Johann and the people in his community grow up in a low caste with little expectation of receiving an education—or even learning to read—but that does not mean they are unintelligent. The fisherman says, “I was constantly aware this life is not permanent. Maybe I’ll see sixty, seventy, or even eighty years, but my Hindu background did not satisfy my question of what happens next. I needed to know where would we go.”
After receiving Jesus Christ as his Savior, Johannes shared the good news with his wife, who was at first reluctant. As she saw the change in her husband she soon followed him in faith and they both shared the good news with their four adult sons and two daughters, who all decided to follow Jesus Christ. After the family was baptized in the Bay of Bengal they were immediately ostracized by their extended family. Even his parents rebuked him and refused to come to their grandchildren’s weddings.
In that difficult time Johann received a Talking Bible, and he says it seldom left his pocket. Speaking to us after a day of fishing, and holding his Talking Bible, he remembers, “I had already heard of Jesus Christ and understood salvation, but we needed peace to be strong in the trial and hardship our family was going through. This Talking Bible allowed us to know how to behave in that hard time.”
Watching other boats full of the day’s catch come in through the waves near his village, Johann says the more he listened to his Talking Bible, the more he knew the power of Jesus and the more he understood the words he heard in 2 Timothy, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
Since that time of struggling the illiterate fisherman has been through the New Testament several times. He particularly likes hearing the miracles of Jesus because it shows His power over all things. The raising of Lazarus, the feeding of the 5,000 and the healing of the centurion’s servant are among his favorites. Possibly because he spends so much time fishing on the Bay of Bengal, Johann says, “I play the story, and consider the time Jesus spoke to command the sea to be calm. It shows me His power.”
Johann explains that during the long hours spent fishing, he plays his Talking Bible not only for himself, but also as an outreach to his fellow fishermen. He laughs lightly as he says, “Though they are Hindu, they like to hear about Jesus Christ. They learn we are not dangerous as some have taught.”
Several of the fishermen have become followers of Jesus Christ through listening to the Talking Bible with him, but Johann says there is still great need. He watches as loads of fish are offloaded from the just returned boats, and remarks, “I know fishing and support my family by fishing, but I am now also a fisher of men.”
Will you pray about supporting the placement of Talking Bibles throughout the world with poor, non-readers like Johann’s fishing community? Every Talking Bible could be one that God uses to make pastors out of fishermen.
More Changed Life Stories
October 28, 2026
"I thank God today." At 17, Kelvin has already experienced painful circumstances. His father passed away, and when we heard his story, his mother was in the hospital with stomach cancer. Yet the first words Kelvin shared with us were not about hardship. “I thank God today.” What gave such a young student hope and direction? For Kelvin, it was hearing God’s Word beneath a tree at school that changed the direction of his life. During Religious Education Class, at the public school, Kelvin and his classmates gather in the shade to listen to a Talking Bible in Swahili. For Kelvin, one of those lessons became deeply personal. He and his friends had been mistreating others. In Kelvin’s own words, they were “doing bad things and abusing people.” Then he heard these words from Ephesians: “Honor your father and mother . . . that it may go well with you.” Immediately, Kelvin thought of his mother. She had warned him not to mistreat others, but he had not listened. Now he was hearing that same truth in God’s Word. “ I realized that this is what God wants me to do ,” Kelvin said, “ and that it will be good for me.” What Kelvin heard beneath that tree began changing his life—starting with how he treated others. The young man who once hurt people began comforting them. He also began sharing what he was learning with people in his neighborhood. What Kelvin Heard Began Changing His Life Kelvin says listening to the Bible has helped him grow spiritually and given his life a new direction. He has also found renewed hope for the future. After receiving strong results on his exam, Kelvin said: “ I thank God today. God has helped me in my studies—given me good results. This is giving me hope that God is there and listening to our prayers and that I can trust Him.” Kelvin’s story shows what can happen when students have the opportunity to hear God’s Word.
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>>
June 1, 2026
“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
October 28, 2026
"I thank God today." At 17, Kelvin has already experienced painful circumstances. His father passed away, and when we heard his story, his mother was in the hospital with stomach cancer. Yet the first words Kelvin shared with us were not about hardship. “I thank God today.” What gave such a young student hope and direction? For Kelvin, it was hearing God’s Word beneath a tree at school that changed the direction of his life. During Religious Education Class, at the public school, Kelvin and his classmates gather in the shade to listen to a Talking Bible in Swahili. For Kelvin, one of those lessons became deeply personal. He and his friends had been mistreating others. In Kelvin’s own words, they were “doing bad things and abusing people.” Then he heard these words from Ephesians: “Honor your father and mother . . . that it may go well with you.” Immediately, Kelvin thought of his mother. She had warned him not to mistreat others, but he had not listened. Now he was hearing that same truth in God’s Word. “ I realized that this is what God wants me to do ,” Kelvin said, “ and that it will be good for me.” What Kelvin heard beneath that tree began changing his life—starting with how he treated others. The young man who once hurt people began comforting them. He also began sharing what he was learning with people in his neighborhood. What Kelvin Heard Began Changing His Life Kelvin says listening to the Bible has helped him grow spiritually and given his life a new direction. He has also found renewed hope for the future. After receiving strong results on his exam, Kelvin said: “ I thank God today. God has helped me in my studies—given me good results. This is giving me hope that God is there and listening to our prayers and that I can trust Him.” Kelvin’s story shows what can happen when students have the opportunity to hear God’s Word.
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>>
More Changed Life Stories
October 28, 2026
"I thank God today." At 17, Kelvin has already experienced painful circumstances. His father passed away, and when we heard his story, his mother was in the hospital with stomach cancer. Yet the first words Kelvin shared with us were not about hardship. “I thank God today.” What gave such a young student hope and direction? For Kelvin, it was hearing God’s Word beneath a tree at school that changed the direction of his life. During Religious Education Class, at the public school, Kelvin and his classmates gather in the shade to listen to a Talking Bible in Swahili. For Kelvin, one of those lessons became deeply personal. He and his friends had been mistreating others. In Kelvin’s own words, they were “doing bad things and abusing people.” Then he heard these words from Ephesians: “Honor your father and mother . . . that it may go well with you.” Immediately, Kelvin thought of his mother. She had warned him not to mistreat others, but he had not listened. Now he was hearing that same truth in God’s Word. “ I realized that this is what God wants me to do ,” Kelvin said, “ and that it will be good for me.” What Kelvin heard beneath that tree began changing his life—starting with how he treated others. The young man who once hurt people began comforting them. He also began sharing what he was learning with people in his neighborhood. What Kelvin Heard Began Changing His Life Kelvin says listening to the Bible has helped him grow spiritually and given his life a new direction. He has also found renewed hope for the future. After receiving strong results on his exam, Kelvin said: “ I thank God today. God has helped me in my studies—given me good results. This is giving me hope that God is there and listening to our prayers and that I can trust Him.” Kelvin’s story shows what can happen when students have the opportunity to hear God’s Word.
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>>
June 1, 2026
“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.
