Finding the Hope

Bertrand is a purser on ferries operating from the seaports of Calais and Douvres on routes between France and England. Two decades ago, Bertrand had a life-changing encounter on one of those very ships. A regular passenger, a pastor from Ireland, was distributing the EHC booklet, Are You Happy?

Across Canada and Around the World!  The Finding the Hope campaign that began in Canada continues to spread across our nation even as it gains momentum globally. People in places far and wide are hearing the message of hope and responding to the love of Christ!

Private donors (a married couple) are personally sponsoring FTH campaigns in 28 rural communities in southeast Saskatchewan. He’s done this through four campaigns—two in February and two in August 2012. Because of his concern and generosity, people in 4184 homes will receive the FTH gospel booklet and other campaign material.

Finding the Hope | Trouver l’espoir Canadians are receiving the message of Hope in English and in French. Finding the Hope campaigns recently took place in the greater Moncton area in NB and also in French-speaking areas including Dieppe, NB and Gatineau, QC.

It began with a brief phone call and a simple question: How could the churches in Brighton reach our community with the Gospel? The answer to that question—Finding The Hope—spread from one pastor to another. Before long, leaders and members from area churches were meeting to pray, plan and then mobilize for one mission:

FINDING THE HOPE IN THE CITIES OF FRANCE “They described their personal encounter with Jesus.” “They grasped the truth that Jesus loves them profoundly.” “The reality of Christ moved them to commit their lives to Him and to be baptized because of their devotion to Him.”

The FTH campaign took place last year, but the impact continues. This April, EHC received a letter from a 25-year-old man in a Saskatchewan jail with the words “I need God!” in large bold letters. He asked for a copy of 7 Days with Jesus and for EHC to pray for him.

A Montreal senior was so anxious to receive a copy of 7 Jours avec Jésus (7 Days with Jesus) that she wrote to EHC using what she had at hand—a dinner napkin. The lady, who lives in a retirement home, didn’t even live in the north end, where the Église Chrétienne d’Ahuntsic campaign occurred.

The Moncton FTH campaign, the most extensive in Canada to date, proved that intensive prayer and advertising has a positive impact in making a FTH campaign effective. The campaign reached 85,640 homes. It led to several hundred visits to www.findingthehope.com and over 200 requests for follow up to date.

Two more churches are sponsoring FTH campaigns in 2012: South Portage Baptist church in Nashwaak Bridge, NB, and Living Hope Lutheran church in Beaumont, AB. In Nashwaak Bridge, a rural community just outside Fredericton, the FTH gospel packets will go to people in 833 homes starting May 7.

Eglisa de la Vie Abondante of Cowansville, QC, campaign sponsored Canada’s first French-only campaign. The pastor and congregation have long-term plans to do a little more in their community each year until the entire town is covered. This year they reached 1,127 homes in early March.

The message of hope in Christ is arriving in mailboxes in 5 provinces. And the pre-campaign promotion has already drawn on-line responses. The communities involved include the Greater Moncton Area, NB; a portion of Halifax, NS; Cowansville and Gatineau, QC; Brighton, ON and Southeast SK. Please pray that many will respond to the Good News.