August eNews

The Book That Taught Ly About Health—and Jesus

Ly lives with her parents in a rural village of a primarily Buddhist nation. She was growing up in a Buddhist home — and then you sent  A World Without Sickness program to the local church, and Ly began to see life differently.

“I learned about the way to wash our hands, brush our teeth, drink clean water, and more hygiene lessons,” she says.

But the story of Jesus touched Ly’s heart most of all. She learned that Jesus heals people from disease, overcame death, and “cleanses people from their sin.”

“When I believed in Jesus,” Ly says, “I thought that it was amazing that Jesus helps us and forgives us for our sins no matter what we have done in the past.”

Today, Ly attends church every weekend and is learning more about Jesus. And it all began with a book that brought her both practical health lessons and the hope of a new life in Christ.

World Without Sickness Fast Facts

  • Around the world, 646 million children still attend schools without basic handwashing services — no soap and water available when surveyed.1
  • Handwashing education can reduce diarrheal illness by 23–40% and school absences due to stomach-related illness by 29–57%.2
  • Diarrhea still kills about 443,832 children under age 5 each year, though much of it can be prevented through safe water, sanitation, and hygiene.3
  • Oral diseases affect nearly 3.7 billion people globally, yet many are preventable through simple habits like toothbrushing.4
  • While learning practical tips about keeping their teeth and bodies physically clean and healthy through A World Without Sickness, children also learn about the one true God who sent His Son, Jesus, to make them clean on the inside, too!
  • Since the program began, World Without Sickness has reached nearly 18 million children and youth with God’s Word.
  • A World Without Sickness is active in 31 countries.
  • By faith, A World Without Sickness will reach 2.3 million children and youth and be available in 24 languages by the end of 2026.
1“WASH in Schools.” UNICEF, May 2024, https://data.unicef.org/topic/water-and-sanitation/wash-in-schools/. Accessed June 25, 2026.
2“Facts & Stats.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 17, 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/data-research/facts-stats/index.html. Accessed June 25, 2026.
3“Diarrhoeal Disease.” World Health Organization, March 7, 2024, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diarrhoeal-disease, Accessed June 25, 2026.
4“Oral Health.” World Health Organization, March 17, 2025, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/oral-health. Accessed June 25, 2026.

Thoriso Is Learning How God Cares for His Children

Thoriso is a bright third-grader who lives with his grandmother in Lesotho. His family has very little income, making it difficult to meet many of his basic and school needs. At school, even getting clean water was once a challenge.

Through A World Without Sickness, Thoriso has been learning how to care for his health—and about the God who created him. 

Reading the book with his teacher, he learned that sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, leaving our broken world vulnerable to sickness and disease.

Most importantly, he learned that God sent His Son to save us.

Now Thoriso washes his hands with clean water and soap, washes vegetables before cooking, and uses the latrine. He also encourages his friends to stay healthy and avoid walking barefoot. Through your support, Thoriso is learning that God cares for his body — and his soul.

Share the life-transforming power of God’s Word with more young people like Thoriso and Ly! 

Every $1 reaches 3 children and youth

Prayerfully consider a generous donation to share the life-transforming power of God’s Word with the next generation. Every $1 you give will engage 3 young people with the Scriptures in a way they can understand so they can meet Jesus and be transformed!

How many will you reach today?