Bringing hope where there is no hope.
UPDATES —
05
Apr '24
Warm Weather Update — The HOPE Center
05
Apr '24
With weather getting warmer, building on The HOPE Center continues. Please join us as we pray for the safety and health of all the builders. Our prayer is the be a blessing to this community. If you would like to help us bring HOPE, consider giving to the building of The HOPE Center in Lebanon.
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26
Mar '24
Spring has sprung at HOPE School
26
Mar '24
Spring has sprung at HOPE School. Help us give hope too all the students who are learning here. Please pray for them and the teachers, and if you can, please give to support the school or sponsor a child.
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09
Mar '24
Building Progress on The Hope Center
09
Mar '24
We continue building The Hope Center, with progress made on the second floor.
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27
May '23
Hope Academy Building Update
27
May '23
We continue to make progress on the new building for Hope Academy.
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27
May '23
UPDATE from Lebanon
27
May '23
Tony and Souzan send greetings from Lebanon. Shining Hope offers hope to those in Syrian refugee camps — from an opportunity for children to get an education, planting a church, and reaching out to parents with the love of Jesus. The lost are coming to Christ, people are being baptized, and we are helping to satisfy physical needs of those who need it most. Join us by donating today!
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08
Apr '23
Hope Academy April 2023
08
Apr '23
Happy Easter and greetings from Lebanon in Jesus name!
Thank you so much for your prayers and support. We want to share with you how well the school is doing. Children love to come to school to learn about Jesus, where they also study English and many other subjects. We average 300+ children per day, but with the weather is improving, some of the children have to work to help support their families.
The Word of God is a light!
An 11-year-old girl (we will call “H”) has been attending the school for three years. She attends school and works in the field when the weather is good. Daily wages are $1 a day. One day while she was working, H found a gold ring and kept it in her pocket. Three days later, a person asked if anyone had found a ring. H gave the ring back to its owner, and when the owner asked why she didn’t keep the ring, she replied, “I can’t. Jesus is in my heart. I would be lying, and lying has consequences. I learned all this at the school in Anjar [Hope Academy in Anjar, Lebanon].”
Jesus is transforming lives!
In the first week of our arrival in Lebanon, we met a young boy named Mo. We heard from others that Mo struggled with hitting other children because of some anger issues. We sat down with Mo and listened to him. He started crying:
“I get angry and hit others when I think of my dad. My dad died a couple months ago. My mom told me that I am the man of the house, and I have two sisters, one older and one younger. I don’t know what to do.”
We hugged Mo and shared the Good News with him. There is the best friend he can have who is with him all the time who is always willing to listen — His name is Jesus. “I want Jesus to be my friend,” cried Mo. He accepted the Lord and promised to behave. Since then, Mo is a changed boy! He is calm, studies hard, and gets along well with others.
We covet your prayers!
Please pray for us as we continue our journey in Lebanon.
Truly, the field is ready for harvest. Would you join us to continue to make eternal difference?
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14
Mar '23
HOPE CENTER March 2023
14
Mar '23
Christ for the Crescent World (CFCW), now Shining Hope International (SHI), has helped Christian individuals and local churches get involved in the mission field since 2015. Our work is accessible, creative, and comprehensive.
In 2015, SHI helped a local church start a new school. Presently, SHI operates a school of 350 children in Anjar. Two churches have been planted, one for the Lebanese in Beirut and one for the community in Anjar. The local church body in Anjar comes entirely from a Muslim background. In addition, three home churches were planted. We continue to go to remote villages and offer both physical food and spiritual food. We distribute Bibles and teach lessons based on Biblical principles. We are honored to share our hope in Jesus Christ.
We have supported six different pastors in Lebanon since the deadly explosion in Beirut. We currently support one local church in Beirut whose pastor died of COVID in 2021. The ministry has grown so much, resulting in a need for a Training Center to teach, equip, and send out missionaries throughout the Middle East.
WHY? We are setting up a uniquely placed training center to disciple and train new believers to become missionaries of the future. With your help, we can impact the world and multiply the number of missionaries to be sent out, instead of relying on the traditional one-missionary-at-a-time method.
HOW? By equipping new believers to serve before sending them out, we prepare to further the gospel. The local believers live on a lean budget, but their advantages include knowing the distinct cultures and languages of the people they represent.
WHEN? Now. Due to the displacement of Syrian refugees and the crisis in Lebanon, many people barely survive on a day-to-day basis. More than 2.5 million Syrians have migrated to Lebanon. The good news is that many of these people have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ. What is the need?
To teach and encourage, to grow and equip disciples of Jesus Christ, who are known for serving others—people who make His name known by their fruits and their character. We need to complete establishing the training center. It will empower future missionaries to meet the pressing need in the Middle East. Each convert will receive a Bible.
YOUR IMPACT — Your donation will help us complete the training center by this summer. Through your contribution, SHI will be able to send local disciples as missionaries to over 21 countries in the Middle East. We believe there is a place for you to join us in making an eternal difference!
Mathew 28: 16–20
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27
Feb '23
$47 / Month Brings Education and Hope to a Child
27
Feb '23
We often ask, “How much does genuine care cost?” Tragedies and crisis continue to overwhelm the Middle East, especially after the earthquakes that hit the region. As you read our web page and newsletter, you will see that there are many children struggling to find a place to call home. Many Syrian refugees are orphans and live with extended family members. When you look into their eyes, you can see sadness. They have so many needs — hunger, brokenness, hopelessness.
Shining Hope International comes in and offers them free education with transportation to and from their tents to school. The parents are so glad, and the children love to learn and grow. We work to provide hope while meeting physical needs to help children face the future, knowing they aren’t alone. This hope gives them the ability to endure when tomorrow is uncertain.
When we started in 2015, we taught about 25 children within the refugee camps. In Fall 2022, a total of 700 children registered for the school year, but we could only take 350. Those children not only learn to read and write but also learn about Jesus. We provide uniforms, books, pencils, and composition papers while offering two meals per week. The children feel safe and cared for:
“My parents registered me in a different school, but I insisted that I want to come to this school because I know I am loved and feel safe.” — M [name hidden for privacy]
For $47 per month, you can bring this kind of hope to a child. Your support is 100% tax deductible and will make a huge difference to “one of the least of these”.
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05
Nov '22
Hope Academy & School (Fall 2022)
05
Nov '22
More than 660 children registered but we could only accept 350 students. Pray as we start the year and construct the new building that we can reach more kids for Christ. Donate now to help build the new school.
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