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HOPE Intl

Mar 27 2024

HOPE Intl

 Microfinance Spiritual Integration Stories we love
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What does faith have to do with poverty? These three stories tell us.

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.

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Peter Greer

Jan 18 2024

Peter Greer

 Staff / Travels
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The real reason behind writing Lead with Prayer

HOPE’s president and CEO Peter Greer shares what inspired him to co-author his latest book, Lead with Prayer.

Originally posted on Peter Greer’s blog.

I first recognized that I had a prayer problem, ironically, on one of HOPE International’s quarterly days of prayer. When a facilitator invited our team to pray silently, I ventured outside for a prayer walk—but spent my “prayer time” ruminating over operational and staffing challenges HOPE was facing. My internal RPMs were revving, and I couldn’t seem to quiet my mind or heart.

By the end of the day, I had set a new fitness record as I paced the grounds but spent precious few moments in prayer. I strategized, planned, and toiled—focusing on what I needed to do with a sprinkling of prayer pixie dust. I concluded the day with neither peace nor clear direction, but I did have growing clarity and conviction that there was a disconnect in my prayer life: I would have described prayer as a first priority, but the way I invested my time suggested it was a last resort.

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HOPE Intl

Nov 16 2023

HOPE Intl

 News
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The challenges—and opportunities—of doing business in Ukraine right now

“Any business is a challenging one right now in Ukraine.” -Serhii, a farmer in western Ukraine 

When Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine’s economy shrank by about one-third—the largest annual fall in more than 30 years of Ukrainian independence. 18 months after the war began, Ukraine’s economy ministry reported that their gross domestic product grew by 2.2% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2023. 

This is welcome news, but the stark reality remains: It’s challenging to do business in a country at war.   Continue Reading…

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HOPE Intl

Oct 23 2023

HOPE Intl

 News
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Expansion in Kenya: an answer to 12 years of prayer

In 2010, Small and Micro Enterprise Program (SMEP) Microfinance Bank, a Christ-centered microfinance institution serving families in Kenya, celebrated a major distinction: It became the third deposit-taking microfinance bank in the country to be licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya. But along with its approval, the central bank issued one caveat: SMEP needed to add investors to its ownership pool.

It sounded like a simple request—yet it proved to be anything but.

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HOPE Intl

Jun 14 2023

HOPE Intl

 Spiritual Integration
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Four ways to pray for the fathers we serve

helping the poor

Across the world, we see dedicated fathers reflecting our Heavenly Father’s love to their families. Praise God for shaping them into the fathers, husbands, and men that God has created them to be! 

Yet, we also witness the challenges that material poverty poses when it comes to providing for their families, growing in their knowledge of Christ, finding Godly community, and grasping their God-given worth. 

So, as fathers continue to invest in their businesses to better shepherd and provide for their families, we lift them up in prayer. This Father’s Day, we’re sharing four things we’re praying over the fathers across the HOPE network—and we invite you to join us.   Continue Reading…

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HOPE Intl

Feb 3 2023

HOPE Intl

 News Spiritual Integration Ukraine
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One year in: five ways to pray for Ukraine

As we draw near to the one-year mark of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we grieve for those who have suffered, lost loved ones, and have lived amid conflict for so long. At the same time, we continue to place our faith in the goodness and sovereignty of God.

At HOPE, we believe in the power of prayer, and so we invite you to join us in continuing to pray for our Ukrainian staff and the entrepreneurs and farmers we serve.

Here are some ways we can pray together: Continue Reading…

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