In a bustling neighborhood in Taiwan, young Ya-Hsuan Ko’s life took an unexpected turn one Tuesday in May. It all began with a simple book she picked up at school during a special event.
The fun event at Ya-Hsuan’s school where she was given the Book of Hope
The book, known as the Book of Hope, was part of OneHope’s initiative to reach children with Jesus and His Word. Through engaging messages and illustrations, the Book of Hope was designed to resonate with childrens’ needs and experiences, offering them the redemptive story of the Gospel.
Ya-Hsuan’s Book of Hope, filled with games and stories
Ya-Hsuan brought the book home, filled with curiosity. She started playing the games inside and reading the stories. Intrigued by what she was discovering, she went to her mother and asked, “Who is Jesus? Who is God?”
Her mother, who had practiced traditional beliefs her entire life, was startled by these questions. She followed her usual routine of visiting the Buddhist temple and praying to the statues, but this usual practice suddenly left her feeling unsettled. Ko’s mother found herself even more unsure of her faith as she recalled the stories of Jesus from the Book of Hope.
The temple where the Ko’s went to practice their beliefs
Meanwhile, the Book of Hope found its way back into their lives when Ya-Hsuan’s father discovered it while cleaning.“When she brought back this book, we didn’t know anything about this religion, so I just glanced at it and put it away. But it was different this time; it just jumped out,” he recalls. Through the simple words and pictures in the book, Ya-Hsuan’s father began to understand the life-altering message of the Bible.
Once Ya-Hsuan’s father learned about Jesus, the entire family followed suit. “Once dad knew about Jesus, all of us believed in Jesus,” Ya-Hsuan shares. God used this little book to touch their entire family.
Ya-Hsuan’s father finding the Book of Hope while cleaning one day
Ya-Hsuan’s mother, transformed by the love of God, felt compelled to share this newfound love with her traditional parents. She was startled to find herself asking to hug her grandfather, which had not been done since she was a young child. As she was going to hug him, she was even more shocked at his response; “Unexpectedly, he reached out his hands first and he hugged me,” she recalls. Suddenly, she realized how desperately he needed love too. Through transformation, Ya-Hsuan’s mom went from being unsure of who Jesus was to earnestly sharing, “God loves you, Jesus loves you,” to her family.
The Ko family is certain that the Book of Hope didn’t end up in their house by accident. “I would like to thank all the sponsors, all the OneHope brothers and sisters who support OneHope, because your effort was not wasted.”
Ya-Hsuan going with her mom to visit her grandparents
Ya-Hsuan’s family exemplifies the profound impact of God’s word, demonstrating how a single book can inspire hope and transform the lives of an entire family.
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