“My Heart Was Beating to Know God”
Ashura didn’t know what her heart was searching for.
One day while walking through the market, she noticed a group of people singing together. She didn’t recognize the songs or understand the words, but something about their joy stirred her deeply.
Quietly, she joined them.
Only later did she realize they were a church choir praising God—and among them was someone she recognized: her neighbor.
A few days later, Ashura saw that same neighbor sitting beneath a tree with a small group gathered around a Talking Bible. Curious and still thinking about what she had experienced in the market, Ashura sat down to listen.
That day, they were listening to John 3.
As the words were spoken aloud, Ashura leaned in. And when they reached verse 16, something happened she could not explain.
“My heart was beating to know God,” she says.
Wanting to understand more, Ashura later bought a printed New Testament and tried reading the same passage for herself. But even though she had completed 9th grade, the words were difficult to fully grasp.
She could read the words—but she could not truly understand them.
Then she heard the passage again through the Talking Bible.
This time, everything became clear.
The meaning reached her heart in a way printed words never had.
Because someone provided a Talking Bible, Ashura was finally able to hear and understand God’s Word in a way she could fully grasp.
She continued listening with the group, learning more about Jesus each week. Before long, Ashura gave her life to Christ.
Today, she is growing in her faith through a Talking Bible listening group that meets twice each week beneath a large tree outside Kigoma. Together, the group listens to God’s Word, asks questions, and learns in community.
Ashura’s story is one of many lives being transformed through the power of God’s Word in audio form. For millions of oral learners around the world, hearing the Bible is the key to understanding it.
And when people hear and understand God’s Word, lives are changed forever.
More Changed Life Stories
August 25, 2026
How does a mother who cannot read share God’s Word with her children? Some Families Gather Around God's Word by Reading. Others Gather by Listening. For millions of people around the world, hearing God's Word isn't simply another way to experience Scripture. It's the only way. One of those people is Esther. As a child, Esther never had the opportunity to attend school. Although she came to know Christ, she could only hear Scripture when someone else read it aloud at church or over a loudspeaker. Then her pastor placed a Talking Bible into her hands. Everything changed. Every evening, Esther gathers her children. Around God's Word. Through a Talking Bible. Together, they listen to Scripture, pray, and talk about what they've heard. Stories like Abraham, Zacchaeus, and the prodigal son have become lessons Esther now shares with her children. Even her husband—who rarely has the opportunity to attend church—has begun listening while he works. God's Word is quietly transforming an entire family... …one day at a time. Just as many of us grow in our faith by reading God's Word, Esther's family is growing by hearing it—day after day. Every gift to Talking Bibles helps place God's Word into the hands of people who are waiting to hear it, and monthly ministry partners provide dependable support that helps ensure families like Esther's can continue hearing God's Word month after month. That's why I'd like to invite you to become a monthly ministry partner . Your recurring gift helps place Talking Bibles into the hands of people who cannot read, are visually impaired, or learn best by listening. Together, we can help more people hear God's Word, grow in their faith, and share it with their families and communities. Will you prayerfully consider becoming one of our monthly ministry partners today ? Together, we can help more families gather around God's Word... ...one day at a time.
July 1, 2026
Prasad Can Finally Hear God's Word! Prasad often sits quietly in the darkness of his small home in India, listening as the voice of Scripture fills the room. Through the Talking Bible, he can finally hear God's Word for himself. Blind since birth, Prasad is now 55 years old and lives with his brother and sister-in-law in a farming community where life depends on hard physical labor. While others spend their days working in the fields, Prasad often remains at home with little freedom to travel on his own. As a boy, he loved going to church and listening carefully to the sermons. But once the service ended, the rest of the week was spent longing to hear more of the Bible—something that always remained beyond his reach. Although Prasad learned Braille as a student, he never had access to a Braille Bible. For decades, the only Scripture available to him came through a short Christian radio program each evening. Every day he waited for those precious thirty minutes, knowing they would soon end. Then the radio program stopped. Prasad's sister-in-law had watched his longing for God's Word for years. When she learned about the Talking Bible, she knew it would change his life. For the first time, Prasad could listen whenever he wanted. "I cannot read the Bible," he says simply. "I cannot read." Now he returns to God's Word again and again. If he wants to hear a passage another time, he simply presses play. Scripture is no longer limited to a brief radio broadcast—it is always within reach. One Bible story has especially touched his heart: the story of Job. Prasad sees his own life reflected in Job's suffering, loneliness, and perseverance. Because of his blindness, he explains that no one would marry him. Yet Job's faith reminds him to continue trusting God despite hardship. "Job's life shows me that I should not go away from Christ." Though Prasad has never been able to see the words of Scripture on a page, he now hears them clearly for himself. In the quiet darkness of his home, God's Word has become a light—bringing comfort in loneliness, strength in hardship, and the assurance that God knows him, loves him, and speaks to him through His Word. Today, millions of people around the world are just like Prasad. They are blind, cannot read, or have no access to the Bible in a format they can understand. The Talking Bible is changing that—one listener, one family, and one community at a time. Give a Talking Bible>>
May 1, 2026
HELP! She Had No Way to Read the Bible—Until Now No one in Devi's family can read—not her, not her husband, not her children. “We never knew the Lord… but when we started hearing this Talking Bible, we came to know our God.” For years, the Bible was completely out of reach. No way to read it… no way to understand it… no way to truly know God. Right now, hundreds of millions of people are still living in that same reality—unable to read and without access to the Bible. Then everything changed. Someone placed a Talking Bible in Devi’s hands. Now, each day, she presses play—and the Bible fills their home. For the first time, her family is hearing the Bible together. Before receiving the Talking Bible, Devi’s life was filled with hardship, sickness, and constant worry. The religion she knew was centered on rituals—things done out of obligation, not relationship. She did not know Jesus. She had never heard the Gospel in a way she could understand. There was no personal connection with God—only traditions followed without truly knowing Him. But as she listened to the Talking Bible, everything began to change. She discovered that God is not distant or unknown—He is a loving Father who speaks, who listens, and who desires a relationship with His children. She began to pray: “Thank you, Father… thank you for making us Your children… thank you for healing us…” Now, Devi prays for her husband working far from home. She prays for her children as they go into the fields. Even while working long days for a small wage, she carries a new joy in her heart. She is a child of God. Though others mock and oppose her, she continues to listen—because now she knows the truth. Everything has changed. This is what happens when someone who cannot read is given access to the Bible. One Talking Bible can reach an entire family—bringing hope, truth, and the opportunity to know God. There are still hundreds of millions of people like Devi—waiting for the chance to hear the Bible for the very first time. You can help place a Talking Bible into the hands of someone still waiting.
February 23, 2026
Tataya explains it simply: “Where I live, many people cannot read. The Talking Bible helps them understand.” Tataya is a Maasai evangelist in Tanzania. Like many Maasai men, he never learned to read because he grew up herding livestock and attended school only occasionally. This creates a heartbreaking barrier. Even when printed Bibles are available, many Maasai cannot read God’s Word—it remains out of reach. As Tataya explains, “In this world, it’s better if we have both a printed Bible and a Talking Bible. But where I live, many people cannot read. The Talking Bible helps them understand.” Six months ago, Tataya received a Talking Bible. For the first time, Scripture could be heard clearly in the local language—first at Friday and Sunday gatherings. But the listening didn’t stop there. People hungered for more. Tataya began sending the Talking Bible home with different believers each week so families could listen longer—even while tending their livestock or working in the fields. God’s Word was no longer distant or locked away. It could be heard—personal, alive—and people were eager to listen. Because of the Talking Bible, God’s Word now reaches people in Tataya’s community who cannot read. Families gather at home, neighbors stop to listen, and even elders—who often resist printed Bibles—hear Scripture aloud. One small device is shared again and again, boldly spreading God’s Word throughout the community. “When Scripture is spoken aloud,” Tataya explains, “people can meditate on God’s Word day and night—just as Joshua 1:8 describes.” “I love seeing my people’s faces light up when they hear God’s Word,” he adds. “It reminds me why I keep sharing.” One Talking Bible now reaches entire families —and sparks conversations throughout the community. The Talking Bible Tataya uses today is part of a legacy that began over 40 years ago . In 1983, president, Paul D. Hoesktrat, recorded the Maasai New Testament in a small mud hut on the Serengeti—a project that took three months! Today, updated recordings continue to bring God’s Word to thousands who cannot read. Tataya’s story is just one of many. Across Tanzania and beyond, millions of people cannot read—and right now, they are waiting to hear God’s Word . For them, the Talking Bible is not a replacement. It is a lifeline.
More Changed Life Stories
August 25, 2026
How does a mother who cannot read share God’s Word with her children? Some Families Gather Around God's Word by Reading. Others Gather by Listening. For millions of people around the world, hearing God's Word isn't simply another way to experience Scripture. It's the only way. One of those people is Esther. As a child, Esther never had the opportunity to attend school. Although she came to know Christ, she could only hear Scripture when someone else read it aloud at church or over a loudspeaker. Then her pastor placed a Talking Bible into her hands. Everything changed. Every evening, Esther gathers her children. Around God's Word. Through a Talking Bible. Together, they listen to Scripture, pray, and talk about what they've heard. Stories like Abraham, Zacchaeus, and the prodigal son have become lessons Esther now shares with her children. Even her husband—who rarely has the opportunity to attend church—has begun listening while he works. God's Word is quietly transforming an entire family... …one day at a time. Just as many of us grow in our faith by reading God's Word, Esther's family is growing by hearing it—day after day. Every gift to Talking Bibles helps place God's Word into the hands of people who are waiting to hear it, and monthly ministry partners provide dependable support that helps ensure families like Esther's can continue hearing God's Word month after month. That's why I'd like to invite you to become a monthly ministry partner . Your recurring gift helps place Talking Bibles into the hands of people who cannot read, are visually impaired, or learn best by listening. Together, we can help more people hear God's Word, grow in their faith, and share it with their families and communities. Will you prayerfully consider becoming one of our monthly ministry partners today ? Together, we can help more families gather around God's Word... ...one day at a time.
July 1, 2026
Prasad Can Finally Hear God's Word! Prasad often sits quietly in the darkness of his small home in India, listening as the voice of Scripture fills the room. Through the Talking Bible, he can finally hear God's Word for himself. Blind since birth, Prasad is now 55 years old and lives with his brother and sister-in-law in a farming community where life depends on hard physical labor. While others spend their days working in the fields, Prasad often remains at home with little freedom to travel on his own. As a boy, he loved going to church and listening carefully to the sermons. But once the service ended, the rest of the week was spent longing to hear more of the Bible—something that always remained beyond his reach. Although Prasad learned Braille as a student, he never had access to a Braille Bible. For decades, the only Scripture available to him came through a short Christian radio program each evening. Every day he waited for those precious thirty minutes, knowing they would soon end. Then the radio program stopped. Prasad's sister-in-law had watched his longing for God's Word for years. When she learned about the Talking Bible, she knew it would change his life. For the first time, Prasad could listen whenever he wanted. "I cannot read the Bible," he says simply. "I cannot read." Now he returns to God's Word again and again. If he wants to hear a passage another time, he simply presses play. Scripture is no longer limited to a brief radio broadcast—it is always within reach. One Bible story has especially touched his heart: the story of Job. Prasad sees his own life reflected in Job's suffering, loneliness, and perseverance. Because of his blindness, he explains that no one would marry him. Yet Job's faith reminds him to continue trusting God despite hardship. "Job's life shows me that I should not go away from Christ." Though Prasad has never been able to see the words of Scripture on a page, he now hears them clearly for himself. In the quiet darkness of his home, God's Word has become a light—bringing comfort in loneliness, strength in hardship, and the assurance that God knows him, loves him, and speaks to him through His Word. Today, millions of people around the world are just like Prasad. They are blind, cannot read, or have no access to the Bible in a format they can understand. The Talking Bible is changing that—one listener, one family, and one community at a time. Give a Talking Bible>>
May 1, 2026
HELP! She Had No Way to Read the Bible—Until Now No one in Devi's family can read—not her, not her husband, not her children. “We never knew the Lord… but when we started hearing this Talking Bible, we came to know our God.” For years, the Bible was completely out of reach. No way to read it… no way to understand it… no way to truly know God. Right now, hundreds of millions of people are still living in that same reality—unable to read and without access to the Bible. Then everything changed. Someone placed a Talking Bible in Devi’s hands. Now, each day, she presses play—and the Bible fills their home. For the first time, her family is hearing the Bible together. Before receiving the Talking Bible, Devi’s life was filled with hardship, sickness, and constant worry. The religion she knew was centered on rituals—things done out of obligation, not relationship. She did not know Jesus. She had never heard the Gospel in a way she could understand. There was no personal connection with God—only traditions followed without truly knowing Him. But as she listened to the Talking Bible, everything began to change. She discovered that God is not distant or unknown—He is a loving Father who speaks, who listens, and who desires a relationship with His children. She began to pray: “Thank you, Father… thank you for making us Your children… thank you for healing us…” Now, Devi prays for her husband working far from home. She prays for her children as they go into the fields. Even while working long days for a small wage, she carries a new joy in her heart. She is a child of God. Though others mock and oppose her, she continues to listen—because now she knows the truth. Everything has changed. This is what happens when someone who cannot read is given access to the Bible. One Talking Bible can reach an entire family—bringing hope, truth, and the opportunity to know God. There are still hundreds of millions of people like Devi—waiting for the chance to hear the Bible for the very first time. You can help place a Talking Bible into the hands of someone still waiting.
More Changed Life Stories
August 25, 2026
How does a mother who cannot read share God’s Word with her children? Some Families Gather Around God's Word by Reading. Others Gather by Listening. For millions of people around the world, hearing God's Word isn't simply another way to experience Scripture. It's the only way. One of those people is Esther. As a child, Esther never had the opportunity to attend school. Although she came to know Christ, she could only hear Scripture when someone else read it aloud at church or over a loudspeaker. Then her pastor placed a Talking Bible into her hands. Everything changed. Every evening, Esther gathers her children. Around God's Word. Through a Talking Bible. Together, they listen to Scripture, pray, and talk about what they've heard. Stories like Abraham, Zacchaeus, and the prodigal son have become lessons Esther now shares with her children. Even her husband—who rarely has the opportunity to attend church—has begun listening while he works. God's Word is quietly transforming an entire family... …one day at a time. Just as many of us grow in our faith by reading God's Word, Esther's family is growing by hearing it—day after day. Every gift to Talking Bibles helps place God's Word into the hands of people who are waiting to hear it, and monthly ministry partners provide dependable support that helps ensure families like Esther's can continue hearing God's Word month after month. That's why I'd like to invite you to become a monthly ministry partner . Your recurring gift helps place Talking Bibles into the hands of people who cannot read, are visually impaired, or learn best by listening. Together, we can help more people hear God's Word, grow in their faith, and share it with their families and communities. Will you prayerfully consider becoming one of our monthly ministry partners today ? Together, we can help more families gather around God's Word... ...one day at a time.
July 1, 2026
Prasad Can Finally Hear God's Word! Prasad often sits quietly in the darkness of his small home in India, listening as the voice of Scripture fills the room. Through the Talking Bible, he can finally hear God's Word for himself. Blind since birth, Prasad is now 55 years old and lives with his brother and sister-in-law in a farming community where life depends on hard physical labor. While others spend their days working in the fields, Prasad often remains at home with little freedom to travel on his own. As a boy, he loved going to church and listening carefully to the sermons. But once the service ended, the rest of the week was spent longing to hear more of the Bible—something that always remained beyond his reach. Although Prasad learned Braille as a student, he never had access to a Braille Bible. For decades, the only Scripture available to him came through a short Christian radio program each evening. Every day he waited for those precious thirty minutes, knowing they would soon end. Then the radio program stopped. Prasad's sister-in-law had watched his longing for God's Word for years. When she learned about the Talking Bible, she knew it would change his life. For the first time, Prasad could listen whenever he wanted. "I cannot read the Bible," he says simply. "I cannot read." Now he returns to God's Word again and again. If he wants to hear a passage another time, he simply presses play. Scripture is no longer limited to a brief radio broadcast—it is always within reach. One Bible story has especially touched his heart: the story of Job. Prasad sees his own life reflected in Job's suffering, loneliness, and perseverance. Because of his blindness, he explains that no one would marry him. Yet Job's faith reminds him to continue trusting God despite hardship. "Job's life shows me that I should not go away from Christ." Though Prasad has never been able to see the words of Scripture on a page, he now hears them clearly for himself. In the quiet darkness of his home, God's Word has become a light—bringing comfort in loneliness, strength in hardship, and the assurance that God knows him, loves him, and speaks to him through His Word. Today, millions of people around the world are just like Prasad. They are blind, cannot read, or have no access to the Bible in a format they can understand. The Talking Bible is changing that—one listener, one family, and one community at a time. Give a Talking Bible>>
May 1, 2026
HELP! She Had No Way to Read the Bible—Until Now No one in Devi's family can read—not her, not her husband, not her children. “We never knew the Lord… but when we started hearing this Talking Bible, we came to know our God.” For years, the Bible was completely out of reach. No way to read it… no way to understand it… no way to truly know God. Right now, hundreds of millions of people are still living in that same reality—unable to read and without access to the Bible. Then everything changed. Someone placed a Talking Bible in Devi’s hands. Now, each day, she presses play—and the Bible fills their home. For the first time, her family is hearing the Bible together. Before receiving the Talking Bible, Devi’s life was filled with hardship, sickness, and constant worry. The religion she knew was centered on rituals—things done out of obligation, not relationship. She did not know Jesus. She had never heard the Gospel in a way she could understand. There was no personal connection with God—only traditions followed without truly knowing Him. But as she listened to the Talking Bible, everything began to change. She discovered that God is not distant or unknown—He is a loving Father who speaks, who listens, and who desires a relationship with His children. She began to pray: “Thank you, Father… thank you for making us Your children… thank you for healing us…” Now, Devi prays for her husband working far from home. She prays for her children as they go into the fields. Even while working long days for a small wage, she carries a new joy in her heart. She is a child of God. Though others mock and oppose her, she continues to listen—because now she knows the truth. Everything has changed. This is what happens when someone who cannot read is given access to the Bible. One Talking Bible can reach an entire family—bringing hope, truth, and the opportunity to know God. There are still hundreds of millions of people like Devi—waiting for the chance to hear the Bible for the very first time. You can help place a Talking Bible into the hands of someone still waiting.
February 23, 2026
Tataya explains it simply: “Where I live, many people cannot read. The Talking Bible helps them understand.” Tataya is a Maasai evangelist in Tanzania. Like many Maasai men, he never learned to read because he grew up herding livestock and attended school only occasionally. This creates a heartbreaking barrier. Even when printed Bibles are available, many Maasai cannot read God’s Word—it remains out of reach. As Tataya explains, “In this world, it’s better if we have both a printed Bible and a Talking Bible. But where I live, many people cannot read. The Talking Bible helps them understand.” Six months ago, Tataya received a Talking Bible. For the first time, Scripture could be heard clearly in the local language—first at Friday and Sunday gatherings. But the listening didn’t stop there. People hungered for more. Tataya began sending the Talking Bible home with different believers each week so families could listen longer—even while tending their livestock or working in the fields. God’s Word was no longer distant or locked away. It could be heard—personal, alive—and people were eager to listen. Because of the Talking Bible, God’s Word now reaches people in Tataya’s community who cannot read. Families gather at home, neighbors stop to listen, and even elders—who often resist printed Bibles—hear Scripture aloud. One small device is shared again and again, boldly spreading God’s Word throughout the community. “When Scripture is spoken aloud,” Tataya explains, “people can meditate on God’s Word day and night—just as Joshua 1:8 describes.” “I love seeing my people’s faces light up when they hear God’s Word,” he adds. “It reminds me why I keep sharing.” One Talking Bible now reaches entire families —and sparks conversations throughout the community. The Talking Bible Tataya uses today is part of a legacy that began over 40 years ago . In 1983, president, Paul D. Hoesktrat, recorded the Maasai New Testament in a small mud hut on the Serengeti—a project that took three months! Today, updated recordings continue to bring God’s Word to thousands who cannot read. Tataya’s story is just one of many. Across Tanzania and beyond, millions of people cannot read—and right now, they are waiting to hear God’s Word . For them, the Talking Bible is not a replacement. It is a lifeline.
