March 2020 Global Report
Muslim child — and family — transform
Hannah’s parents didn’t send her to school. In her poverty-stricken nation of Sierra Leone, their Islamic culture considered it a waste to send girls to school.
Instead, when she was 10, she suffered ritual genital mutilation — female circumcision.
Her future looked brutal and bleak — until her aunt offered to take Hannah home with her and raise her. When she was 11, Hannah was finally allowed to go to school for the very first time! And thank God she was, because just a few weeks later, the Book of Hope arrived at her school.
Hannah was 11, but she had only just begun to learn to read in school, so she still needed her aunt’s help to read through her new book … She took it home, and they read through it together.
And Hannah chose to give her life to Christ!
She began attending the local church and invited her aunt and uncle to her baptism, where they also became interested in Jesus. Today, they and their own daughter are following Jesus, too.
“My new life in Christ brought me much joy and peace,” Hannah says today. “I am very happy with my life, serving the Lord and enjoying a warm Christian family.”
Once, it appeared Hannah had no hope at all … but today her future is bright, because of your gift of God’s Word!
Five things we can learn from the African Church by President Rob Hoskins
Many regions of Africa are ones we consider with limited access because of the threats of Islam, Voodoo, tribal religions, and witchcraft.
But the African Church is vibrant — and getting the job of evangelism done. Here are five key things the American Church can learn from our African brothers and sisters:
- Africa’s Church is Spirit-empowered. Most African nations have a long history rooted in mystic religions, so they are more naturally attuned to the spiritual realm and innately wired to rely on the Holy Spirit.
- They have a workable church planting model. In rural Africa, each new church is expected to grow and become a sending church, replicating itself in the next village, and on down the line.
- African Christians innovate. In order to communicate the Gospel, the African Church is willing to adapt and craft messages full of truth that contextually resonate with children and young people in a relevant and generative way.
- Africa’s believers hold the tension. While Christianity is flourishing in Sub-Saharan Africa and rapidly growing northward, Islam is spreading down the continent. The constant, lurking threat of Islam has been a driving impetus for Christians to evangelize children and youth, plant churches, and disciple new believers to go deeper in their faith, and fast.
- They speak the language from all, to all. The 20th century was the haves of the North taking the Gospel to the have nots of the South and East, but today the African Church and its Diaspora are beginning to plant churches around the world.
I thank God for our African partners! They are modeling the future of Christianity here and now.
Under the specter of persecution —your ministry to Muslim children continues.
In a majority Muslim region of Africa — where Christians face persecution, and even moderate Muslims can find themselves on the run from radicals —
That’s where 11-year-old Simon lives. He had heard that Jesus was a prophet in Islam but had no idea Jesus was the Savior and Son of God …
Until he received the Book of Hope from Pastor Louis, a OneHope partner. Pastor Louis has faithfully shared the Book of Hope, God’s Big Story, and other Scripture engagement programs with the children in eight villages near his own.
Simon began attending Pastor Louis’ Children’s Church meetings each morning, and soon committed his life to Jesus Christ!
Simon is a faithful follower of Jesus now … but he knows it is dangerous to declare yourself as a Christian in this region because of the threat of persecution. So these days, Simon will carefully tuck a few copies of the Book of Hope into his pockets as he goes to school, and secretly share them with friends.
In a stronghold of Islam, he’s sharing the Good News that you shared with him!
36,86333,000 African children and youth to receive God's Word this year!
Africa program highlights — God’s Word. Every Child.
Our African partners are using OneHope Scripture engagement programs to share God’s Word with more than 36 million children and youth this year!
Programs include:
God’s Big Story
This series of illustrated cards walks children through Bible stories to lead them to the overarching metanarrative of redemption and salvation, and it was originally developed for use in Africa! It relies on storytelling, which is perfect for many African cultures and works great for children who are pre-readers or may never learn to read.
We expect more than 2.8 million children to receive the Gospel through God’s Big Story in Africa this year.
Lead Today
This program was developed in partnership with leadership expert John Maxwell’s EQUIP organization, and like God’s Big Story, it was originally designed for African young people. By preparing tomorrow’s leaders with godly principles today, we are positioned to impact the entire continent in the days ahead.
Our goal is to see more than 1.1 million African teenagers complete Lead Today this year.
Bible App for Kids Book of Hope
This print book makes use of the graphics and format of the popular Bible App for Kids, the app developed in partnership with YouVersion, which is the most downloaded children’s Bible.
Our partners believe they can share the Gospel with more than 1.3 million children through the Bible App for Kids and Book of Hope.
Pathway to Hope
This program is part of our partnership with Kids Evangelism Explosion, the organization that trains Christian young people in how to share their faith with their friends. Peer-to-peer evangelism is tremendously effective, and we expect to reach more than 2.3 million African children and youth with Pathway to Hope this year.
The GodMan Film
Our biblically accurate animated film about the Life of Christ features a live-action introduction and conclusion that contextualize the story for Africa’s children. It has proven powerfully effective in bringing children and youth to faith in Christ.
The GodMan film is set to reach more than 10 million African children and youth this year
French-speaking Africa strategic ministry plan: The Lumière Project
The Lumière Project is taking the light of Christ to French-speaking Africa with the goal of planting 3,300 churches. These churches are being planted through outreaches conducted using the animated story of Jesus, The GodMan film, and the God’s Big Story children’s program.
Since the launch of the Lumière Project, more than 1,851 churches have been planted — a testament of God’s faithfulness as we walk this journey with Him. More than two million children and youth have been reached through this initiative so far.
Unreached people group receives the Good News — thanks to you!
An unreached people group in the wilds of a majority Muslim African nation — they’d never heard the Gospel before and followed an ancient tribal religion.
But when you sent a OneHope partner with the Book of Hope for children and youth in the village, everything changed …
Ninety-two young people dedicated their lives to Christ! Today the visiting pastor continues to disciple them and hopes to plant a church in their village soon!
What an amazing transformation for the next generation in an African village where Islam is making great inroads. And this story of hope for the children was made possible because of churches like yours who prayed and gave
He met Jesus because of you!
Technically, Christians — That’s what people called Timothy and his family. The main religions of Nigeria are Christianity and Islam. Timothy’s family wasn’t Muslim. They didn’t follow a tribal religion … so they were technically Christians.
But Timothy had no relationship with Jesus Christ — and like lots of teenage boys, he was more interested in girls than in spiritual matters. Our Spiritual State of the World’s Children showed that Nigerian boys are far less interested in sexual purity than girls — and that was certainly the case for Timothy.
When you sent the Book of Hope to him, Timothy learned what it really means to be a Christian … and chose to dedicate his life to Christ! Today he is following Jesus, growing in discipleship at church, and learning to live in a way that honors God and promotes his own well-being, too.
NATION BY NATION
From hopelessness to a new life in Christ!
GUATEMALA — Jennifer was growing up in a juvenile detention center.
This Guatemalan girl had early become involved with gangs and drugs. Her grandmother, who was raising her, couldn’t manage her … So juvenile hall was supposed to protect Jennifer from the gang she had left —
But no one realized: Jennifer had not only been part of a gang and criminal activity, she had also dedicated herself to a satanic idol called Holy Death, and this evil influence had robbed her of all peace and joy.
Then, by God’s grace, she received the Book of Hope at the detention center. The team explained the plan of salvation … and Jennifer wished she could believe that there really was hope for her. The team encouraged her — and Jennifer dedicated her life to Christ!
The pain that had been her constant companion began to seep away, and today she is growing in God’s love and joy.
NATION BY NATION
LIMITED ACCESS NATION
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Muslim brothers born again
Islam dominated his life from the time he could remember … In their region of Burundi, Africa, it was the majority religion, and Afsa’s family were all Muslims.
But the strict laws and prohibitions seemed harsh to Afsa. There was no peace in his home or in his heart.
The only time Afsa felt peaceful was when he visited a nearby church — and it was there he saw The GodMan film and chose to dedicate his life to Jesus Christ!
“I came home with joy and told my parents,” Afsa remembers. “They thought I was crazy. They even told the Sunday school teacher not to allow me to come back to church.”
But Afsa couldn’t stay away — and soon his older brother came to know Jesus, too!
This caused an uproar in the family … but the boys seemed so happy, and even though both of their parents were mystified, they allowed them to return to church.
“Glory be to God!” Afsa says today. He and his brother are praying their parents and siblings will soon come to Christ as well.
