Your gift gave her hope – and a future!
She was just 15 — already drinking and smoking — growing up in an orphanage in Gornozavodsk, Russia. Shurka was thankful when summer break came, and no one could force her to go to school.
Then the Hosanna Plan team arrived and set up a summer camp during summer break — it made Shurka mad! She felt like the guided activities and prayer times were going to ruin her summer when she should be free instead to do whatever she wanted.
But when she saw The GodMan film and received her own copy of the Book of Hope … her attitude completely changed. Shurka committed her life to Jesus Christ!
One year later, she graduated out of the orphanage and was sent to a vocational school. In her new town, she quickly found a church and Christian friends, and later took a children’s ministry course, so she could learn to share the Good News with other young people …
Today, four years later, she is still following Jesus and is engaged to a young man from her church.
This is the power of God’s Word to transform young lives! Thank you for helping to share the Good News with 135 million children and youth like Shurka all over the world.
Acceleration Despite Disruption
by President Rob Hoskins
Remember how you ordered pizza back in the day? You called on a landline and talked to a person — and waited in anticipation for your doorbell to ring, cash in hand to pay. Today you build your pizza on an app, pay for it online, and have contactless delivery.
Just as pizza delivery changed dramatically in the past 20 years, OneHope’s global strategies changed, too.
OneHope began with a product-driven approach. The first Book of Hope was created to serve an under-resourced market. We were focused on the book and that was the first phase of our ministry.
Next came a market-driven emphasis. We fine-tuned our products. Relying on research, we were able to provide God’s Word in customized ways to each region’s needs.
Today, we’re user-driven. We’re bringing Scripture to where kids already are, which these days is online, through programs like the Bible App for Kids, the Kids Bible Experience, What If It’s True?, and more. In 2020 alone, we reached more than 28 million young people with God’s Word through digital means.
This is how you accelerate — even in the midst of disruption. Thanks for being part of it.
EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT:
New Look for OneHope!
Take a look at our engaging new logo — the “O” in OneHope in particular is now representative of a globe … and the whole earth where you are sharing the Gospel with the next generation!
We’ve refreshed the look of the OneHope “brand” to better reflect our dedication to the vision of God’s Word. Every Child. all over the world.
Thank you for taking this global journey with us.
A broken home … a broken heart … and a family restored to peace and joy!
Her parents divorced — Yepa and her sister stayed with their dad — he worked hard to provide for them in their home nation of Venezuela.
But times are rough. Their country has been in economic and political chaos for years with tremendous deprivation and hopelessness. Then the pandemic and lockdown made things unbearable!
Yepa, at 14, was bitter and filled with rage — She disrespected her father, beat up on her little sister and classmates … But then she received the Book of Hope — and soon decided to commit her life to Jesus Christ!
Knowing that God loved her and had a plan for her life made all the difference for Yepa. Her anger and bitterness began to slip away. She became an obedient daughter and a supportive sister.
And she shared the Good News with her family, too. Her little sister Yetta and her father both committed their lives to Jesus Christ! Now, Yepa and Yetta attend church together and are growing in their love for the Lord.
Venezuela has recently become a limited access nation for distributing God’s Word. Several Christian leaders spoke out about the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the nation, and many churches are now experiencing persecution by government forces.
Nevertheless, there’s a thriving evangelical movement, and our partners there are reaching kids like Yepa and Yetta with OneHope programs and leading them to faith in Christ!
Right now, the $1,000,000 No Limits Matching Challenge will double your gift to share God’s Word with children and youth in limited access nations. Every $1 is doubled to reach six children and youth!
The Bible App for Kids is installed over 60 MILLION times — the most popular children’s Bible app in the world
The Bible App for Kids has been installed on every continent on earth — 60 million installs — and is available in 62 languages.
It is accelerating into exciting new goals for 2021 — we expect to touch the lives of more than 20 million children through this digital program!
It also has a companion print book: the Bible App for Kids Book of Hope. The book is made with graphics from the app, so it can be read in conjunction with using the app, or it can stand alone as a Book of Hope that tells the story of Jesus.
We expect to reach 10 million more children and youth with the Bible App for Kids Book of Hope this year. It will be distributed in 73 nations and is available in 32 languages.
Digital programs are a big part of our goal of reaching 135 million children and youth with God’s Word in 2021. Remember, you can help reach these young people today with your gift of support — and your contribution will be doubled by the $1,000,000 No Limits Matching Challenge.
“God is my best friend.”
Maida, who lives in a limited access nation, told us … “I’m in the 6th grade. My family is really big. I have three sisters and a brother. I am the fourth kid in the family. I like to dance and to paint. Also, I am fond of playing with the Bible App for Kids. I like to listen to the stories because I love God very much, and He is my best friend.”
Helping to cover the world with God’s Word!
THE WORD OF GOD — on your phone or tablet
- Animated adventure through the stories of the Bible …
- Fun music and sound effects …
- Rewards for special challenges …
- Foster a lifetime love of God’s Word.
No Limits Matching Challenge –
May 31 Deadline for your gift to be doubled
The No Limits Matching Challenge will double your gift to reach children and youth with God’s Word — every $1 becomes $2 to reach SIX children and youth! But time is running out — the deadline is May 31. Give today at onehope.net/donateGR.
WHAT ARE LIMITED ACCESS NATIONS?
The Hindu, Buddhist, and Muslim worlds are not the only limited access regions.
A limited access nation can be anywhere that religious, social, or political barriers oppose Christianity. They have different levels of sensitivity, and sharing God’s Word with children is difficult because of limited access to schools and the inability to do public outreaches.
For security reasons, we cannot list the names of our partners or the regions where they serve. Please pray for them and the young people they’re reaching!
In 2021, our partners in 43 limited access nations believe they can reach more than 40 million young people with God’s Word as we provide the Scripture engagement programs.
And today, your gift to reach children and youth with God’s Word in these nations will be DOUBLED in impact! The $1,000,000 No Limits Matching Challenge will match every gift, dollar-for-dollar!
But the No Limits Matching Challenge deadline is May 31. Please don’t wait — make sure you give by the deadline so your gift can be doubled in impact to reach children with God’s Word.
Napua and Analu live in a country which severely restricts churches and the proclamation of the Gospel — but our World Without Sickness program is welcomed because it shares health and hygiene training in addition to God’s Word. These two 7-year-olds received the World Without Sickness books — and today they’re following Jesus!
NATION BY NATION
BOTSWANA — Gloria finds her voice
Gloria went to church with her mother … but clung to her side. The little 5-year-old was timid and silent … in her life she had never spoken a single word.
Her church’s first children’s ministry was going to be the God’s Big Story program from OneHope. The kids would meet under a big tree a few yards from where the church meets. Gloria didn’t want to go, though — she seemed afraid to leave her mother …
But when she was persuaded to go, she seemed to enjoy the program …
And soon she even joined in during the worship time. Her teachers were amazed to see her lifting her hands, worshipping, and trying to sing along! Although she is still without speech, she is communicating with God in praise and prayer.
RUSSIA —
Alfio lost his job when the nation of Russia went into lockdown. His wife had left him, and he was struggling to provide for his children. Then a OneHope team arrived with emergency food and aid— plus they had the Book of Hope for the children. Today, there’s hope in Alfio’s home, and as soon as the lockdown ended, he and the children began attending church and growing in God.
LIMITED ACCESS NATION —
In a majority Buddhist nation with a very restrictive government, 15-year-old Kahoku received the Book of Hope at a Christmas party sponsored by one of our partner churches. “It was my first time to read about real Christmas,” he said. “And I believed that Jesus is Lord.”
BOLIVIA —
Children’s and youth workers are excited about OneHope Scripture engagement programs! “Lead Today helps to recognize the different leadership potential of youth and adolescents, marking their lives with a purpose to serve,” says one youth worker in a heart-felt thank-you to everyone who sent the program to her church.
God’s Word. Every Child.
Muslim friends find faith in Christ!
Magreth told the pastor who came to their school that she didn’t want to hear about Jesus — she was Muslim, and she had no interest in converting.
They live in one of the African regions where Christians can be at risk of persecution because of dominant Islam. Our partner asked Magreth if she liked to read — and if she would accept a gift: the Book of Hope.
She happily accepted— and could hardly wait to get it home and begin reading. It didn’t feel like the book was preaching to her about changing her religion … rather, it was telling a story about an amazing man, Jesus.
By the time she came to the end of the story, she prayed and accepted Christ as Savior.
Her best friend Joyce soon noticed a dramatic change in Magreth’s behavior and asked her about it. Magreth was delighted to share the Word of God with Joyce — and today, both young women are following Jesus!
They are attending church together and growing in God. Thank you for sending them His life-transforming Word to give them hope. Remember, only until the end of this month, every gift you send to provide God’s Word to young people like them in limited access nations will be doubled by the No Limits Matching Challenge — every $1 will be doubled to reach SIX children with the Good News!
