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God cares deeply about each person living in spiritual and material poverty—and He calls us to love and serve them. Many of you are already responding to that call, but you might also be wondering: How can I help the next generation care about these same things? 

Maybe you have kids, grandkids, nieces, or nephews who love Jesus and love others, but haven’t yet encountered the realities of global poverty. Inviting them into this conversation can feel daunting. How do you share honestly without overwhelming them? 

Questions are a fantastic place to start. They create space for kids to wonder, process, and respond in their own way. 

Here are a few questions to initiate those conversations in everyday moments, whether on a walk, in the car, or around the dinner table.  Continue Reading…

Children are among the most vulnerable members of any society—but in communities where poverty is present, the stakes are higher. Children are two times more likely than adults to live in extreme poverty. And when kids lack basic needs like food and shelter, it hurts their chances to stay healthy, learn at school, and someday live the lives they dream of (UNICEF). As of 2024, 412 million children are living on less than $3 per day (World Bank).

Yet we know that God cares deeply about kids. The question is, how do we protect them from the impacts of poverty and equip them with what they need to lead healthy, flourishing lives? 

At HOPE International, we believe one of the best ways to care for children living in poverty is to empower their parents. Here’s why investing in mothers and fathers unlocks transformation for their children and future generations.  Continue Reading…

Norlita escaping poverty in the Philippines and economic opportunity

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? 

Continue Reading…

Bosco Nsabimana, Owner of a wholesale crop business in Rwanda. Lifted out of poverty with Urwego bank.

Bosco Nsabimana, a father of eight children and the owner of a wholesale crop business in Rwanda, had big dreams.

He dreamed of expanding his business while empowering his community financially, spiritually, and emotionally, but there was a problem. The only microfinance institutions he was familiar with didn’t align with his ambitions.

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How a savings group helped Sandrine find community, deeper faith, and a better future 

Sandrine Niwemuraza and her tailoring business

Sandrine working in her tailoring shop

Sandrine Niwemuraza had every reason to stay away from church. “[My] mother used to encourage me to go to church, but I did not want to because I didn’t feel welcomed.” 

While still in high school in rural Rwanda, Sandrine became pregnant, and she and her mother—also a single parent—felt despair about their situation. They now faced the reality of even deeper generational poverty. Rejected by their extended family, church, and neighbors, they felt alone. 

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Jocelyn standing with her merchandise in the Philippines

How deepening a relationship with Jesus empowers families to break out of poverty

At HOPE International, we believe that without Christ, none of us can be truly free from poverty. One of our great joys is seeing people come to know Christ and experience the abundant life He offers.

Today, we’re celebrating the stories of Alphonse, Dominga, and Jocelyn, three people served by HOPE who have experienced spiritual transformation and poverty’s grip loosening. From learning how to pray to sharing the joy of salvation with family to finding hope for the future, these stories illustrate how God is at work—and why sharing the love of Jesus remains integral to our approach to alleviating poverty.

Alphonse Nsengumuremyi: learning to pray

Before taking out a loan from Urwego Bank, HOPE’s microfinance institution in Rwanda, Alphonse says he didn’t have the capital he needed to expand his family’s small business of selling cooking oil. Without enough income, he struggled to pay school fees for his children.

Continue Reading…