupture in our world. Moltmann served in the Nazi army. He wore the Nazi insignia as a young man and was a prisoner of war at the end of WWII. He had to come to terms with the potential for his own complicity in the horrors of the Shoah. Miroslav lived through the wars of Yugoslavia. He was famously asked, “As a Croatian, can you embrace a Chetnik”—a Serbian nationalist fighter? And he said, “No. But as a Christian, I must.”
How do we get from “no” to “I must?” I confront the same things. I know that there is a deep human impulse in me to rise to anger—to embrace a righteousness in the face of the worst of that history and to hold people to account. Believe me, it can burn in you. And it has burned in me. I don't like where it leads.
I've come to not trust myself around history. I don't like what it does to me. But history is not the measure of us. What does Christ do? He releases us from history. Hegel talks about an end of history. Christ is the end of history. Yet, we put him on the cross every day. We persecute him again and again for the crimes that we commit. I know that when I hold a resentment in my heart, when I rise to anger at the injustice that's been visited on us, I'm putting Christ back on that cross. He died to end that.
That doesn't mean that there is not justice. He calls us to justice. That does not mean that there is not truth. He calls us to truth. But we come to truth and justice through grace and love. We don't come to it through resentment.
Nietzsche talked about the man of ressentiment, the man who always returns to the wound. It's the source of his identity. I have been that man of ressentiment. I've been the resentful person. I know where that leads, and it doesn't lead to good places.
Forgiveness is not easy, but it is what we can build a world on. It is Christ's last prayer, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” He gives us a template for peace, a way to live with the horrors that we are capable of.
Forgiveness also asks something of the perpetrator—that they humble themselves before that forgiveness. There is a repentance that is not obligatory but offered, through the humility of accepting the forgiveness of the person that you have damaged. This is essential for me. As I have explored all these things, asked those questions, and read the great thinkers and writers about this, it leads me back to that one thing I said before—forgiveness is the only thing we can build a world on.
Faith Stories
Binay's story
But Jesus came to save!
I was born in a Hindu family in a remote village in Nepal and my dad was the traditional healer. He made herbal medicines and performed Hindu mantras for healing, so all the villagers came to our house for help. They all loved him. He was a very good man, and I wanted to follow him. One day, I bought a big notebook so I could write down all his mantras in my book.
But during that time, my mum became very sick, and this went on for many years. We gathered all our family … everybody was crying out for help. My dad was healing all the other people. Why couldn’t he heal my mum?
I thought … perhaps it isn’t true. That’s when I stopped believing in any gods and I stopped
learning the mantras. After I passed 10th class, I left my village to study in Pokhara. At that time, my room was very close to a Christian church. I had never met a Christian before that. There were none in my village or the whole region. One weekend, I was going to the market, and I saw a big crowd entering the building. I was very surprised, so I asked my landlady about it. She said that Christians gather for fellowship and to praise God.
I was so surprised there were so many people. I thought that people only became Christians to get money. After a week, or two, one of my neighbours began to visit my room. He was a Christian, a very nice, polite man. I listened politely but I said I wasn’t interested and told him
not to visit. Then he said I could come to church if I like. Lots of things were going around in my mind. I thought it would be good to go and see — to find out how they manipulated people.
Every week, I went to church and listened for the manipulation. If I found it, I thought I could tell my classmates, and we could stop the spread of the church. But I didn’t find it. Every week, the people were very friendly. I never heard a bad thing at church. My neighbour kept visiting me and he showed me lots of Bible verses. I remember Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
I felt burdened at that time. I grew up in the village, feeling low-level, worried about my mum … so that verse touched me. Slowly, I became a Christian. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour. In the Hindu scriptures, there is nothing about salvation. It says the gods come to destroy the sinners. But Jesus says he comes to save the sinners. It gave me so much peace.
In the next Desai festival, I went home and told my parents I was a Christian. They didn’t respond at first. They didn’t know anything about Christianity. But later, they started crying and saying, “You don’t love us? You don’t do sacrifices and funeral rites anymore?” In Hindu Nepal, a son is very important but if he doesn’t do those things he is not seen to be a son anymore, he is worthless.
I told them I had found the truth, and it was my decision. But every time I visited, they were upset with me. My family and neighbours told their children not to meet with me. I started praying for my family and for my village. I prayed that one day, there would be a church in my village.
Slowly, I started to be able to share my faith in Jesus with my family. After two years, one of my brothers became a Christian. Then one of my cousins became a Christian. Then his brother became a Christian in Malaysia. Then my other brother became a Christian in Saudi Arabia. Then two of my sisters-in-law became Christians. One of their daughters was very sick, and we prayed for her, and she was healed! Then another cousin became a Christian after he was healed. He could read and write, unlike the other villagers, so I encouraged him to lead the church. We sent him off for Bible training, and we supported his wife and children. The little fellowship began to grow in my village! My cousin came back and became the church leader. Since then, lots of people have become Christians, even my mum and dad. There are amazing stories! I can’t believe it! There are now more than 70 people in the church! God has been answering all of my prayers.
Binay's story is part of the Faith Stories series, compiled by Naomi Reed.
To read more Faith Stories, visit biblesociety.org.au/faith-stories
Day 1
Colossians 1: 19–20 (NIV)
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
The pursuit of peace in our lives is a quest that we are all on. We get to taste it every so often or sample it and instantly want more. But then it seems to allude us. We know peace is essential, yet it often seems absent from our lives.
Jesus is God’s clean-up and clear-up plan for the whole world. The babe has been sent on a special mission: to put everything back in its rightful place, to fix what is broken, to clean up the mess, to rearrange the chaos and to bring peace at last. The Prince of Peace comes to make peace and to offer peace to a world in need of peace.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we invite you to lead us into a season of peace and peace-making. Give us your heart and hands as we navigate this busy, complex, and chaotic time of year. Help us to know the peace of God that surpasses all understanding and guards our hearts and minds in you.
Day 2
Luke 2: 10–11 (NIV)
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today, in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
When the choir of angels filled the sky that first Christmas evening, performing their heavenly anthem for the shepherds and their flocks, their announcement would be one that would touch the hearts and souls of every pilgrim for the last two millennia. The Good News was being proclaimed, and the promised experience was ‘great joy.’
This Christmas season, we join with the choir of the Christian Church throughout the ages and across the nations, and we raise a heavenly anthem of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”. As we raise that shout, let us remember the promise of God, to the hearers of the Good News, the promise of GREAT JOY!
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you that the joy of the Lord is our promise, our strength and our experience. Let great joy break out in my heart today and make me a carrier of joy to the world around me. Amen.
Good News of Great Joy for All People!
Steven McCready is taking us on a journey through the Christmas story. While many of us might already be familiar with the big ideas of the Advent, we have the opportunity here to delve deeper into the details and experience the profound power of the good news of great joy.
Day 3
Matthew 1:21 (NIV)
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
The name Jesus means ‘God Saves’. Jesus is God’s Rescue plan. The Saviour of the world has come, and at Christmas we marvel that the Son of God came in human form, humbled himself, and became our saviour. We marvel that the rescue plan of God, dreamed up and designed in the very council of heaven, finds its earthly, humble beginnings in an animal food trough, in a cave, in a backwater town. The angels proclaim, “Today in the town of David, a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:11–12, NIV).
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you are the saviour of the world. “Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name, lead and guide me. Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.” (Psalm 31: 2–5, NIV). Amen.
Day 4
2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV)
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
Jesus is the gift of God and the gift from God. In his coming, he has entered his High Priestly work of being our guide, leading us, showing us the way, and keeping us moving forward as we follow him. He has opened a pathway of communication, interceding on our behalf before the Father. Now, we can pray without ceasing. Finally, he has given us himself and his powerful name. There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12).
Prayer:
King Jesus, thank you for your salvation, so full and so free. Our hearts are glad, and our souls are grateful. You meet our deepest needs through your incarnation. Thank you for rescuing us from sin and thank you for restoring us to life with God forever. Amen.
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