HOPE International

05/30/2026

It was a joy to gather with many of you in Lancaster, PA last night for Celebrating HOPE!🎉

We raised our voices in worship, shared a delicious meal, and lifted up underserved families in prayer. We shared challenges that have shaped our work—and celebrated how God has brought breakthrough and lasting hope to families across Ukraine, the Dominican Republic, South Asia, and beyond.

Thank you to everyone who joined us!

05/28/2026

We’re praising God for how savings groups in Zambia are helping families break cycles of poverty while growing deeper in their faith!🤝

Recent survey data shows that 75–80% of members now say they have strong hope for the future, and 94% say they have someone helping them grow in their relationship with God—a beautiful picture of community and discipleship.

Across the HOPE network, savings groups create spaces where neighbors support one another, build a financial safety net, access loans, and encounter the love of Christ in practical ways. As these groups multiply, even more families are equipped to start businesses and grow in their faith.

Pictured: a member of the Blessings savings group in Zambia

05/25/2026

We praise God for the way that savings groups are serving members of the Deaf community in Haiti!

In Haiti, these groups often face deep cultural stigma and are frequently denied equal access to education, employment, and community life.

Dumel is a member of Etwal (“star”) savings group. He says, “Belonging to the savings group has a big impact on my spiritual life because in the group, we pray and meditate. … I feel like I belong to a new family.”

Pray with us that God would work through HOPE Haiti and our local church partners so more men and women like Dumel experience hope, belonging, and greater financial stability through savings groups.

05/21/2026

A few years ago, Francine's children used to lock her out of her own home in Rwanda.

She had land but didn't know how to farm it well. She was struggling with alcohol addiction. Many nights, she and her children went to bed hungry. But all that changed when her church invited her to a savings group.

Through studying the Bible, she learned to live peacefully with others and to take care of her children. The farming techniques shared in her savings group helped her grow more food, like corn—and even left her with extra to sell at market. She found renewed strength in God and freedom from addiction.

Francine says, “My children now call me ‘Mom,’ and I call them ‘my children.’ Before, they used to call me names based on my past behavior, but those names have changed.”

Praise God for His work in Francine’s life!

05/18/2026

If you didn’t have access to a savings account at a local bank, where would you keep your money? Would you feel secure or anxious keeping it there?

Would it affect how much money you saved?

The reality behind these questions is why we’re so passionate about equipping people living in poverty with a safe place to save.

Millions of people in low-income countries still can’t save at a traditional bank—either because there isn’t one nearby or because their savings are below the minimum needed to open an account. Hiding savings at home leaves that money vulnerable to theft or damage, so it often makes more sense to spend it. And without savings to fall back on, an illness, emergency, or temporary drop in income can quickly become a crisis.

Through the HOPE network, we provide people with access to savings groups or microfinance institutions where they can save for immediate needs or future goals like sending their kids to school or investing in a business. This simple change—having a safe place to save—can be the opportunity a family needs to break the cycle of poverty for generations.🙌

05/14/2026

Partnering with and learning from other amazing, mission-aligned organizations is one of the best parts of our work. Take our partner in the Philippines, the Center for Community Transformation (CCT), for example.

For 35 years, CCT has invested in Filipino families with a variety of Christ-centered financial tools. And in 2024, they expanded their reach to provide families in isolated tribal groups with a safe place to save. Two years later, 19 savings groups made up of over 1,000 people are meeting regularly to hear Scripture and save together!

Join us today in thanking God for CCT and praying for Him to do even more than we could imagine through their work in the Philippines. 🙏

Pictured: the Población T'boli Fellowship Group.

05/10/2026

This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating the strength and generosity of mothers and mother figures around the world—women whose care extends far beyond their own households.☀️

Rev. Dr. Nelly Sarune, a client of SMEP Microfinance Bank PLC , HOPE’s microfinance institution in Kenya, is one of them. Since 2020, she has grown her café and chicken business and even built a home for her elderly mother. Her businesses also help sustain her ministry work, including supporting around 20 children and teens with housing, clothing, food, and education.

“The children that I'm taking care of—we have started small shops, and it's my prayer for them to be future great businessmen and businesswomen. … What I am doing is empowering those young people.”

We thank God for women like Nelly (pictured front, center, with some of the young adults she mentors) whose love and leadership create lasting change in their families and communities!

05/07/2026

Ivan first applied for a HOPE Ukraine loan in early 2022, hoping to start a small farm. After suffering an injury while serving in the war, he returned home ready to rebuild—but his dreams quickly started to fall apart. Banks repeatedly denied his applications due to complex regulations around lending to veterans.

Three years after submitting his first application, Ivan remembered HOPE and decided to try again. This time, he had success and finally received the loan he needed!

Today, Ivan’s farm not only pays his bills but also serves as a place of healing for other veterans he employs. Working with the animals, he says, has brought peace to his body and soul—and he’s grateful to share that hope with others.

05/04/2026

Liz, an artisan and single mother in Paraguay, was struggling to provide for her family when one of her children was diagnosed with asthma. Odd jobs weren’t enough to pay the bills, and her own health was beginning to suffer from the stress.

But everything changed when Liz joined a vocational training class through Diaconía, HOPE’s partner in Paraguay.

Through the program, she learned new skills, built a handmade craft business, and deepened her relationship with Jesus. A small loan allowed her to buy materials in advance, and soon her products were selling out each season. Today, her income is steadier, she’s able to meet her children’s needs, and she’s even discovered the joy of giving to others.

“Being an entrepreneur makes me feel strong,” she says.

We’re celebrating Liz and the brighter future she’s building, one handcrafted piece at a time. Read the rest of Liz’s story at

Liz Fretes is an experienced and talented artisan living in the outskirts of Asunción, Paraguay’s capital city. For 20 years, she’s practiced the craft of Ñandutí (“spider web”) pieces, a traditional Paraguayan lace. Liz would sell her Ñandutí crafts, but it didn’t bring in enough mon...

04/30/2026

Liza’s microfinance group started meeting with just 10 total members in the Philippines in 2005. Today—more than 20 years later—they're still meeting together and their group has more than doubled in size.

How has their group endured for decades? Liza credits prayer and the support of the Center for Community Transformation, HOPE’s local partner. “We also grow in number because of prayer. Our members are always comforted because CCT never stops praying blessings for us,” she shares.

Studying Scripture together has also shaped Liza’s character. “CCT taught me valuable lessons, especially through Bible studies that helped strengthen my faith and taught me humility. I want my family and employees to see the difference in a person who lives with faith in the Lord.”