Dear Friend,

I have a special Easter message for you from my new friend Marie. She says, "I can’t believe you would do this for me. Thank you! Thank You! "

Marie recently received an Audio Bible thanks to generous friends like you, and she is overjoyed.

Marie was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis more than 60 years ago. That moment began a long and painful process for the newly married woman and her family. Hardship was not new to Marie. Her life had been hard from the very beginning and she wasn't about to let a doctor's diagnosis keep her down.

Marie's husband of 61 years died last October. Unable to continue to pay for the property where they lived, Marie was forced to sell her land. The man who bought the property allows Marie to continue to live in the simple home she and her husband shared together, as this is all she has left.

Losing her eyesight and mobility to MS has been a long and painful process, but thanks to you and the Audio Bible she received, Marie has regained something she lost. She has regained her ability to delve into the scriptures, finding strength and encouragement.

Now, with the Easter season upon us, having an Audio Bible couldn't be more important to Marie. Easter is a special time for her to celebrate the hope and new life found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Marie has lost so much already and faces countless hardships, but the Easter season reminds her that all will be made new through her precious Savior.

This special woman isn't used to charity and handouts. She has worked hard for the little that she has. Maybe that's why the gift of a brand-new Audio Bible has meant so much to Marie. She simply cannot believe that anybody would do this for her, a poor widow who lives alone in a tiny home and washes her floors by pushing a bucket with her feet, moving from room to room in her wheelchair. She cannot believe that someone like you would care about her.

But I know that you do care! During this Easter season, we plan to give away even more Audio Bibles so the blind and reading impaired can listen to the Easter story and share in the hope that Marie has found through the story of our Savior's resurrection.

From the very beginning, Marie’s life has been a struggle. She weathered the harsh winters of the northern midwest plains, walking to and from school with only gunny sacks over her fragile shoes to protect her from the deep snow. She left home at an early age to work as a farmhand and help her family eke out a living from the hard earth. She continued to learn and study on her own even after her father took her out of school, saying he was afraid she would learn bad things. In fact, today, at 82, Marie still has a passion for learning! She continues to work toward her GED, though her poor eyesight makes it nearly impossible to read and complete the coursework.

In a recent conversation with Marie, she asked that we please, please pass her thanks along to the people who made it possible for her to have her very own Audio Bible.