Hope for All Magazine 2020

PRISONER FINDS HOPE • CELEBRATING WITH ‘MEANINGFUL’ CHOCOLATE
FOR
SEEING
ANGELS
ALL
CELEBRITY
BAPTISMS
BECKHAMS AND
KARDASHIANS
TAKE THE PLUNGE
HOW A REMARKABLE ENCOUNTER
CHANGED A FAMILY FOREVER
PRAY!
IT’S GOOD FOR THE SOUL SAYS ACTOR CHRIS PRATT
GENEROSITY
PAYING IT
FORWARD
AN EASTENDER’S
LEGACY
MEET THE ‘FATHER’ OF MODERN CHARITIES

The power to choose
in a child’s hands
Chosen is a brand new,
powerful event for your
church and congregation.
Together, your church can
give vulnerable children a
choice – possibly for the
rst time in their lives.
The chance to choose
members of your church
family to walk alongside
them as their sponsors.
Find out how your
church can be Chosen.
Visit
worldvision.org.uk/chosen
World Vision UK is a charity registered
in England (no. 285908).
Nicholas, Kenya chose the Kane family.

FOR
Editor:
Catherine Butcher
Design:
S2 Design & Advertising Ltd
Print & Distribution:
Belmont Press
Photos:
Alamy, istock, MovieStillDB,
Rex/Shutterstock
Publisher:
HOPE Together,
8A Market Place, Rugby,
Warwickshire
CV21 3DU
office@hopetogether.org.uk
01788 542782
© HOPE Together 2020.
Acceptance of advertising
does not imply
endorsement.
HOPE 08 Ltd.
Registered Company
No. 05801431
Registered Charity
No. 1116005
ALL
WELCOME
TO HOPE
FOR ALL
Are you one of the 51% of adults
in the UK who pray? A simple
prayer like ‘Help me, God!’ is often
the start of a journey. The millions of people
around the world who are on this journey have
discovered that God loves them. They have
been baptised and are now learning to live
as followers of Jesus.
In this issue of HOPE for all there are
several articles about people who have been
baptised as Jesus’ followers, plus lots more.
HOPE for all is a free gift from your local
church. It points to the hope found by people
who follow Jesus. To find out more about this
lasting hope, ask the person who gave you
this magazine, your local church or visit
christianity.org.uk.
04
08
11
14
16
20
22
24
25
LEARN TO PRAY
Leading actor Chris Pratt says
prayer is good for the soul
SEEING ANGELS
How a remarkable encounter
in the midst of tragedy
changed a family forever
AN EASTENDER’S
LEGACY
Meet the ‘father’ of modern
charities Cecil Jackson-Cole
GET REAL!
Celebrating Easter with
chocolate that tastes good
and does good
CELEBRITY BAPTISMS
Discover what this ancient
practice means
BRAZILIAN BAPTISM
BOOM
Football’s Roberto Firmino
and the growth of public faith
PAYING IT FORWARD
Generosity makes the world
go round, says Carl Beech
INSPIRATION
FROM INDIA
How a daily habit of generosity
can make a massive difference
TIME TO GIVE
How IBM’s Vice President
is generous with his time
HOPE for All is
published by HOPE
Together in
partnership with Hope
for Every Home. Visit
hopeinfo.org.uk to
watch videos linked
to the features in the
magazine.
Roy Crowne
executive director of HOPE Together
hopetogether.org.uk
visit us online
hopeinfo.org.uk hopetogether.org.uk/shop christianity.org.uk
watch the
featured videos
26
28
order more copies
of this magazine
or discover other
resources from HOPE
CHOSEN
What prompted a party in
Pajule, Uganda? Fiona Graham
finds out
CHANGED LIFE
Roy Crowne goes to prison
and finds a story of hope
find answers to
your questions
about
Christianity
HOPE FOR ALL 3

CELEBRITIES
Leading actor
Chris Pratt says
prayer is good
for the soul
LEARN TO
PRAY
to pray. It’s easy
and it’s so good for
‘Learn
your soul.’ That’s the
advice from actor Chris Pratt.
The Jurassic World star was
speaking at the MTV Movie & TV
Awards, where he received the
‘Generation Award’.
He opened his acceptance speech by
saying: ‘I’m going to cut to the chase and I am going to
speak to you, the next generation.’
His advice was then a mix of humour and wisdom
inspired by his Christian faith.
Number one? ‘Breathe,’ Pratt said. ‘If you don’t,
you’ll suffocate.’
‘Two, you have a soul. Be careful with it.’
4 HOPE FOR ALL
‘Three, Don’t be a turd. If you are
strong, be a protector. If you are smart,
be a humble influencer. Strength and
intelligence can be weapons, so do
not wield them against the weak. That makes you a
bully. Be bigger than that.’
His less-serious lessons included how best to use
the toilet at a party and how to give a dog medicine, but
his Christian faith was at the forefront with the strong
statement: ‘God is real. God loves you. God wants the
best for you. Believe that. I do.’ Then he added: ‘Learn to
pray. It’s easy and it’s so good for your soul.’
Chris with his son Jack
‘God is real. God
loves you. God wants
the best for you,’
Pratt says

Reflecting the Christian
principle of doing good to others,
he said, ‘It doesn’t matter what it
is…Reach out to someone in pain.
Be of service. It feels good and it’s
good for your soul.’
He then wrapped up his
speech with his last rule:
‘Nobody is perfect. There is a
powerful force that designed you
that way and if you’re willing to
accept that, you will have grace.
And grace is a gift…that grace
was paid for with somebody
else’s blood. Do not forget it.’
Close encounter
Chris Pratt first came to
prominence with his role as Andy
Dwyer in Parks and Recreation and
more recently he appeared in
Avengers: Infinity War as the
character he introduced in
Guardians of the Galaxy and its
sequel. In 2018 he starred in Jurassic
World: Fallen Kingdom, the science fiction adventure film
sequel to Jurassic World (2015).
He became a Christian after a one-off encounter
with a street preacher in Hawaii. Chris was getting
ready to go to a party with friends, when a man
approached him outside a grocery store and told him
‘Jesus told me to talk to you…’
Chris didn’t go with his friends that night. Instead
he went with the stranger to church and became
a Christian two days later. ‘Over the next few days
I surprised my friends by declaring that I was going
to change my life,’ Pratt recalls.
It took the premature birth of his son Jack, several
years later, to prompt Chris pray like he’d never prayed
before. Jack was born nine weeks early and weighed
just three pounds when he was born.
Chris told US Magazine ‘He was hooked up to
these monitors and he stopped breathing over and
over. One of the brave and amazing nurses would
come over and shake him a little
bit, I guess to remind him he was
alive. The only people allowed to
touch him were his mom and me,
unless you were wearing gloves.
We did this amazing thing they call
“skin-to-skin” – it was just the best
feeling I ever had. It’s just what it
‘I prayed... that
he was going to let
me keep him.’
sounds like. My little boy was laying
across my neck and chest feeling
my heartbeat and feeling my love,
and I played him country music
and I sang to him and I made him
promises… you know, about…
just about what kind of dad I
wanted to be, and I just prayed
that he’d be here long enough and
he was going to let me keep him.’
Chris says that the birth of his
son in 2012 defined his faith in God, as both he and his
wife ‘prayed a lot’ as they were initially afraid the baby
was not going to live. Jack survived, but sadly Chris and
Jack’s mum, Anna Farris, divorced in 2017.
Last year he announced his engagement to
Katherine Schwarzenegger and wrote on Instagram
declaring his love and their shared Christian faith:
‘Sweet Katherine, so happy you said yes! I’m thrilled to
be marrying you. Proud to live boldly in faith with you.
Here we go.’
When they married, he wrote: ‘We became
husband and wife in front of God, our families and
those we love. We feel so blessed to begin this new
chapter of our lives.’
The couple regularly attend church together in
L.A., where the emphasis is on having a relationship
with God through Jesus Christ.
HOPE FOR ALL 5

CELEBRITIES
PEOPLE WHO
PRAY
Only God knows what motivates
celebrities to go public about
their prayers. But whatever
prompts them to pray, they are
increasingly vocal about the practice.
JUSTIN BIEBER
Last November Justin Bieber posted
on Instagram: ‘Good morning here
is a guided prayer to start your day!
Find a comfy position and enjoy!
@churchome’ The ‘guided prayer’
included a six-minute meditation on a verse from
the Bible book of Romans: ‘Nothing can separate
us from the love of God’. Earlier in the year, Bieber
asked his 105 million followers to pray for him as he
was treated for depression. He said: ‘God is faithful…
prayers really work thanks...the most human season
I’ve ever been in facing my stuff head on.’
WHO PRAYS WHERE?
51% 20%
PRAY 39%
according to a ComRes poll.
}
OF THOSE...
don’t class
themselves as
religious
believe that
prayer can be
world-changing
BEYONCÉ
Just before Beyoncé gets
onstage, everyone involved in
the performance – from the
dancers, choreographers and
band members to the staff and
crew – forms a circle and says a prayer, according
to her dad, Mathew Knowles, who was speaking
to Business Insider.
DENZEL
WASHINGTON
Prayer is part of every day for
actor, director, and producer
Denzel Washington, who is a
Golden Globe and Academy Award winner. In an
inspirational speech to new college graduates, the son
of a church minister said, ‘I pray that you all put your
slippers way under the bed at night so that when you
wake up in the morning you have to get on your
knees to reach them. And while you’re down there,
say “Thank you for grace, thank you for mercy, thank
you for understanding, thank you for wisdom, thank
you for parents, thank you for love, thank you for
kindness, thank you for humility, thank you for peace,
thank you for prosperity” … Don’t just aspire to
make a living; aspire to make a difference.’
OF THOSE WHO PRAY...
55%
71%
Pray in a
crisis
Pray for
their
families
12%
20%
Pray while
exercising
Pray while
cooking
6 HOPE FOR ALL

PROFILE
How a remarkable
encounter in the midst
of tragedy changed
a family forever
SEEING
angels
Natasha and her dad Nadim hit
the headlines in July 2016 when
Natasha died after an allergic
reaction to a Prêt à Manger baguette.
Three years later Nadim Ednan-Laperouse’s
story was broadcast on BBC radio and
revealed an extraordinary meeting that
has changed his life.
8 HOPE FOR ALL

Speaking calmly and in detail
to interviewer Emily Buchanan for
the programme A Bright Yellow
Light, Nadim describes how he
was with 15-year-old Natasha on
a flight to Nice in France. She had
eaten a baguette she had bought
at the airport, without knowing it
contained sesame seeds. Natasha Nadim with Natasha
had suffered from severe food
allergies since she was six months
old, and was allergic to sesame.
‘It didn’t mention this on the
packaging,’ Nadim says. ‘I was used to
looking at packaging – we were very
careful to a degree that is almost
unimaginable to most people. It all
looked fine.’
Shortly after eating the sandwich,
Natasha started to feel ill, so she took
some antihistamine and they
boarded the plane. About 30
minutes into the flight, Natasha
said, ‘Daddy, I’m not feeling well.’ Her whole
body was covered in huge red welts. It was
clearly an allergic reaction. Then she said ‘I’ve real
difficulty breathing. I think you need to give me the
EpiPen.’ This is used to inject a dose of adrenaline to
counteract allergic reactions.
A member of the cabin crew helped Nadim take
Natasha to the toilet at the front of the plane. She was
struggling to breathe. Even after Nadim injected the
adrenaline into her thigh, she was still struggling and
saying, ‘Daddy, I still can’t breathe. Help me! Help me!’
As she slumped over, she said ‘Daddy, get the
second pen!’
She was falling unconscious
Nadim assumed that two adult doses of adrenaline
would solve the problem, but within minutes she was
falling unconscious.
The cabin staff provided oxygen, but all Natasha’s
internal airways were closing up. The allergic reaction
was overwhelming. A newly qualified GP responded to
Nadim with his family
- Alex, Natasha and wife Tanya
‘I didn’t expect her to die,’
says Nadim
the appeal for medical help, but
by this time, she was in cardiac
arrest.
The pilot was informed, and
they decided it was best to
continue the 400 miles on to
Nice. As soon as they landed,
five paramedics walked straight
onto the plane and used a
defibrillator and CPR in an
effort to resuscitate the
teenager.
‘I didn’t expect her to
die,’ says Nadim. His voice
breaks as he describes
talking to her and telling her
‘I love you. Your daddy’s here
with you.’
CPR went on for about
45 minutes. They found out
later the paramedics had
broken all her ribs trying
to bring her back.
Five angels appeared
Nadim told the BBC: ‘Just as it all looked terrible
– I mean, it couldn’t get worse – I was looking at
Natasha, as I had never taken my eyes off her, and
these five angels just appeared.
‘This yellow light appeared – strong, soft, yellow
light – rather like a candlelight but it’s really intense,
but not that your eyes would squint.
‘And then with great detail these five figures, like
thin people, like you and I just now, in proportion,
just appeared, with wings on their backs.’
He remembers them clearly: ‘They were about 20
centimetres tall, and thin, not chubby like children in
a Renaissance painting and with feathery wings like
in the Vatican, but actually like human beings; all looking
at me, moving around Natasha. I’d never ever seen
anything like that in my life.
‘I never expected to see something like that
– I lifted my arm up and wooshed them away as it
HOPE FOR ALL 9

PROFILE
dawned on me that it might
mean she might die. I shouted
“It’s not her time.” And as I did
that, they were gone…and
Natasha died. She was gone.’
Not a believer
Nadim wasn’t religious and
described himself as an atheist
to that point.
‘I was someone who
was not a believer at all,’ he
says. ‘I was someone who
was, frankly, too full of
himself; too arrogant.’
He saw himself as a strong, self-made man in a
business world. He had a successful business. He had
been awarded an MBE and was on talking terms with
heads of government.
‘That situation showed me I was completely weak
and unable to do anything, even for my own family.’
The tragedy and the experience of seeing angels
had a profound effect on Nadim, his wife and his son.
He had never gone to church and says, ‘I really wasn’t
interested at all.’ But Natasha had been going to church
in London for about a year before her death. The
weekend the family came back with Natasha’s body,
Nadim says, ‘We went to that church. Everyone had
been praying for us. We were overwhelmed by the
care and concern people showed, and we’ve been
going ever since.’
After his unexpected conversion, Nadim still felt
angry about his child dying: ‘I was angry with God for
some time afterwards… There is nothing worse than
your child dying in front of your eyes. I’d much rather
die myself.’
At one with God
Now he says, ‘I am a very happy man in the sense that
we do have grief, but happy that I feel really at one with
God. We have been to a very low place. It couldn’t get
worse. And in that moment God came and lifted us and
he carries us forward.’
10 HOPE FOR ALL
Natasha had been
planning to get baptised
In the months before she died,
Natasha had been planning to get
baptised and when Nadim became a
Christian and decided he too wanted
to be baptised as a follower of Jesus, he
wore a t-shirt with Natasha’s picture
on it so, symbolically, they could be
baptised together.
‘I do know that Natasha was
taken to heaven and she is
there in a wonderful place
without any suffering, and I
know that I will be with her
when my time comes. There is
a lot of relief with that,’ he says.
Reflecting on seeing the angels and the bright yellow
light which surrounded them, he says, ‘It dawned on me
that God was saying “I am with you.” It doesn’t bring
Natasha back, but it really made me feel that I have a
Father; someone bigger and stronger than me. Someone
with no ego. It is such a relief to know that there is
someone else there who takes all of it.
‘All that really matters is having that strength of faith;
giving our problems in life to God, and asking for help.’
Natasha’s Law
Since the tragedy, Nadim and his wife Tanya have
campaigned successfully for a change in the law on
food labelling. The new legislation, known as ‘Natasha’s
Law,’ is due to come into force by summer 2021.
They have also established the Natasha Allergy
Research Foundation, which aims to establish a
research centre at the University of Southampton to
find a cure for allergies.
‘All of us have a choice after something calamitous
happens in our lives,’ Nadim says. ‘We can do something
or we can do nothing.’
Nadim and Tanya have chosen to do what they can
to ensure that no other parents have to face the tragedy
they have been through, and their faith in God is giving
them the strength they need to go on.
Listen to Nadim tell his story on BBC Radio 4
bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000cmsf

INSPIRATION
AN EASTENDER’S
LEGACY
Oxfam, Anchor Homes,
Help the Aged, Age
Concern, ActionAid...
these and many more charitable
ventures began with the work of
one man. A pioneering Christian
businessman who devoted himself
to helping others, Cecil Jackson-Cole
changed business practice and charity
work, and his influence lives on.
Even now, when you buy or sell property through
the estate agency he established, the profits go to help
a wide-range of causes including homelessness,
microfinance, farming, dementia care, education and
many others.
Britain's first permanent charity
shop - the Oxford Committee
for Famine Relief
Cecil Jackson-Cole – born Albert
Cecil Cole but later known as ‘CJC’–
was born in 1901 in the East End of
London. His father was a shopkeeper
who joined the army in 1914,
following the outbreak of the First
World War. Aged only 13, Cecil
subsequently left school to work in a wholesale food
business to support his mother and younger sister. He
was good at his job, and by the age of only 18, was
managing the entire sales team.
When the war was over, Cecil’s father bought a
struggling furniture business called Andrews & Sons.
Cecil became manager and two years later, bought out
his father’s lease with savings he had earned, and took
over the company, steadily developing it. However, he
HOPE FOR ALL 11

INSPIRATION
wanted to develop his
business skills, so at the
age of 28, he went to
Balliol College, Oxford,
as an external student,
to study economics
and improve his
business skills.
Within 10 years
of Cecil taking it over,
Andrews Furnishers
had expanded to three
new branches. His mother
died during this time, in 1926,
and Cecil, who was devoted
to her, was devastated. Her
maiden name had been
Jackson, and in 1927, he
changed his name to Cecil
Jackson-Cole in her honour.
His first major charitable
venture was setting up a retreat for war
veterans on the Isle of Sheppey in 1932.
The following year, under the intense
pressure of trying to build a business
during a time of recession, he had a
serious physical and mental breakdown,
and it took him three years to get
better. He was looked after in a nursing
home by Phyllis, and he married her
in 1936, when he left the home.
During this recovery period,
CJC reflected on his Christian faith
and attempted to rebuild his life,
while also considering his
responsibilities as a Christian businessman and the
direction he wanted to go. He later wrote, ‘My illness
left me with an immense amount of time for
meditation on religious matters, life and the problems
of the world.’ His time recovering transformed his life,
and he emerged full of energy and driven to develop
his entrepreneurial and charitable ventures.
When the Second World War broke out in 1939,
Age Concern and Help the Aged have joined to
form the UK's largest charity for older people
Cecil Jackson-Cole with his first wife, Phyllis
Cecil married Theo Handley in 1973
CJC ran charities as
businesses and made his
business a charity
Andrews
Furnishers had
five branches
in London and
one in Oxford.
Jackson-Cole,
a conscientious
objector, moved
from London to
Oxford with his
wife and, in 1943,
joined the Oxford
Committee for Famine Relief,
which later became Oxfam.
He was the first honorary
secretary, credited as the
driving force behind Oxfam’s
growth.
As well as managing the
organisation, CJC was
innovative, and is said
to have ‘practically
invented the
professional charity
sector’. He applied the
skills and techniques
from his business to
revolutionise the
way the charity
operated, and it
was remarkably
effective. He believed
charities had to be run
as businesses, and
businesses needed to
be run with charitable aims. He introduced professional
advertising campaigns, competitive salaries for charity
workers who were mostly volunteers at the time, and
set up permanent charity shops. These were radical
changes at the time. He transformed this small initiative
into a professional development agency with a global
impact. Author Maggie Black says that ‘for the first 12
years of its life, Oxfam owed more to Jackson-Cole
12 HOPE FOR ALL

than to any other
individual.’
In 1946, his
first £55 advert
for Oxfam, in
a national
newspaper
campaign, raised
£2,600. He
appointed a
talented ‘ad man’
Harold Sumption to
run paid advertising
campaigns for Oxfam.
Sumption’s campaigns
were staggeringly effective
and he is now considered
‘the father of modern day
fundraising’.
During the 1940s and
1950s CJC’s entrepreneurial and
charitable endeavours continued
to expand. In 1946, he opened
the first Andrews Estate Agency,
a charity-focused business from
the start. Leslie Swain and
Raymond Andrews joined him
in business, both responding
Andrews estate agents support
charities across the world
Carers Worldwide is one of the charities
supported by the Andrews Trust
The Single Parent Action Network,
supported by the Andrews Trust
to an advertisement from
Andrews and Partners
pledging the company would
give ‘a third of its profits to
the staff, a third to charity and the remaining third for
the organisation’. By 1949, Andrews had four more
estate agencies.
Following the death of his wife, Phyllis, in 1956,
he continued to devote himself to his philanthropic
ventures, which expanded beyond Oxfam and
established his legacy as one of the world’s most
influential philanthropists. In 1958 he established the
Voluntary Christian Service to raise funds for Oxfam
and other overseas aid projects and to pay for charities
to access professional skills.
His last words were ‘There
is so much more to do!’
In 1965, he set up the
Phyllis Trust, (later the
Andrews Trust) to manage
the charitable funding from
his company and in 1978 he
put Andrews entirely into
ownership of charitable trusts,
which means that profits from
the business are fed into the
various charity projects
associated with the Trust.
Andrews Trust is still heavily
involved in supporting community
projects in the UK and worldwide; there
have been 180 beneficiary charities so
far. They are involved in wide-ranging
causes including homelessness,
microfinance, farming, dementia
care, education and many others.
In 1968 CJC created the Help
the Aged Housing Association,
which later became Anchor
Homes, to provide sheltered
housing, and by 1972 financed
new build properties. Help the
Aged thrived as a charity and in
2009 merged with Age Concern,
with its international work
continuing as Age
International.
In 1972 CJC became
an early pioneer of child
sponsorship in developing countries. He launched
Action in Distress, which later became ActionAid,
to match UK donors with children in developing
countries. Over the next decade, the organisation
grew rapidly, supporting projects around the world.
In 1973, he married his second wife, Theo Handley,
in the UK, and they had a blessing at Delhi Cathedral
in India. When he died in 1979, his last words were
‘There is so much more to do!’ For a man who never
sought personal praise or recognition, his ongoing
legacy is extraordinary.
HOPE FOR ALL 13

INTERVIEW
Alan Titchmarsh:
‘It explains what
Easter means.’
Coronation Street’s
Tracy Barlow: ‘I urge
everyone to support
this great venture.’
Celebrating Easter with
‘Meaningful Chocolate’
that tastes good and
does good
GET
W
hen businessman
David Marshall
was given a
chocolate Easter Egg in 2008,
it prompted him to start
the Meaningful Chocolate
Company, and this year you
can take part in the National
Real Easter Egg Hunt to find
his Meaningful Chocolate eggs.
David, pictured top right, explains: ‘The
idea began when I was given a chocolate
Easter Egg. On the side of the box it read:
‘‘Easter is the festival of chocolate and loveliness.’’
I searched for an Easter egg which mentioned the
Christian story of Easter. It became clear that out
of the 80 million eggs on sale there was not a single
manufacturer who mentioned the religious aspects of the
festival. So I started the Meaningful Chocolate Company
to manufacture the UK’s first ‘‘Real Easter Egg’’.’
REAL
‘This has my full support.’
Dame Judi Dench
‘...the real meaning of
Easter...made in Fairtrade
chocolate.’ Sir Ben Kingsley
For it to be a “Real Easter Egg” it had to
reflect the Easter themes of hope and new
life and do three things – have a copy of
the Easter story in the box, be made from
Fairtrade chocolate, and support charitable
causes. The Real Easter Egg was
launched in 2010.
‘It was a struggle as the
supermarkets turned down the idea,’
David says. ‘It was left to churches and
schools to place orders and fund the
making of the Real Easter Egg.’
Ten years on, more than a million
eggs have been sold, with over
750,000 eggs sent through the post
directly to customers. The rest have
been sold through retailers and supermarkets.
Nearly £275,000 has been donated to charitable
projects, with Fairtrade Premium fees paid to farmers
allowing them to buy everything from school books
and solar panels to providing fresh water.
For Easter 2020, there are five types of Real Easter
14 HOPE FOR ALL

Eggs available, all with new
content. Each egg has an edition
of the Easter story included. There
is a new 24-page version in the
Original and Dark eggs with
activities, content from the Bible,
and a prize competition worth
£200. There is a poster activity
version of the Easter story in the
Sharing Box and Fun Pack, and a
simple guide version in the Special
Edition. Both the Original and
Dark 2020 eggs are plastic-free,
and all the chocolate is palm oil
free. You can buy your own Real
Easter Egg or see a list of shops
stocking it at realeasteregg.co.uk
Easter Egg Hunt
The National Real Easter Egg
Hunt is being run by churches,
organisations and charities
throughout the UK. If you want to
run a Real Easter Egg Hunt you
can order a Real Easter Egg Hunt
Organiser’s kit from
cpo.org.uk/easteregghunt
Real Easter Egg Hunt Organiser’s Kit
The kit includes everything you need to host a Real
Easter Egg Hunt:
• 1x Sharing Box (30 eggs & Easter stories)
• 1x ‘Egg Hunt Kit’ instruction sheet
• 2x A4 egg hunt publicity posters
• 8x A4 Easter story trail posters
• 8x Easter story round sticker sheets
• 8x Mini egg hunt trail cards with lollipop posts
How the Real Easter Egg Hunt works
Children taking part, hunt around the church, garden
or grounds to find eight pictures which match a part
of the Easter story which they have with them. When
they have found the eight stickers and put them on the
story, they can claim their Real
Easter Egg. They can also have fun
with the other challenges found
on the take-home story-activity
booklet.
More Meaningful
Chocolate at Advent
The Meaningful Chocolate
Company also makes The Real
Advent Calendar, the UK’s only
Fairtrade Advent calendar, which
comes with a free 24-page
Christmas story activity book and
supports charitable causes. There
is a Fairtrade Chocolate and a line
of the Christmas story behind
each of the 25 windows. The free
book has a page for every day
of Advent, expanding on the
Christmas story and including
some fun challenges. The Real
Advent calendar was created in
2013 following surveys which
showed that 36% of 5-7 year olds
did not know whose birthday is
celebrated at Christmas. In the
same year 51% of adults said that
the birth of Jesus was irrelevant to their Christmas.
Tastes good and does good
Over the past four years, with the support of schools
and churches, the Meaningful Chocolate Company
has sold more than 500,000 calendars and given away
more than £54,000 to charitable causes. These include
the Funzi Bodo baby clinic in Kenya, which provides
clinics for pregnant mums, birthing rooms, baby growth
and malnutrition clinics; Traidcraft Exchange, which
helps improve the lives of those who grow sugar and
cocoa, and the work of the Children’s Society.
To find out more about the Meaningful Chocolate
Company and to order the Real Easter Egg, visit
meaningfulchocolate.co.uk
HOPE FOR ALL 15

INSIGHT
Photo: Sue Lockhart
Following a spate of
celebrity baptisms, we
unpack the history and
symbolism of this ancient
practice and meet a man
baptised in a wheelie-bin
BAPTISM
AND WHAT IT MEANS
David and Victoria
Beckham’s two
youngest children
were baptised at a church
near their Cotswold home
last December.
Victoria posted a picture on Instagram of Harper,
eight, and Cruz, 14, and wrote: ‘Proudest of days today
watching Harper and Cruz being baptized in front of
our friends and family. So much to be grateful for x
With love, VB x I love u David Beckham.’
The celebrity couple’s older children, Brooklyn
and Romeo, were baptised in 2004.
Showbiz celebrity Kim Kardashian West and her
The Beckhams
Kim Kardashian West
Kanye West and
daughter North
youngest children Saint, three, Chicago, 20 months, and
baby Psalm, were baptised last October in Armenia’s
main cathedral while on a trip to her ancestral
homeland. Kim shared photos from the baptism on
her Instagram page, saying: ‘So blessed to have been
baptized along with my babies.’
Four years ago, Kim and husband Kanye West took
their daughter North to Jerusalem to have her
baptised.
16 HOPE FOR ALL

Easter links
Baptism is an ancient practice,
often taking place at Easter, the
time of year when Christians
remember the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ about
2,000 years ago in the Middle
East. Baptism imitates Christ
being lowering into
the grave and rising
again. When new
Christians are
lowered into water
for baptism, it is a
graphic enactment of
the very same thing:
a new birth into a
new life as a follower
of Jesus.
Baptism marks
the beginning of a
journey with God and is a first
personal step in response to
God’s love. It is a celebration
of what God has done for us
in Christ; a time to make
serious promises and to
declare faith in Christ.
Baptism (sometimes called
christening when children are
involved) can mean being
sprinkled with water or total immersion in it. Both
symbolise past wrongdoings being washed away –
dying to all that has passed before – and rising to start
a fresh new life with God. And that new life includes
being part of God’s family, the Church. People of all
ages can be baptised, from babies to the elderly.
Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan as an adult,
although he had done nothing wrong, so had no need
for a fresh start. You can read about his baptism in
three Bible books – Matthew, Mark and Luke – which
were written in the first century. Eye-witnesses
reported: ‘As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up
out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened.
Jesus saw the Spirit of
God coming down on
him like a dove. A
voice from heaven said,
“This is my Son, and
I love him. I am very
pleased with him.”’
Christians have
been baptised all
around the world for the past
2,000 years. Some baptisms take
place in churches using a
small pool or a font –
often a stone basin placed
near the door of the
church. Baptisms also take
place in the sea, in
temporary pools outside
cathedrals and even in
prison wheelie-bins.
As in many churches
today, in the ancient
church, adults who
wanted to become
Christians, prepared for
baptism by learning what it means to be followers of
Jesus. This wasn’t a theoretical course, but practical
mentoring on how to live as Christians, following Jesus’
great commandment to love one another. They learned
to pray, to live generously and to worship God
wholeheartedly.
The final and most intensive period of preparation
for baptism took place during the 40 days leading up
to Easter, known as Lent. The whole church joined the
new Christians preparing for Easter, with every
Christian remembering that they too had once taken
this journey from the old life to the new.
Baptism is a first step on the Christian journey
Baptism imitates Jesus
Christ being buried in the
grave and rising again
HOPE FOR ALL 17

INSIGHT
Baptised in a
wheelie-bin!
Colin Garnett’s baptism
was different from most
people’s experience. He
was baptised in prison in
an industrial waste bin
full of water.
Colin was baptised in an
industrial wheelie-bin in prison
‘I somehow knew I’d
been born again!’
Telling his story for the book 40
Stories of Hope, he described what led
to his time in prison. He was a drug
addict and says, ‘When I first started
injecting, I had a deep-seated fear that
it could kill me if I was not careful.
Towards the end of my addiction, 12 years later, the
idea of it killing me had become really attractive.
‘When the police burst into my house in
November 1989, I felt a deep sense of relief. I was glad
to see them. For a split second I felt a raging urge to
escape out of the bedroom window and across the
gardens, simply because of the thought of custody
without one last hit. But then I knew – if I run now,
I’ll have to run again tomorrow.
‘I was arrested on suspicion of burglary and
immediately admitted to it – I wanted to erase all
suspicion just in case they didn’t have enough evidence
and I would be back on the street that same day.
When I eventually stood before the judge at
Manchester Crown Court in August 1990, within 30
seconds of being told “You will go to prison for 30
months” I was thinking “and then what? Back to the
addiction?” I had not yet reached my mid-30s and
my life was as good as over.
‘Ten months later, I was in solitary confinement
when the screw came to tell me my parole had been
refused. In the solitude of that cell, I sobbed and
sobbed. Everything was just dark.
‘With six months left
to serve I was starting to
feel anxious about my
release. That was the only
reason I went to the
chapel service... I could
see I would die at the
end of a syringe.
‘When the Pastor
read from Romans 7:15-
25 on that June evening of 1993
in that prison chapel, I just knew
that I did not know Jesus on a
personal level.’
The Bible book of Romans,
written by Paul, one of Jesus’ first
followers, says: ‘What a terrible
failure I am! Who will save me
from this sin that brings death
to my body? I give thanks to God who saves me.
He saves me through Jesus Christ our Lord.’
Colin says, ‘I saw the severity of being lost for
eternity because my self-hatred would not let me
turn to God for forgiveness. Then came the challenge:
“Does anyone feel the need to receive Jesus Christ
as their personal Lord and Saviour?”
Colin today with his wife Deanna
and children Georgia and Nathan
Since he was baptised, Colin has
been drug-free and sober
for more than 24 years
‘Within minutes I was kneeling in an improvised
baptismal – an industrial waste bin full of water – being
baptised. Joy just flooded my soul! Freedom engulfed
me. I somehow knew “I’ve born again.”
‘Life was instantly seasoned by hope, significance,
connection, direction, meaning and purpose. It was as
instantaneous as that – I knew that Jesus had entered
me and released from the chains of misery and death.’
‘I’ve been clean and sober now for more than
24 years.’
18 HOPE FOR ALL

Who do you say I am?
A
bout 2,000 years ago, a man called
Jesus asked his friends 'Who do you
say I am?' Not long after that, at
3pm on a Friday, just outside Jerusalem in the
Middle East, the man we called Jesus Christ
died. He had been tortured and executed.
Christians, and even many atheists agree: it
was a turning point in history. Every part of life
and culture has been affected by events on
that one Friday… and the amazing event that
followed, when Jesus rose from the dead.
The question ‘Who do you say I am?’ is as
relevant today as it was then.
Find out more and face the question for
yourself in Who Do You Say I Am? – a full-colour
gift book, which tells the Jesus story.
Order copies from
hopeinfo.org.uk as gifts
to give away - £10 for
10 copies including p&p
while stocks last.

SPORT
Roberto Firmino
and the growth of
public faith in
football
BRAZILIAN
BAPTISM BOOM
L
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.’
iverpool Football Club
The 28-year-old is a striker for Liverpool,
star Roberto Firmino
England’s Premier League team that won the
has become the latest
European Champions League title in 2019, as
Brazilian footballer to declare his
well as the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019.
Christian faith, posting images of
Teammate Alisson Becker, who featured in
his baptism on social media.
the 2019 Hope at Christmas magazine, stood
alongside him in the pool and was visibly
On 14 January, Firmino was baptised in
moved by the emotional ceremony. Alisson has
a swimming pool surrounded by family, friends and been an outspoken Christian himself, frequently using his
teammates who all wore t-shirts printed with the platform as a top athlete to declare his faith. In response
‘cross=love’ logo associated with Hillsong church and to Firmino’s social media post, Becker wrote ‘Glory to
highlighting the link between Jesus’ death on a cross and Jesus for your life my brother.’
the love of God. Firmino shared a video of the baptism But he was not the only high-profile Brazilian
on his Instagram page, where it was viewed more than footballer to respond in support of Firmino. Compatriot
3 million times in one day.
Lucas Moura, who plays for one of Liverpool’s Premier
Alongside the images Firmino wrote ‘I give you my League rivals, Tottenham, responded to Firmino’s
failures and I will give you my victories as well. My biggest baptism on social media saying ‘Glory to God!
title is your love, Jesus!’ as well as quoting a Bible verse: ‘If Congratulations brother. Best decision of your life!’
Roberto Firmino
20 HOPE FOR ALL

This supportive sentiment was
mirrored in comments by fellow
Brazilian Felipe Anderson of West
Ham and Chelsea’s Willian who wrote
‘Glory to Jesus bro.’
The Chelsea and Brazil winger
Willian Borges da Silva, commonly
known as Willian, also had a very
public display of his faith, when he was
baptised in the River Jordan last June.
He shared pictures of the ceremony
with his millions of social
media followers, along with
the message: ‘Joy in reaffirming
my baptism, in a place that I
consider extremely important.’
The River Jordan, on the
border between Israel and Jordan, is the place Jesus, the
founder of Christianity, was baptised 2,000 years ago.
As followers of Jesus, Firmino, Willian and millions of
others through history have shown their personal
response to Jesus by being baptised.
Willian’s baptism was followed by another, by
Brazilian star, Phillipe Coutinho, the former Liverpool
player, who currently plays for Bayern Munich in
Germany on loan from Barcelona. He was baptised
in a bathtub in October.
Historically, faith and football have been closely
linked in Brazil. The national team has been known to
meet together to pray before and after matches and
there have been a number of well-known Brazilian
football stars who are very public about their Christian
faith.
Ricardo Izecson de Santos Leite, or Kaká as he is
better known, is perhaps the most famous of these
players. For a brief period of time, Kaká was regarded
as the best footballer in the world. The playmaker was
recognised as such with the 2007 Ballon d’Or award for
best in the world and the FIFA World Player of the Year,
beating Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi — two
players who would go on to dominate the awards for
the next decade.
Talking about his faith, Kaká said ‘My parents always
taught me the Bible and its values, and also about Jesus
Christ and faith.’ He was baptised at the age of 12 and
Willian Borges da Silva
Chelsea and Brazil winger Willian
- baptised in the River Jordan
in the Middle East last June
continued to follow Jesus throughout
his footballing career. ‘It may seem that
I have everything,’ he said. ‘Due to my
wealth and fame, some people ask why
or if I still need Jesus. The answer is
simple: I need Jesus every day of my
life. His Word, the Bible, tells me that
without Him, I can’t do anything. I really
believe that.’
In recent years, there has
been a clear increase in public
faith from Christian
footballers, especially
Brazilians.
The increase in
outspoken Christian
footballers from Brazil
is indicative of the broader growth of the Christian
faith in the country where there has been a surge in
baptisms and approximately 31% of the population
now describe themselves as evangelicals. But this
growth in public displays of faith from footballers also
comes at a time where it is becoming more difficult
to express faith publicly, as the clubs and players are
expected to remain neutral on religious and political
issues.
The world governing body for football, FIFA has
objected to declarations of faith from the Brazilian
national team in the past. FIFA’s regulations state that
players must not reveal clothing showing slogans or
advertising. The basic compulsory equipment must
not have any political, religious or personal statements.
That regulation was used by FIFA to discipline Brazil’s
national team several years ago after star player Kaká
and captain Lucio revealed T-shirts with the slogans
‘I Belong to Jesus’ and ‘I Love God’ during a
Confederations Cup final in 2009.
Neymar, another well-known Brazilian footballer,
also had his ‘100% Jesus’ headband censored in the
2016 Ballon d’Or ceremony. A video summarising the
successful year was played during the ceremony.
The video included images of the Champions League
final celebration and Neymar celebrating with the
trophy. But in the FIFA video, his headband reading
‘100% Jesus’ had been removed.
HOPE FOR ALL 21

GENEROSITY
Generosity makes
the world go round,
doesn’t it? says
Carl Beech
PAYING ITFORWARD
S
ome years ago,
during a strike on
the London
Underground and desperate
to get to a meeting on time,
I hailed a taxi and asked the
driver to take me from
Liverpool Street Station to the West End.
Climbing wearily into the back, I stared for a while
out of the window, not feeling like talking much after
several days of travel and constant meetings. But after
ten minutes or so, we started to chat, about traffic,
what it was like to drive a cab today (for a while my
dad drove a London Taxi) and our respective kids.
Now, normally because my Dad was a
cabbie, I give a good tip, but on this
occasion, I was caught off guard. The fare
came to around £16 and, feeling a bit
generous, I was about to give him twenty.
‘Now then mate,’ he said. ‘Let’s call it 8
quid and you pass on the other 8 quid to
someone else.’
Caught off guard by
a generous cabbie
‘Pardon?’ I said.
‘I’ll halve it mate, but pass the other 8 quid onto
another cabbie or anyone like in a restaurant or
22 HOPE FOR ALL

something. I can tell I can trust you to do that. Let’s put
a smile on a couple of people’s faces.’
This was new territory. A reverse tip! He was
dropping me off in a busy area, so I didn’t get much
time to ask him why. It’s a moment I’ll never forget,
and it certainly rubbed off on me, not just for the
generosity but for the fact he said he felt he could
trust me. It wasn’t just an act of generosity but
generous words as well. For the record, I did pass
£8 on (actually a tenner) when I went out for a
Turkish meal later that night. I told the story, in the
hope that it might carry on, and I’d like to think it did.
Who knows, maybe that £8 blessing is still floating
around today.
What would the world be
like if we all went out of our
way to be a blessing?
We all have different ideas of what generosity
actually means and, if we’re honest, when we talk
about it, we tend to use stories about the big stuff. I
know people who have sold super cars to fund
charities or even sold property to give the funds away
to others.
One story I came across was of a man sitting on a
mountainside in Switzerland having made a fortune by
the time he was in his late twenties. After praying, he
felt so strongly about the words Jesus spoke in the
Bible about giving all your possessions to the poor, that
he actually did so. Placing his money in trust (apart
from enough to have a modest house and get his kids
through school) he gave all he had to the poor and
continues to do so today.
But generosity doesn’t always need to be about
money. It can be about our daily interactions as well.
Then there’s the counter-cultural nature of some
businesses who don’t put profit ahead of everything
but place people first. I’ve come across photos of
Timpsons’ shop notices, saying ‘If you are unemployed
and need a clean outfit for an interview, we will do it
for free.’ This is another inspiring example of giving
people a chance.
Talking of which, at the turn of this year there was
a craze of people placing two photos of themselves
online – taken ten years apart. One of my friends
posted pictures of a trip to Ethiopia. The first showed
a young girl, ten years ago and the second showed
her, this January. She was born in a slum on the
outskirts of Addis Ababa and once had very little hope
of a good life. Then, through one of the many child
sponsorship schemes, my friend’s Mum and Dad gave
her a chance of real hope and a future, and now she is
on course to become a GP and wants to work back in
the community she came from. All because a couple of
people, motivated by their love of Christ, decided to
give a small amount to charity every month. It restores
your faith in humanity.
So there you have it. We might not all have a highpowered
car to flog, or a million pounds to place in a
trust fund, but maybe we do have a few pounds to buy
the Big Issue salesman a coffee and give up our time to
have chat. Maybe you could do someone’s shopping
for them or invite someone who is lonely to your
house next Christmas for dinner. Maybe it’s time to
sponsor a child (there are loads of schemes out there),
give to a charity, spend time with people who are not
like you, or simply give a generous tip next time you
get in a taxi or go to a restaurant. Imagine what the
world would be like if we all went out of our way
to be a blessing.
HOPE FOR ALL 23

GENEROSITY
How a daily habit
of generous giving
can make a massive
difference
INSPIRATION FROM
INDIA
M
izoram is one of the poorest
states in India, but the
generosity of local families
means more than a million pounds are
raised each year to fund charitable work.
‘Buhfai Tham’ or a ‘Handful of Rice’ is a tradition
which began more than 100 years ago. In this incredibly
poor Indian state, each family puts aside a handful of
uncooked rice every time they prepare a meal. The
rice – their staple food – is then gathered together
and sold by the church to fund local Christian work.
The ‘Handful of Rice’ collection means local churches
can support the poorest people, care for orphaned
children and pay the salaries of Christian workers.
Mizoram is isolated by hills and forests. Although
the rest of India is primarily Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist,
Seikh and Jain, virtually all of Mizoram’s citizens call
themselves Christians. When English and Welsh
missionaries travelled to the region at the end of the
19th century, the Mizo people responded positively to
the Christian message of God’s love. The Handful of
Rice collection started a few years later, when local
women decided they wanted to give to their church.
To this day, the Mizo people still contribute a handful of
rice for Jesus at every meal. On Saturday it is brought
to the market and sold at a 50% discount to the poor.
One of the Mizo women explains: ‘I give because
I believe it is a way of showing gratitude to the Lord.’
The average Mizo income is less than a dollar per
day, but Mizo Christians find many selfless and creative
ways to give what they have to support others. As well
as rice, Mizo Christians also give the firewood they cut,
eggs from their hens, and other produce which is sold
to fund the work of the churches, which are selfsufficient
as a result.
Rev Zosangliana Colney from the Mizoram
Presbyterian Church, which has more than 500,000
members and nearly 1,300 churches, says, ‘It is not our
riches or poverty that make us serve the Lord, but our
willingness. As long as we have something to eat every
day, we have something to give to God every day.’
WAYS TO
GIVE
If you haven't got cash to give away,
how about volunteering your time,
sharing a meal or making gifts or
cards to give? If you do give cash,
and you also pay tax, find out about
charitable giving with Gift Aid.
24 HOPE FOR ALL

Andi with Spear coaches at an
annual fundraising dinner
GENEROSITY
Flexible working
means Andi Britt
can be generous
with his time
TIME TO GIVE
Four days a week Andi Britt
works as a Vice President
for IBM, the multinational
information technology company.
On the fifth day, you’d find Andi
using his free day to do
voluntary work.
In an interview with
Stewardship, the charitable
giving charity, Andi said, ‘I love
my job but I also like what I do
outside work. So fairly early on
in my career I decided I
wanted to work four days for my firm, and
spend one day doing things outside of
work as giveback to my church and
community.
‘I’d long felt that it was important
to have balance in life, integrating my
professional life and my personal life.’
For Andi, an integrated life meant time for his
Christian faith, time for his family, time for keeping fit
and healthy, as well as time for work.
‘On my fifth day I’ve done a number of things over
the years. At the start of my career I was actively
Andi with his family on a
London to Paris cycle ride to
raise funds for IJM
involved in running youth work in my local church. Then,
when family came along, I wanted to be around for my
daughter and son; so every Friday I
would take them to and from school.
‘More recently I’ve been involved
in my local church helping to set up
and run a charity that oversees a
Foodbank and a youth employment
programme for 18-24 year olds. All
of them have given me passion and
excitement that I can take back into
my professional work environment.’
Has working part-time hindered his
career? Andi, who has worked four days a
week for nearly 30 years, believes
it hasn’t stopped him at all: ‘I think
I assumed it would stunt my career,
but I don’t think my career progression
has been impacted at all.
‘In terms of my relationship with
God, working part-time and flexibly has
been a real blessing. I actually feel as if
my life is enriched because my time and energy are on
things in the church and the community which educate
and refresh me, in addition to all the things I do day to
day when I’m working.
‘Studies have reinforced my own experience: parttime
workers are likely to be more motivated and
enthused about their work: they see it as a broader
tapestry — it isn’t just about the daily grind.’
Learning about the work of
International Justice Mission (IJM)
in Manila
HOPE FOR ALL 25

GENEROSITY
Dave Richards celebrating
with villagers in Pajule
What prompted a
party in Pajule, Uganda?
Fiona Graham finds out
CHOSEN
W
hen our two children were
one and three years old we
asked a charity to find two
children of the same age for our family to
sponsor. From the children suggested, we
chose Lamalon in Kenya and Aurelia in
Bolivia. As they grew up, we exchanged
letters and photos regularly. Through their
letters, our children learned about the
problems facing children growing up in
other parts of the world, where the
shortage of rain, or the need for shoes
to go to school, were serious issues.
There are many different charities offering
sponsorship programmes, but this year World Vision is
taking a new approach to its child sponsorship scheme
by putting ‘the power to choose’ into the hands of
children around the world.
In the new ‘Chosen’ scheme, children choose the
person they want as their sponsor, rather than the
sponsor choosing a child to support.
When individuals and families sign up to ‘Chosen’
their photo is sent to a community where World Vision
works. The community then gathers for a
celebration where the children choose from a display
of potential sponsors. Soon after, the sponsors receive
a picture of a child holding their photo and a letter
26 HOPE FOR ALL

from the child explaining
why they chose them.
Tim Pilkington, CEO
of World Vision UK, says:
‘Chosen turns child
sponsorship on its head.
It is a simple and powerful
switch which respects the
dignity and value of
children. It expresses our
belief that these children have
the power to change their lives
and their communities and to
touch the lives of their
sponsors.
‘Some children have waited
years to be chosen by a
sponsor. Now it’s their turn
to choose. Chosen gives
children the power to make
their own choices and lets
them know their choices are
valued and important. The
experience acknowledges
that we’ve all been chosen
by God.’
In December 2019,
Chosen was piloted with its
first UK church. Pictures of the
congregation from St Paul’s and
St George’s Church in Edinburgh
were sent to Pajule in Uganda
where children from the village
were able to choose their
sponsor.
Dave Richards, who leads
the Edinburgh church, then
travelled to Pajule to see the
first group of children choosing
their sponsors and to join the
party celebrating the new links with people in his
church. He says: ‘It was an incredible experience
witnessing these children being told they would get
to choose a sponsor. Their expressions immediately
changed and their faces lit up. It’s been one of the most
Dave Richards meeting
children in Pujale, Uganda
Families in Edinburgh have been chosen
as sponsors by children in Pujale
Alfred, age six,
chose Sarah
It was an incredible experience
witnessing these children
choose a sponsor
amazing, moving and humbling
days of my life.
‘Knowing that through being
chosen, we have been part of
empowering children to learn
that they are loved and valued,
has transformed our
congregation. We’re
so excited to see what
happens now.’
Ruth Tormey from
World Vision also visited
Pajule, Uganda, in December
and watched as the children
chose their sponsors. She
says, ‘When they picked
their photos, their faces just
lit up. And then throughout
the rest of the day, you
could see them all showing
the photos of the people that
they had chosen to sponsor
them to all of their friends.
It was something so new,
so unexpected and they
were just filled with joy.’
Ruth says the new
scheme has ‘transformed
the prayer life’ of her own
two children, both of
whom were chosen
through the pilot
programme.
‘We pray every night
before bed. And it’s been
really interesting listening
to them pray every
single night since that
choosing day…it’s
transformed my family
and the way that my children look at the world.’
After this successful initial pilot, other churches are
now signing up and, from the start of April, individuals
are able to sign up to be Chosen online by visiting
worldvision.org.uk/chosen.
HOPE FOR ALL 27

INTERVIEW
Roy Crowne goes
to prison and finds
a story of hope
CHANGED
O
verwhelmed with suicidal
thoughts, Jonas* was in prison
contemplating ways to end his
life, when his cell-mate gave him a book.
Reading it changed his life.
* name changed to protect identity
Until he was about five-years-old, Jonas lived
happily with his family in Eastern Europe, but when
his father’s life-savings were stolen, life changed
dramatically. His dad turned to drink. His parents split
up, and Jonas was put into care. For several years he
was moved from one social care setting to another.
28 HOPE FOR ALL

ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
Jonas hoped he would be adopted, but discovered
that his parents had not given their permission. When
they were contacted, they gave him up without a fight.
That had a huge impact on the 12-year-old, but it did
lead to him being placed with a wonderful family who
took him into their home and cared for him alongside
their two daughters.
Looking back, Jonas
didn’t realise how
fortunate he was. As
soon as he reached 18,
he left the family and
began travelling. First he
worked on a
construction site in
Germany. Then he
headed to Spain
and on to
Australia, where
he got involved
with gambling
and drugs. Still
on the move, he
ended up in
Thailand, but he
hated himself.
Jonas felt he’d blown
all life’s chances
That’s when thoughts of suicide began.
When he met a British girl who seemed to care for
him, he headed to the UK with her, only to discover that
she came from a well-off family, which he resented. It was
then that his lying, criminal lifestyle caught up with him.
He put a fake gun to someone’s head and threatened
to kill them. As a result, he ended up in court facing a
lengthy prison term.
While awaiting sentence, he discovered that his
girlfriend’s father was a Christian and, rather than
rejecting him as his own father had done, this man
showed a genuine interest in him. But Jonas felt he had
blown all life’s chances. His own family had rejected him.
He had run away from a foster family who loved him and
now he had lost the chance to build a new life in Britain.
When the metal gates of the Victorian prison clanged
shut behind him, he was distraught. Again, he made plans
to end his life.
His cell mate was due to be released two days after
Jonas arrived. He gave Jonas a book he’d read that had
changed his life: 40 Stories of HOPE includes short
testimonies from prisoners, prison chaplains and exoffenders
whose lives have been changed as they have
become Christians. Alongside each story there is a prayer
and an extract from Jesus’ life story with a thought for
the day. Jonas’s cell mate said he had read a story a day.
Jonas was sceptical but started reading.
‘I read the first four stories that day and began to
realise that there was hope,’ he says. When he was
moved to another prison, he took the book with him
and signed up to attend the prison’s church community.
The chaplain started praying with him and he continued
reading the book 40 Stories of HOPE each day and
praying the prayers.
When he joined a small group in the chaplaincy and
they started praying for each other, he didn’t know what
to think.
‘I didn’t have a clue what was going on, but I had
goose-bumps all over,’ he recalls. ‘All of a sudden I realised
that I was building a relationship with God though
praying, I realised I could know him and my past could
be forgiven.’
Over the next three or four months his life changed
dramatically. ‘People told me I was a completely different
person.’
He was baptised in prison and began to read more
of the Bible. The prison chaplain often pointed out the
changes that could be seen in him. ‘I didn’t want to die
anymore.’ At 32 he says, ‘I now realise where I belong
and that is in a relationship with God. I now know a real
Father. My life has completely changed and I’m proud of
being a Christian because of what God has done in my
life.’ Still serving his sentence, he says: ‘I believe God has
put me here to tell people what God has done.’
MORE HOPE
Order 40 Stories of HOPE from
hopetogether.org.uk/shop
4o stories of
How faith has changed
prisoners’ lives
Foreword by Justin Welby
HOPE FOR ALL 29

FUN FACTS
Being a giving person and
practising generosity can be huge
fun. We also might be wealthier
than we think! Here are some fun
facts about generosity
GENEROSITY
Generosity appears to have
especially strong associations with
psychological health and wellbeing.
For example, an analysis of
37 studies of older adults found
that those who volunteered
reported a better quality of life.
Another study found that
frequent helpers reported feeling
greater vitality and self-esteem
(but only if they chose to help of
their own accord).
An Ikea store in Italy
opened its doors to stray
dogs to keep them warm
and dry during the winter
months. The shop’s staff in
Catania, Italy, pampered
and fed the dogs, with
some of the lucky canines
going on to be adopted by
staff.
The peak
months for
giving money are
November and
December.
In 2007, a customer
kindly gave a £7,000 tip
to a Pizza Hut waitress
after hearing she had
financial troubles which
had forced her to drop
out of college. Now
that’s a good day at
work!
The Giving Pledge is a campaign
to encourage extremely wealthy
people to contribute a majority
of their wealth to
philanthropic causes. As of May
2019, the pledge has 204
signatories, either individuals or
couples, from 22 countries,
though some of those who
signed it have since died. Most of
the signatories of the pledge
are billionaires, and their pledges
total over $500 billion.
The world’s 22
richest men are
wealthier than all the
women in Africa.
A few years ago a
stranger started to hide
£5 notes in
Waterstones’ books
with an encouraging
Post-it note inside.
The proportion of people in the
UK giving money to charity either
by donating or via sponsorship
has seen a steady decline from
69% in 2016 to 65% in 2018.
Although fewer people report
that they are giving money, those
who do give are giving higher
amounts. Overall, the total
amount given to charity in 2018
remains largely the same as 2017
at £10.1billion.
A total of 64% of
donations to charity
are made by women,
so come on, all you
men out there!
According to the University
of California, people who
blush easily are more
generous and trustworthy
than those who don’t. So
don’t worry next time you
flush red…It’s a good thing!
30 HOPE FOR ALL

EXPERIENCE GOD
Answer me when I pray, O God, my defender!
When I was in trouble, you helped me
Be kind to me now and hear my prayer
Psalm 4 verse 1 – a prayer first prayed by
King David in the Middle East about 1000BC
Talk to God and listen to
him. Find a Hope Space or
a church near you - or pray
wherever you are.