I’ll never forget the time Dr. Thomas from Hopegivers International visited our church in Columbus, GA soon after we were married.
We had been talking about the future and what God may be calling us to do when our time with the Army was complete. From the very beginning it was clear that we both had a heart for young people and discipleship. There were so many different ways to get involved, but we just didn’t know which one would allow us to maximize our effectiveness.
That’s when God intervened and brought Dr. Thomas to town! Believe it or not, he had just been released from prison in India recently. This was one of multiple times he had spent time in jail for preaching the Gospel in the country.
He presented the vision of Hopegivers International as raising up 1 million “Arrows for Christ” who would fearlessly proclaim God’s name throughout the country.
These “arrows” he referred to were orphan children who had been forgotten by society but LOVED by God!
Hopegivers gathers the children in a series of centers which they called Hope Homes. The children are taught about Christ, discipled through life’s trials and tribulations, and sent through Bible school. Once they are ready to graduate, they are launched into other parts of the country with the mission of planting a church as their capstone project.
Dr. Thomas explained that these youth would be given a Bible and a bicycle and perhaps a one-way ticket if the destination was further away. They were sent with the intention of planting a church where there was no foundation.
Hopegivers is not only caring for the children’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, but they are training them as missionaries within their own country.
Their influence for Christ is multiplied each time a young person is sent out.
Through his testimony, Dr. Thomas opened our eyes to a model that maximizes all of the passions Christ had laid on our hearts.
We love the nature of the Hope Homes concept because it places children in a loving, family environment that demonstrates their individual value and breaks the inherent cycle of debilitation that institutional orphan care brings.
These children get to see God’s love demonstrated in the daily acts of life and also in the teaching and education they receive. Finally, they are empowered to become highly contributing members of society.
Those who had once been forgotten are now vital to the spiritual life of the nation!
The long term discipleship processes involved in raising children and helping them plant churches is exactly what we see being the key to Ukraine. We desire to see rapid multiplication of churches but know this can only happen on the firm foundation of the truth of God’s word. Pray that we will be faithful in gathering children, sharing the Gospel, training them in righteousness, and launching them to be a light in the darkness.