Togo: Maurice’s new life in Christ
Maurice had grown up observing his father perform rituals and use occult practices to retain power in their village.
Then the OneHope group arrived with Scripture books for children and plans to establish a church … and Maurice’s dad and the other fetish priests gathered for a ritual to curse them!
And afterward he fell gravely ill. Maurice was confused and afraid — His father asked his wife and children to take him to the Christian gathering.
To Maurice’s surprise, the pastor welcomed them warmly … and Maurice watched in awe as his father confessed his actions to the crowd.
Instead of anger, the pastor offered forgiveness. Maurice’s father rejected the old ways and chose to follow Jesus. Now, Maurice, his parents, and siblings all have faith in Jesus!
FAST FACTS ABOUT THE LUMIÈRE PROJECT
Sani’s Story of Hope
In a majority-Muslim region of Africa where Christians face persecution, a young Muslim boy named Sani was suffering from cerebral malaria.
It’s a place where medicine is scarce, and this could have been a death sentence … But you went there with God’s love and God’s Word. You sent the Book of Hope with a team from a neighboring village.
They prayed for Sani, and he was miraculously healed!
The believers launched a church in Sani’s village, where he and his whole family dedicated their lives to Christ.
Praise God! This is all miraculous — especially in a majority-Muslim nation of the limited access world where it’s most difficult to share the Good News. Thank you for reaching out to Sani with the light of God’s Word.
Remember for a limited time every $1 donated to the Shine the Light Matching Challenge will be doubled and reach 6 children and youth like Sani.
The believers launched a church in Sani’s village, where he and his whole family dedicated their lives to Christ.
Catalyzing Change: HOW A ONEHOPE YOUTH PROGRAM INSPIRED TRANSFORMATION IN THE DRC
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a young man named Medi found himself at a crossroads. Despite his involvement in church activities, he struggled internally with his faith and purpose in life.
“I was struggling against troubles and sorrows,” Medi recalls. Recognizing his potential, Medi’s pastor recommended him for our Catalyze Club program.
The experience proved transformative for Medi. While he gained valuable career skills, the most significant change occurred in his spiritual life.
“When I realized that I didn’t have any purpose about my life, I decided to change and find my reason for being in this world,” Medi shares.
Through Catalyze, Medi’s relationship with God deepened profoundly.
“Jesus changed everything in my life. He took away my troubles and sorrows, and gave me His rest. I have peace now,” he says. His family noticed the change, observing that Medi became more joyful and content.
Inspired by his experience, Medi learned English and now uses his newfound skills to minister to others.
“I share my testimony with children, and they always get inspired by that,” he explains. His message to other young people is clear: “Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the answer to the problems of this generation. Keep hoping!”
Your gift of God’s Word changed everything for Medi, and set him on the path of ministering to other young people! Remember your donation today to reach other kids in Africa can make double impact through the Shine the Light Matching Challenge.
The Journey to Hope and Healing
Lassane struggled with persistent health issues that caused her significant physical and emotional distress. She often experienced troubled sleep and intense anxiety, leaving her family deeply concerned about her well-being.
She comes from a Muslim family in a restricted West African nation — her parents, desperate to help their daughter, sought various traditional remedies, but nothing seemed to alleviate her suffering. Then, a pivotal moment arrived when you sent a team with The GodMan film to her village …
Lassane was invited to watch the film — and it changed her life’s trajectory.
In Jesus, she discovered a source of comfort and peace she had never known before. The message of His love resonated deeply with her, bringing a sense of relief and hope. As she embraced this new faith, Lassane noticed remarkable changes in her life. Her nights became restful, and she found herself free from the anxiety that had once plagued her.
Lassane’s newfound inner peace had a profound impact on her daily life. She discovered an improved ability to focus on her studies and memorize her lessons, which had previously been a challenge.
The positive changes in Lassane were so evident that her parents, though still practicing Muslims, are filled with joy at seeing their daughter’s happiness — they’ve encouraged her to continue on her new spiritual path.
Today, Lassane actively participates in a local church alongside other young people who share her faith. She has found a supportive community that nurtures her spiritual growth. Lassane’s story is a testament to the power of hope and the transformative impact it can make in a young life.
You can shine God’s light in Africa!
AND YOUR DONATION WILL BE DOUBLED BY THE CHALLENGE FUND
The Shine the Light Matching Challenge will DOUBLE your impact for Africa’s next generation in these 10 nations and many others:
- Benín
- Cameroon
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Gambia
- Ghana
6. Guinea
7. Liberia
8. Nigeria
9. Sierra Leone
10. Togo
Many of these are majority-Muslim countries, and some are steeped in animism, tribal religions, and Voodoo as well. Children and youth in all these nations desperately need to receive God’s Word and discover the gift of salvation in Jesus.
- When we meet the matching challenge total of $1,000,000, it will provide resources to reach 6 million children and youth with God’s Word.
And you’ll be helping our partners plant churches, too. Using The GodMan film, God’s Big Story, the Book of Hope, and other resources, teams go into new villages and reach out to children and youth. As young people come to faith, their families are also attracted, and new churches are planted.
Please help shine the light today — every $1 will DOUBLED to reach 6 children and youth, up to the $1,000,000 challenge total.
Stepping Beyond the Lumière Project
By OneHope President Rob Hoskins
My friend Jim Byh was director for OneHope ministry Africa and was the chief architect of the Lumière Project. The project launched in 2015 with the twin goals of reaching 6 million children and youth with God’s Word and seeing 3,300 new churches planted in French-speaking Africa.
Jim passed away too soon on April 22, 2016. He had spent what were to be his final days creating and launching the Lumière Project … which has now exceeded its goals! By 2023, our partners had planted 3,900 new churches with an attendance of more than 5 million people.
Praise God! We have now expanded on the goals of Lumière Project to include a church plant in every village across the continent.
With your support and prayers, OneHope delivers the Scripture programs for children and youth, then our local church partners send teams with the Word for young people in new villages, and from there, they plant churches.
This is exciting! And it’s exciting for me, as the head of an outcome-based ministry, to see what our research into this program has revealed so far regarding these church plants:
• Over 100 denominational groups are partnering with us to plant churches.
• Over 100 different languages are spoken among the church plants.
• Young people under the age of 21 accounted for over half (59%) of the overall church attendance.
By having a clear glimpse into the reality of the church plants, we can better serve and equip our field partners, the dedicated and brave men and women who often sacrifice greatly to share the Good News in their region. Continued research and evaluation of this project will aid in the development of sustainable communities of faith.
Thank you for being part of this and shining God’s light in Africa!
NATION BY NATION
SENSITIVE NATION, EURASIA
Afina was placed in an orphanage after her alcoholic mother was deemed unfit. It was there she began receiving visits from a local church team, which shared the Book of Hope and Jesus’ love with her. Today, Afina is following Jesus and has hope for the future!
SENSITIVE NATION, ASIA
Pastor Mohan wants to thank you: “Special thanks for The GodMan film. Through this, many children and young people now know about Jesus. They have also learned about His love, kindness, and grace. This is a great initiative to spread God’s Word to children.”
VENEZUELA
Dijon loves the Bible App for Kids and has gone through all the stories many times. His favorite is the one titled “It Is Finished,” which shows Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and promises our salvation.
Prayer, Purpose, and Influence:
DANIELLE’S LEAD TODAY STORY
Danielle’s life in Douala, Cameroon, took an unexpected turn when she participated in the Lead Today program. This Scripture-based leadership training, designed to nurture godly leaders among teens, opened Danielle’s eyes to a new vision for her life.
Through studying biblical examples of leadership, Danielle discovered her calling: to evangelize and win souls for Christ. The program’s emphasis on God’s Word ignited a passion within her to share the transformative power of faith with others.
Equipped with newfound confidence and purpose, Danielle began her mission close to home. She focused on her sister, sharing the Gospel through both words and actions. Danielle’s consistent example of Christlike behavior spoke volumes, and eventually, her sister embraced faith in Jesus.
But Danielle’s influence didn’t stop there. The leadership skills she gained through Lead Today enhanced her ability to work with others, allowing her to make a broader impact in her community. Her faith-filled response to challenges became a beacon of hope for those around her.
One night, a startling noise on the roof frightened Danielle’s family and neighbors. While others cowered in fear, Danielle calmly began to pray. As her voice rose in faithful supplication, the mysterious noise ceased. This pivotal moment established Danielle as a spiritual leader in her community. Now, whenever challenging situations arise, people turn to her for prayer and guidance.
Today, Danielle is a witness to the life-transforming power of God’s Word through the Lead Today program. Your gift of God’s Word not only changed one young woman’s life, but also created a ripple effect of faith and leadership in her community, demonstrating the far-reaching impact of investing in young, godly leaders.
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