Zimbabwe CropAnthony lives with his grandparents in Zimbabwe. His parents died in a car accident when he was just three months old, and he is an only child. He spends his days in school and helping his grandparents sell produce and take care of their farm animals.

There’s no electricity in his village. His homestead is comprised of three huts—two thatched with grass and one with a zinc roof. There’s no running water; they collect water in a nearby stream.

Anthony was introduced to a Project Philip Bible study by his friend, Frank. Frank’s mother had been attending a Bible study for adults and encouraged her son to join and invite his friends. For Anthony, the study has been lifechanging.

“The Project Philip Bible study changed my life greatly,” he says. “I used to lie to my grandmother that I was doing homework at my friend’s house while we were really playing ball games. I have learned that God doesn’t want people to lie, and that nothing is hidden from Him. I have been honest since.”

Anthony has learned about the grace and forgiveness of God through his study and his new Illustrated Bible he received after finishing the study.

“I love that God has forgiven me and that He loves me. My favorite verse is Romans 5:18-19, because even though we sinned as humankind, God loved us and gave us more grace through His only Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us to be saved,” he says. “I love God because He forgave me even though I sinned against Him. I want to live my life loving God as He has loved me, and live the way He wants me to live.”

Anthony’s grandparents and friends have noticed the drastic change in his life. “My family loves how honest I have been with them since I started attending the Bible studies. My grandmother has shown interest in attending Bible studies for adults,” he says. “Frank says that I now apologize whenever I do something wrong to him which I didn’t do before. My friends and I have been encouraging each other that we should not stop going to church.”

Anthony dreams of sharing the love of God with everyone around him. “I want to be a class prefect because I see myself as a very good leader and I want to influence my peers positively. I want them to experience the kind of grace I found in Jesus Christ,” he says. “I want to grow up a good kid and make my grandparents proud. I want to be a teacher and teach my students that education is important, and so is our spiritual journey as children of God.”

To the Bible League donors, Anthony is forever grateful. “I would like to hug them and thank them for remembering me,” he says. “Now I have a Bible and booklet which is helping me know more about the Word of God.”