Hope Found In a Place Where Faith Is Forbidden
In a province where nearly everyone follows Islam — and where choosing Jesus can come at a great cost — 16-year-old Lydia had run out of hope.
At school, relentless bullying told her she didn’t belong. At home, the love she longed for from her father was replaced with anger. The weight of rejection became too much to bear … and Lydia began to wonder if ending her life was the only way to escape the pain.
But in her darkest moment, you were there.
Scrolling on her phone, searching for any distraction, Lydia found a digital outreach you make possible. Through it, she encountered God’s Word — and a caring online missionary who listened, encouraged, and shared the hope of Jesus.
For the first time, Lydia felt seen. Known. Loved.
Today, as her journey continues, despair is giving way to hope. In a place where faith is restricted and hearts are hard to reach, Lydia is discovering the truth of God’s love — because you helped bring it to her.
Only until May 31: You can reach twice as many children and youth like Lydia with God’s Word in the most difficult-to-reach places on earth! The $1,000,000 Every Child, Everywhere Matching Challenge will DOUBLE your donation today.
Fast Facts: The Persecuted Church
- Worldwide, 430 churches and Christian properties were attacked in 2023 — an 800% increase since 2018.1
- Persecution takes many forms, with these five prevalent: believers killed, arrested, assaulted or abducted, displaced, and buildings attacked.
- Converts from Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism face rejection, imprisonment, violence, and death.
Please pray for your Christian brothers and sisters who are threatened for their faith!
From Rebellion to Redemption
In a majority-Muslim nation of Eurasia, 16-year-old Dina’s rebellious behavior got her expelled from school.
Though academically gifted enough to later enter college, she found herself surrounded by friends with destructive values who always led her into trouble. Her relationship with her parents had completely deteriorated.
Everything changed when an old friend invited her to a Jam meeting one winter Friday. It’s a Bible study and fellowship group for youth sponsored by our partner church, using OneHope materials.
“I decided to try something new,” Dina recalls. At Jam, she encountered young Christians whose lives reflected something she desperately wanted. “I met young people who were different, and I wanted to become like them. I loved everything about them.”
Dina soon accepted an invitation to church.
“After I went, my life was never the same,” she shares. “I met the Lord. I understood that I needed Him.”
Now 18, Dina not only follows Jesus but serves at her church and helps lead the very Jam meetings that transformed her life.
I met the Lord. I understood that I needed Him. My life was never the same.
DOUBLE Your Donation to Reach the Impossible Places!
Friends donated a $1 million Every Child, Everywhere Matching Challenge targeting the most difficult-to-reach places — conflict zones, refugee camps, places where Christians are persecuted, or places isolated in other ways.
Your gift will be DOUBLED, up to the $1 million total. This means every $1 you give will reach 6 children and youth with the Good News. But the challenge is only until May 31. Don’t miss out. Give now at www.onehope.net/donateGR.
A Life Transformed in a Hardto- Reach Nation
In a limited access nation with a small minority of Christians, Vimal was struggling just to survive.
Growing up in a rural village, life at home was marked by hardship. His father’s alcoholism brought instability and pain, and by the age of 17, Vimal made the difficult decision to leave with his mother and sister in search of a better life. Together, they took on low-paying jobs in a new city, doing all they could to put food on the table.
But the weight of responsibility — and the wounds of his past — left Vimal overwhelmed and without hope.
Then one day, as he scrolled through social media, he found a link to a digital program you make possible.
He clicked the link, began to read the Scriptures, and soon connected with an online missionary who first listened — really listened — to his story. For perhaps the first time, Vimal felt heard. As trust grew, the missionary shared his own journey of hardship, healing, and finding hope in Jesus.
Vimal had a powerful realization: without God, success means nothing.
That truth opened the door to deeper conversations … and soon, Vimal chose to follow Jesus. Today, even without a nearby church, he continues to grow through online discipleship and Bible study.
In a place where believers are few and faith is costly, Vimal’s life is being transformed — because you offered him hope.
Going Beyond the Box in Missions
What if a cardboard box could open a door that’s been closed for generations?
Across the Middle East, ongoing crises have left families struggling to meet basic needs and children longing for moments of joy. In a region where faith in Jesus comes at a cost, churches are seeking new ways to bring hope into communities that are difficult to reach.
In response, OneHope, in partnership with local organizations and church leaders, developed Beyond the Box.
Each box is filled with food and essentials for families. But it also becomes something more. The inner lining of the box features printed Bible story activities, with Bible App for Kids characters infused into the design. After unpacking, children transform the box into crafts such as Noah’s Ark or a Nativity scene. Special editions of the Book of Hope are also distributed, guiding them through Scripture.
In cultures where hospitality is deeply valued, receiving help builds trust. Families who once kept their distance are now welcoming churches into their homes and, in many cases, stepping into church for the first time.
One church partner remarked, “Through Beyond the Box, we got to know [families] personally. … This broke the barrier between the church and these families.”
You make this possible. For many, Beyond the Box is their first time hearing about a Savior who loves them. Children who saw only crisis now see hope, not just for today, but for eternity.
The GodMan History: Timeline
When Faith Costs Everything
By OneHope President Rob Hoskins
We often hear that, on average, 12 Christians are killed each day because of their faith. It’s a sobering statistic.
But behind every number is a name. A family. A child.
What happens when children and youth choose to follow Jesus?
In many parts of the world, a young person’s commitment to Christ can cost them more than we might imagine. A teenage girl may be pulled out of school. A boy may be rejected by his family. A young believer may be isolated, threatened, or pressured to renounce his faith. For some, baptism marks not only a spiritual beginning but also the loss of the community as they have known it.
When faith costs everything, you quickly discover its true value.
I think of young believers who gather quietly to study Scripture, aware that discovery could bring consequences. I think of teenagers who hide Scripture, not out of shame but out of wisdom. I think of children who whisper prayers at night, asking God for courage to stand firm the next day at school or at home.
Their faith is not casual. It is costly.
The global Church is one body. When a child suffers for Christ, we feel it. And we respond — by praying, by advocating, and by ensuring they have access to God’s Word and to safe discipleship in community.
Let us not take lightly the freedom our own children enjoy. And let us stand with those whose commitment to Christ has changed everything.
Because when faith costs a child everything — and they still choose Jesus — we are reminded that He truly is the treasure worth any price.
NATION BY NATION
SENSITIVE AREA
Ahmed committed his life to Jesus after reaching out to online missionaries through our TikTok channel in his majority-Muslim nation! Today he is connected to a local church and joyfully growing in his faith.
SOUTH AFRICA
Mandisa used to keep her faith to herself. She didn’t think her peers would understand or even listen. But the Unstoppable Book of Hope you sent her gave her the courage and direction to boldly stand for Jesus!
URUGUAY
Seven-year-old Victoria received a Book of Hope from the local church along with an invitation to Sunday school. Today Victoria and her whole family attend church together, and they are all following Jesus!
A Fatherless Child Finds His Heavenly Father
In a nation where most people follow Islam, Hadi grew up with a quiet ache in his heart.
The youngest of three siblings, he lost his father when he was just 3 years old. In a culture where family shapes identity, that loss left him feeling unanchored — searching for direction, for answers, for something to steady his life.
A deep thinker by nature, Hadi wrestled constantly with worry and unanswered questions. “If I think so much,” he wondered, “why can’t I find the answers I’m looking for?” At times, the weight of it all left him feeling overwhelmed and ready to give up.
But in his searching, you were there.
Through a digital program you helped provide, Hadi connected with an online missionary who listened with care and compassion. As they talked, Hadi was gently encouraged to bring his questions and fears to God — not as distant thoughts, but personally.
He wasn’t sure it was possible.
But when he heard that God speaks to those who seek Him with an open heart, something changed.
Hadi began to weep. In that moment, he realized God was calling him — not from afar, but into a relationship.
As the message of repentance and new life in Jesus was shared, Hadi responded with all his heart. Through tears, he surrendered his life to Christ, overwhelmed with a joy he could hardly put into words.
Today Hadi is growing in his faith, reading Scripture, praying, and connecting with other believers.
Once burdened and searching, he is now discovering peace, purpose, and the love of a heavenly Father — because you helped him find the truth.
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OneHope Team
- 11 Aug 2026
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