OneHope is an international ministry based in Pompano Beach, Florida. OneHope is working in over 100 countries to present a biblical message of hope to children and youth through age- and culturally-specific programs including: children's magazines, storytelling, animated movies, interactive games, sports programs, smartphone apps and more. Working with churches, partner ministries, local governments, schools and non-governmental organizations, OneHope has reached more than one billion children with a relevant presentation of God's Word. The organization also conducts research in 44 countries around the world to gain insight into children's daily lives, faith, cultural influences and values.
History
OneHope was founded in 1987 by former missionary and Life Publishers 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 was appointed president of OneHope. Since then, OneHope has expanded its work and is now creating new programs for sharing the message of the Bible with children and youth, includingThe GodMan, an animated children's film about the life of Jesus Christ. Today, the Book of Hope is available in more than 140 languages, and The GodMan has been modified for ten cultural worldviews and translated into 78 languages. OneHope has also expanded to over 300 unique programs that share the gospel through storytelling, sport clinics, games, apps and other mediums. On Thanksgiving Day 2013, in partnership with YouVersion, OneHope launched the . Downloaded more than 1 million times in its first week, the app brings the Bible to life for children with dozens of fully animated stories. With over 16 million downloads, the Bible App for Kids is available in 25+ languages 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.
Research
In 2007, OneHope launched a 44-country research initiative to learn more about children and youth's unique needs, experiences and social traditions around the world. Through an affiliated organization, , OneHope conducts this country-specific, outcome-based research about , 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. Since that time, more than 101 million Russian children and youth have been reached with the Gospel.
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.
During the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil, OneHope presented the gospel to 250,000 Brazilian young people.
Through the Lumière Project in French-speaking Africa, more than 600 churches have been planted.
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 message of the Bible. It won the Grand Jury Award at dead CENTER Film Festival in 2013. 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. In 2011, the short film Paper Flower, created by Toy Gun Films and OneHope for use in Japan, addressed a casual form of prostitution, compensated dating. Paper Flower was honored with several awards including Best Film at the Mosaic Film Festival of Los Angeles and Best Spiritual at the Breckenridge Film Festival. En Tus Manos was another short film developed by Toy Gun Films and OneHope with the objective of fighting gang violence in Latin American countries. En Tus Manos was awarded Best Actor and Best Short Film at the Beverly Hills Film Festival and won Best Short Film, Best Directing, Best Male Supporting Actor and Best Female Actor at the Los Angeles International Film Festival in 2010.
