There’s so much we’re grateful for as we reflect on 2024. From bringing more hearts to saving faith to empowering Ukrainian IDPs and members of Zimbabwe’s isolated Doma community, God has done incredible things across the HOPE International network.
Of the stories we shared last year, the HOPE community loved these five the most. May these top five stories of 2024 encourage you today—and prompt you to praise God for all He’s done!
When men and women are equipped and empowered through HOPE services—discipleship, training, a safe place to save, and loans—the impact ripples beyond them. Any one of these services can be the catalyst to change a whole family’s life, affecting everyone in the household, even—or especially—the children.
The domino effect is easy to follow: When parents have consistent income, they can provide their children with secure and stable housing, consistent nutritious meals, and pay for their ongoing education. With savings for emergencies, parents also become more resilient to crises and less vulnerable to traffickers and loan sharks who would exploit them in a moment of desperation.
“In 2017, when I joined HOPE Congo, I faced some challenges. One of them was the absence of insurance for my taxi. … My vehicle was in poor condition, with an engine problem,” reflects Barrot Nzingoula.
In the Republic of Congo, owning a reliable vehicle for a taxi business is often considered a promising way to move out of poverty. And the industry is growing quickly. By 2029, the number of individuals working in this business is expected to increase. But Barrot’s prospects didn’t seem so promising: “The future seemed bleak.”
Shruti and her husband didn’t know how to save before joining a savings group—they just wanted to better provide for their three sons.
She couldn’t have guessed it at the time, but setting aside 200 rupees ($2.40 U.S.) each month with her savings group in South Asia would empower Shruti to respond when her family needed it most.
In a remote province of the Philippines, Norlita Escarez and her husband, Philip, collected pebbles and sand for a living.
Without access to better job opportunities, the couple found it difficult to save money and make ends meet for their family of five.
It’s far too common for Filipino families to struggle this way, with nearly 20 million people in the country living in poverty. The Mangyan tribe, who lives in the mountains near Norlita and Philip, is also struggling. Even amid Norlita’s longing for more financial stability, her heart yearned to minister to her neighbors who lacked access to medical care and nutritious food.
Despite the reality of this material poverty, Norlita and her husband were joyful in Christ. But would their love for the Lord carry them through financial hardship? Would she ever have the means to minister to the Mangyan tribe?
Imagine your lunch break being interrupted by bombs exploding in the next town over. Hearing of war coming closer on the news. Realizing that to remain safe, you and your family need to leave your home. Packing up your car and waiting in traffic for hours. Living in another family’s house for months, not knowing if you’ll ever make it back home.
This is the reality for millions of Ukrainian men, women, and children today. Two years after Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the United Nations Refugee Agency, or UNHCR, estimates that there are now 3.7 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Ukraine.
Many in eastern Ukraine fled west, now living as IDPs with Ukrainian host families. As the war continues, they’ve had to adjust to being far from home with no end date. It hasn’t been an easy road.
Yet even amid loss and adjusting to a new life, these families are displaying determination, community-mindedness, and generosity. And at HOPE International, we’re dedicated to walking with Ukraine’s men and women—as we have been since 1997.
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