Rome (AsiaNews) – The first 15,000 copies of the Turkish edition of God speaks to His Children is now available. Known also as the Child's Bible, the book is a collection of biblical texts for children and has been printed in 40 million copies around the world.

Since 1978, 'Aid to the Church in Need' has translated the book in at least 141 languages. The 15,000 copies of the Turkish edition will be distributed in Turkey and among Turkish communities in Western Europe.

The Turkish Church has expressed its approval for the initiative. According to Fr Lorenzo Puerto, Dominican priest in Istanbul, "catechesis in Turkey will benefit from this initiative because it will have a synthesis of the Holy Scriptures in the local language."

In 2004 God speaks to His Children was translated in Bengali and Kannada, languages spoken in India.

'Aid to the Church in Need' is an international Catholic charity under papal jurisdiction founded in 1947 by Fr Werenfried van Straaten to promote the pastoral care of the imperilled, oppressed and persecuted Church throughout the world.

The Italian section is known for its Annual Report on Religious Freedom in the World.