OneHope

OneHope God's Word, Every Child

Founded	1987
Founder	Bob Hoskins
Type	Children and youth mission organization
Area served	125 countries
Key people	President Rob Hoskins
Slogan	To affect destiny by providing God's eternal Word to the children and youth of the world
Website	OneHope.net
Formerly called	Book of Hope

OneHope^[1] is an international ministry based in Pompano Beach, Florida. OneHope is working in over 140 countries^[2] to provide a message of hope to children and youth through culturally sensitive media^[3] experiences including children’s magazines, animated movies, rave concerts,^[4] interactive games,^[5][6] sports programs,^[7] smart phone apps and more. Working with churches, partner ministries, local governments, schools and non-governmental organizations, OneHope has reached over a billion children.^[8] The organization also conducts research^[9] in 44 countries around the world to gain insight into children’s daily lives, faith, cultural influences and values.

History

OneHope (formerly Book of Hope International) was founded in 1987 by former missionary and Life Publishers^[10] President Bob Hoskins. That year Hoskins was asked by the Minister of Education in El Salvador to provide Bibles to the country’s 968,000 school children. Instead of Bibles, he delivered the Book of Hope—an interactive, Bible-based publication customized for the special challenges and interests of the country’s children and youth. By 2000, the Book of Hope had been shared not only with children in El Salvador but also with children in Haiti, Africa and Eastern Europe.

In 2004, Rob Hoskins^[11] was appointed president of OneHope. Since then, OneHope has expanded its work and is now creating new programs—in addition to the Book of Hope—for sharing the message of the Bible with children and youth including The GodMan an animated children’s film about the life of Jesus Christ.

Today, the Book of Hope is available in some 70 languages and The GodMan has been modified for ten cultural worldviews and translated into some 42 languages. OneHope has also expanded to over 200 unique programs that share the Gospel through storytelling, sport clinics, games, social media and other mediums.

On Thanksgiving Day 2013, in partnership with YouVersion, OneHope launched the Bible App for Kids. The app, which was downloaded more than 1 million times in its first week,^[12] brings the Bible to life for children with dozens of fully animated stories. With over 5 million downloads, the Bible App for Kids is available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Korean and Brazilian Portuguese.^[13]

In February 2014, OneHope reached its billionth child with a relevant gospel message. The moment was broadcast live for OneHope partners around the world to celebrate the occasion.^[14]

Research

In 2007, OneHope launched a 44-country^[15] research initiative to learn more about children and youth’s unique needs, experiences and social traditions around the world.^[16] Through an affiliated organization, Metadigm Group, OneHope conducts this country-specific, outcome-based research about the spiritual state of the world's children, gaining insight about children and youths' daily lives and cultural beliefs. The research reveals information about children's:

• Perceptions concerning their relationships with families
• Behaviors and morals, influencing their relationships with peers of the opposite sex
• Daily pastimes, social influences and future goals
• Worldviews, beliefs and religious affiliations

International impact

• In December 1990, OneHope worked with Russia’s Minister of Religion – Igor Vischepan – to provide the Book of Hope to some 140 million school children in the country. The request came when the Minister of Education realized the need for moral and value oriented education in the post-Soviet era following a Book of Hope distribution in School #715 in Russia.
• Due to the Taiwanese government’s concern over the dramatic rise of problems confronting children and youth, OneHope has been asked to teach character development and values-based education classes as part of the country’s school curriculum. School administrators have begun training volunteers how to use the Book of Hope teacher's manuals for weekly classes.
• In North America, OneHope created the Decide Inside program to minister to juvenile offenders through a comprehensive, multi-media presentation. Decide Inside includes a film series, a special edition Book of Hope and resources for churches and individuals involved in prison ministry. In 2011, Decide Inside began working in juvenile detention centers in the United States.
• In Uganda, OneHope partners with local churches and outreach teams to bring hope to former child soldiers, to counsel and support parents of physically handicapped youth and to care for children with HIV. Thus far, OneHope had given God’s Word to over 14 million children in Uganda alone.

Recognition

Running Deer was the fourth partnership between ToyGun Films and OneHope. The film focuses on a high school cross country star growing up in a Native American community who faces a barrage of personal struggles the day before the most important race of his life. OneHope uses the film in conjunction with its RISE program to reach Native American youth with the Truth of God’s Word. It won the Grand Jury Award at dead CENTER Film Festival in 2013.^[17]

In 2012, Half Good Killer was created in partnership with Toy Gun films and filmed in Cape Town, South Africa. Half Good Killer follows a jaded child soldier fighting for an African rebel force as he struggles to survive the war he was thrust into as he reawakens to the life he was destined to lead. The film is being shown domestically and internationally and has won multiple awards including the audience award at Phoenix Film Festival.^[18]

In 2011, Paper Flower,^[19] a short film created by Toy Gun Films and OneHope for use in Japan to address a casual form of prostitution – compensated dating – was honored with several awards including Best Film at the Mosaic Film Festival^[20] of Los Angeles and Best Spiritual at the Breckenridge Film Festival.^[21]

En Tus Manos,^[22] was another short film developed by Toy Gun Films and OneHope, for use in Latin America countries to fight gang violence,^[23] was honored for Best Actor and Best Short Film at the Beverly Hills Film Festival^[24] and won Best Short Film, Best Directing, Best Male Supporting Actor and Best Female Actor at the Los Angeles International Film Festival in 2010.

References

External links

• OneHope.net
• Spiritual State of the World’s Children
• CBN World News
• Christianity Today
• The Huffington Post
• Charisma Magazine
• Hobby Lobby