MY ACCOUNT
The rooster’s crow pierces the pre-dawn darkness as Amina adjusts her colorful floral headscarf and reaches for the small solar-powered device that has become her most treasured possession. In the sweltering heat of Chad, where temperatures soar above 110 degrees Fahrenheit even before sunrise, the 18-year-old mother cradles her infant son David while pressing play on an audio Bible that speaks to her in Kenga—her heart language.
“Today is the day of joys,” she begins to sing softly, her voice carrying across the dusty courtyard of her modest home. The melody, simple yet profound, has become her daily declaration of hope in a place where hope often feels as scarce as the water she must walk kilometers to collect.
Chad ranks among the world’s most challenging places to be a Christian. With a literacy rate hovering around 22%—among the lowest globally—and over 100 distinct languages spoken across this landlocked nation of 18.5 million, access to Scripture represents both a practical and spiritual crisis. In the Lake Chad Basin, Islamic extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa Province systematically target Christian communities, while the government struggles to maintain control over vast territories where lawlessness thrives.
Pastor Job, a local church leader, captures the reality facing persecuted Christians in Chad: “As a pastor here in Chad serving God, it’s kind of difficult to see the glory of God or the job of God being well done. Sometimes we struggle and it’s a challenge.” His words reflect the daily battles fought by Christians who refuse to abandon their faith despite overwhelming opposition.
According to Bible distribution partners working across sub-Saharan Africa, nearly half the world’s population lacks access to Scripture in their own language. In Chad, where oral tradition dominates and written text remains foreign to most, audio Bibles and SD cards have become lifelines—technological bridges spanning the chasm between ancient faith and modern accessibility. “At the beginning, it wasn’t easy when the first missionaries came here. The only way to read the Bible was just in French, but there was no different translation in different languages,” Pastor Job explains. “But now it is growing. It’s kind of a unique blessing for different people” to access God’s Word in their heart languages.
Amina’s story unfolds like a parable of resilience written in the margins of hardship. Born and raised in her village, she is one of nine children in a family where not everyone shares her Christian faith. Her journey to Jesus began when a local pastor proclaimed that Jesus is the savior, and those who believe in Him will be saved.
“When I started my life with Jesus, everything became new,” she recalls, her eyes brightening despite the weight of recent trials. “I do more good to people, I am happy with people, and I love people. That’s what Jesus brought—something new in my life.”
That transformation would be tested in ways she never anticipated. Married young to a Muslim man, Amina found herself abandoned with an infant son when her husband left, unable to reconcile his faith with hers. Now she lives in her mother’s compound, a single mother navigating poverty while clinging to promises that transcend her circumstances.
The small dwelling where she raises David tells the story of millions of persecuted Christians in Chad: a kitchen where chickens wander freely, water storage containers that require daily trips to distant pumps, and sleeping quarters that offer little respite from the relentless heat. Yet when visitors arrive at her home, Amina’s hospitality flows as naturally as her faith.
“I am so happy to have you here,” she tells strangers who have traveled thousands of miles to meet her. “You come from far away, and today you are in my home.” Her gratitude reflects a biblical understanding that transcends geography—she sees divine appointment in human encounter.
When asked about her favorite Bible verse, Amina doesn’t hesitate: “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us”—Romans 8:37. It’s a declaration that rings with particular power from someone whose conquering looks nothing like worldly victory but everything like enduring faith.
The audio Bible she treasures allows her to share Scripture with neighbors who, like her, cannot read. “People always need more and more audio Bibles and SD cards,” she explains, “because they are joyful when they listen to the words of God, and they want to discover more about the Bible. Some of them don’t know how to read, so it is a simple way for them to discover the Bible.”
Her church—located just behind her home—recently lost its pastor in a tragic accident, leaving the small congregation to navigate grief while building their faith. Yet Amina continues to worship, sing, and pray for the completion of their new church building, trusting God to provide what seems impossible.
During a recent visit by Global Christian Relief representatives, the overwhelming need became immediately apparent. Audio Bibles ran out within hours as believer after believer approached with requests. The joy on these faces of persecuted Christians in Chad receiving these devices was unmistakable—each one representing access to God’s Word in a language that speaks directly to the heart.
Pastor Job describes this transformative moment: “As a preacher, it is kind of a big joy when you preach in the language that the people understand. You can automatically see joy, happiness in the heart, and even the words of God come deeply because it is easier to understand in their own languages.”
As the sun sets over Chad’s vast landscape, painting the sky in shades that mirror Amina’s colorful headscarf, she holds David close and speaks of her singular hope: “May God keep my faith, in Jesus’ name.” It’s a prayer that echoes across continents, from Chad to Mexico to Afghanistan, wherever believers treasure God’s Word as their most precious possession.
We, at Global Christian Relief, work with local partners to bridge the gap between spiritual hunger and scriptural access, providing audio Bibles, SD cards, and physical copies to believers in the world’s most dangerous places. For just $5, a persecuted Christian can receive their very own Bible—a gift that transforms not just individual lives but entire communities.
In Amina’s village, requests for audio Bibles far exceed supply. Persecuted Christians in Chad travel from distant settlements, seeking the Word of God in languages that speak to their hearts. Each device becomes a beacon of hope, a technological miracle that carries ancient truth into modern darkness.
The challenge, as Pastor Job explains, is meeting the overwhelming demand: “I am sure all the people that we met from yesterday and today, they will be back to us and will ask for more audio and we will not have them. So we will just tell them: Please wait for a little bit.”
“Knowing the words of God is so good,” Amina reflects, her voice carrying the weight of someone who has discovered treasure in the midst of trial. As night falls and she prepares for another sweltering evening, the young mother who sings of joy in the face of abandonment embodies a truth that transcends time and place: sometimes the most powerful light shines brightest in the deepest darkness.
Her story is one of millions—a reminder that faith flourishes not despite persecution, but often because of it, watered by tears and strengthened by the unshakeable conviction that God’s Word never returns empty. In her resilience lies a glimpse of the unstoppable power of the global church, where courage meets compassion on the front lines of faith.
Your support helps provide audio Bibles to believers like Amina across Chad and around the world, allowing God’s Word to reach people in their own languages and transform their daily lives. Become a Frontline Partner today and your monthly, recurring gift can provide emergency relief and long-term support—plus Bibles, safe shelter, trauma counseling, medical aid, food and more for those in dire need.
