92 DAYS OF HOPE … FOR UKRAINIAN TEENS LIKE TANYA
Her country was engulfed in conflict! Where once Ukrainian and Russian people had lived side by side as friends and neighbors, now suddenly Russia was the enemy — bombs were dropping — and Tanya was desperate for hope.
But where could she find it with everything in chaos? She did what teenagers do today: she looked on social media. And there she found an ad for our Scripture program What If It’s True?
Through the website she connected with a OneHope partner who shared the Gospel and asked Tanya if she would like to pray. “Yes,” Tanya thought … “but I don’t know how.” Many Ukrainian young people are only familiar with the Orthodox church and have never prayed on their own.
Tanya’s new friend helped her say her first prayer, inviting Jesus into her heart!
92 Days of Hope
The end-of-year campaign to complete the new goal of getting the Scriptures to 138 million children and youth in 2022 — and we’re focusing on Ukraine and the Ukrainian and Russian diaspora of recent refugees. Thank you for reaching out to them with God’s Word!
HOLDING OUT HOPE FOR UKRAINE
by President Rob Hoskins
From longtime friends and ministry partners in Ukraine, I’m receiving firsthand accounts of the daily bombings, displaced civilians, and vulnerable children throughout the region. This painful reality is hard to grasp, but I know that even in these arduous circumstances, God is at work and, as believers, we have a role to play too.
In any crisis, we’re called to pray fervently. This is always our first response. We are already hearing stories of God moving in miraculous ways.
I recently received this testimony of the power of prayer from a pastor in L’viv:
“Please tell your people, because of their prayers, God really fights our battles. The rockets disappear in the air without reaching our homes, and no one knows where they go. Enemy tanks run out of fuel, Russian troops get lost and ask our locals for food and for directions — that is definitely God because we are dealing with the second strongest army in the world.”
Beyond prayer, our ministry response shifts in light of the needs of the Church in that region.
Our local church partners in Ukraine and other countries are serving the most vulnerable. They’re assisting with evacuation efforts, housing, food, holding church services, and distributing Scripture engagement materials to children as they cross borders. For those in hiding, they can access the message of the Gospel through the Bible App for Kids, What If It’s True?, or other digital programs.
This is the time to join together and do everything we can to help the Church in Ukraine. Thank you for being part of OneHope’s compassionate response.
92 DAYS OF HOPE!
UKRAINIAN AND RUSSIAN DIASPORA:
2 MILLION REFUGEES AND VICTIMS OF WAR TO RECEIVE GOD’S WORD BY YEAR’S END!
The latest reports indicate at least 4 million young people and children have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion — and we want to make sure 2 million of these refugee children and youth receive God’s Word by the end of 2022.
One in four Ukrainians are now internally displaced or refugees. OneHope partners are sharing the hope of the Gospel with them and providing for their urgent needs. We’re accomplishing this across three areas:
- Giving God’s Word
- Helping vulnerable children
- Equipping the church
Our original, global faith goal for this year was to reach 136 million young people — but when the Ukraine conflict began, we expanded the vision to reach more children and youth in need — so the faith goal became 138 million total.
We’re close — as of October 1, only 34.5 million more children were waiting to receive God’s Word. 92 Days of Hope focuses on reaching these young people through …
- Holiday outreaches
- Ukrainian diaspora outreaches
- Russian diaspora — impacting children and youth who have fled to former Soviet Republics
- Outreaches in limited access/unreached regions
Please be praying that we can get God’s Word to the final 34.5 million children and youth by year’s end!
Keep Ukraine’s next generation in your prayers, and please also pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ who are delivering aid and hope to internally displaced people, refugees, and victims of war. Thank you!
DIGITAL SCRIPTURE ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS:
GOD’S WORD FOR TENS OF MILLIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD!
DIGITAL PROGRAMS ARE A GODSEND FOR UKRAINE’S NEXT GENERATION
Some were sheltering in subway stations and basements … young children and teenagers were trapped underground while horror reigned above — with only their cell phones or tablets to connect them to the world outside …
Others had been hustled away from their homes with only the clothes on their backs or whatever they could toss into a suitcase as they fled for the borders to escape the oncoming invading army — to arrive in a foreign country where they knew no one and had no idea what the future might hold …
And then you were there for them — with digital Scripture programs they could access right where they were!
Olga was feeling deeply insecure and out of place. Dmitriy was feeling suicidal. Each of them accessed What If It’s True? online and began to learn about the Savior, Jesus Christ, and the depth of His love for them …
Today Olga knows she was made in the image of God and is loved by Jesus — and that no war or hardship can ever change this! And Dmitriy has discovered that Jesus loves him, and local believers are standing with him and praying for him, too.
Thank you for reaching out to children of the Ukrainian and Russian diaspora and young people all over the world with digital programs that share the life-changing power of God’s Word!
APPS THAT CHANGE LIVES!
The faith goal for OneHope digital programs is to connect 34.5 million children and youth with God’s Word this year — and two important apps are helping to make this happen!
1. The Bible App for Kids
The Bible App for Kids brings the Bible to life in a whole new way by providing God’s Word digitally to children around the world. It has been downloaded more than 75 million times in every region of the world.
2. Kids Bible Experience
Research reveals the number one predictor of the spiritual health of a child is that they regularly read the Bible. Sadly, Bible engagement decreases as children age — YouVersion and OneHope partnered to create the Kids Bible Experience to help children establish a daily rhythm of seeking God. Since its launch in 2020, more than 5 million children have been reached through Kids Bible Experience.
HOW CAN YOU REACH EVEN MORE CHILDREN WITH GOD’S WORD?
A TAXWISE ROLLOVER GIFT FROM YOUR IRA MAY BE THE ANSWER
You make a life-changing difference for boys and girls all over the world every day! Thank you.
Now you may be able to multiply your impact with God’s Word — through a tax-savvy gift from your IRA.
- If you are age 70½ or older, you can transfer up to $100,000 from your traditional IRA to OneHope without adding a penny to your taxable income.
- This benefits you even if you don’t itemize deductions.
- If you are 72 or older, this kind of gift also counts toward your required minimum distribution.
To be sure you complete your rollover gift by December 31, contact your IRA custodian soon and get the process started.
Other taxwise ways to give before year’s end:
- A donation of appreciated assets, stocks, bonds, and property — you may very well avoid capital gains tax
- A distribution from your donor-advised fund
Remember: The deadline for donations to apply to this year’s taxes is December 31.
For more information on strategic ways to maximize your impact and enhance your legacy of sharing Jesus with the next generation, please email stewardship@onehope.net or call 1.800.448.2425.
IN BRAZIL, PEDRO IS TEACHING HIS FAMILY ABOUT GOD’S BIG STORY
Pedro was thrilled to take part in the God’s Big Story program at his local church. Every week he learned a new Bible story and received a baseball card-sized illustration of the theme to take home.
He learned what the stories meant — and even practiced telling them for himself. It wasn’t long before 9-year-old Pedro committed his life to Christ … and then of course he wanted to share what he was learning!
First, he taught the stories to his little sister, using the cards to tell her about creation, Noah’s ark, the birth of Jesus … and so much more! Gradually, his older siblings began listening to the lessons, too. And Pedro has even had the opportunity to teach his mother God’s Big Story.
You helped Pedro meet Jesus, and now he’s introducing others to Jesus. Thanks for getting God’s Word to the next generation!
NATION BY NATION
EAST AFRICA — JOY AND HEARTBREAK
Joy knew her father didn’t love her. He had literally chased her and her mother out of his house!
It was difficult growing up with that rejection! Joy used to cry when she was little, wishing she had a father who loved her. And then at church she received a special-edition Book of Hope called Unstoppable.
“I read that book, and it felt like it was talking about my life!” she remembers. “I learned that God wanted me to have faith and hope in Him. It taught me that God loves me with a special kind of love, and I know if you believe in God, He will make miracles in your life.”
Thanks for sending God’s Word to help Joy believe and trust in a Father who loves her and will never leave her!
LIMITED ACCESS NATION
Jimmy and his mom love to play with the Bible App for Kids together, and it has taught Jimmy so much! Today this 8-year-old says, “Every story we have seen on the app has taught me to be obedient, and even if it still costs me, I remember that I must practice it because Jesus is pleased.”
GUATEMALA
Nayelly’s father left a long time ago, and now she and her mother struggle for survival. Coming from a broken home and dealing with poverty Nayelly dealt with low self-esteem and hopelessness. But then she received the special-edition Counterculture Book of Hope, and discovered Jesus’ love for her! Today she is growing in God and attending her local church.
BOLIVIA
Ian loved his special-edition Royal Family Book of Hope. It was designed with a focus on good family relationships, because research showed many children in Latin America deal with domestic abuse or broken homes. For Ian it seemed like the book spoke directly to him! “The book unites me with my family to pray at all times and know God will take care of us,” Ian says.
God’s Word. Every Child.
IN UKRAINE … HOPE FOR ANDREI!
Andrei doesn’t remember his mother. She died when he was barely 2 years old.
Now he’s 6, and he’s living in a new town. He and his family had to leave their house when the bombs started dropping — and they haven’t been back.
He’s settling in alright in his new neighborhood, and not long ago he was playing with some new friends on the playground when they decided to go into a nearby church. They went to Sunday school, and Andrei made a new friend, a OneHope partner named Rachel.
She talked to him about his life and family, and asked him if he could read. When she heard he was just learning, she gave him a gift: the Bible App for Kids Book of Hope.
It’s perfect for a 6-year-old, with wonderful illustrations from the Bible App for Kids — and as his dad or grandma download the app for him, he’ll also be able to play the games and learn the memory verses that go with each story.
Andrei was excited to receive his Book of Hope!
And Rachel was happy to be able to give it to him.
“Now, as he’s learning to read, he’ll learn from the Book of Hope,” she said. She’s hoping Andrei will keep coming to church and bring his dad and grandmother, too.
Thanks for reaching out to this little boy and his whole family with the life-changing power of God’s Word!
