About US
Restoring hope around the world since 1973.
Our Mission
For over 50 years, we have been committed to serving children living in impoverished environments around the world by establishing economic, spiritual, water, educational, and feeding programs. In addition to these programs, we have been leading teams of volunteers on two-week international mission trips bringing life-saving provisions and the spirit of Jesus.
Our Vision
Our vision is healing and empowering destitute communities with hope and necessary care to raise a new generation of healthy individuals who can break the generational curse of extreme poverty. We strive to meet this vision by building our Four Pillars of Hope: Health, Dignity, Joy, and Love. We exemplify the spirit of Jesus to show that all children are worthy of a prosperous life and bright future.
Our 4 Hopes
H4KI reaches out to every child and community we serve by bringing hope through our 4 pillars of hope: Dignity, Health, Joy, and Love. By responding to critical needs, we can significantly impact lives and assist people who are struggling to survive in destitute communities in becoming self-sufficient.
DIGNITY
Hope 4 Kids International restores a sense of worth within vulnerable children and communities suffering from extreme poverty by:
- Providing a quality education through our Child Sponsorship Program
- Constructing and restoring facilities
- Providing capital for small businesses through micro loans
- Investing in leaders who will multiply their vision and training to leave a generational impact for their community
- Empowering donors and sponsors to move from success to significance by making a lasting impact in the life of others.
HEALTH
H4KI is actively responding to the global crisis which leads to 26,000 children dying every day from preventable and treatable diseases. We are relieving feelings of hopelessness experienced by individuals and communities through:
- Our Water 4 Kids International division
- Providing safe water through deepwater wells
- Water filtration systems
- Life-saving hygiene and sanitation training
- Building and supporting hospitals and medical clinics
- Hosting medical, optical, and dental teams in remote villages
- HIV/AIDS testing, prevention, education, and counseling
JOY
H4KI strives to restore a joy-filled childhood to kids whose innocence has been stolen from a lifetime of suffering. The book of Proverbs says that a “joyful heart is a good medicine”. The sound of a laughing child can be heard as a team member gives individual attention. It’s as simple as:
- Holding the hand of a child
- Reading them a book
- Playing soccer with them
- Giving them a sweet
- Investing your time into a child
LOVE
As a Christian organization, the foundation of everything we do is to show the love of Jesus. We relieve and restore communities for all of God’s children. We make great efforts to ensure we exemplify love in a way that spreads like wildfire. Our hope is that once the people we help experience God’s love, they will pass it on in their communities, and eventually across Africa.
Our Risk Philosophy
At Hope 4 Kids International we strive to restore hope to kids around the world. One aspect of our mission is our international trips. The safety of our team members on our trips is a top priority and our US and international staff and partners are constantly monitoring and evaluating risks. There is always risk associated with international travel but we believe, for many team members, participating in our trips is worthwhile to engage with the global poor, practice our 4 Pillars of Health, Dignity, Joy, and Love, and experience the local culture.
OUR HISTORY
RESTORING HOPE SINCE '73.
The Journey of Hope & Faith
The journey of hope and faith began when Hope 4 Kids International Founder and President, Tom Eggum, was sitting in a college classroom reading about the struggles faced by those in the Soviet Union who suffered silently behind the Iron Curtain. He decided to take matters into his own hands and began smuggling suitcases full of Bibles into the Soviet Union until 1981 when he was caught, arrested and blacklisted by the KGB.
Tom’s visa was revoked and he was forbidden to enter the Soviet Union for five years. Instead of standing on the sidelines, he took six trips into Communist China and Vietnam with contraband medicine, antibiotics, clothes and shoes. From these-altering experiences, Tom founded Hope 4 Kids International.
Today, Tom Eggum’s legacy brings hope and healing to thousands of children and adults each year through H4KI’s ongoing ministry. For over 50 years, H4KI has been committed to serving children living in impoverished environments around the world by establishing economic, spiritual, water, orphan, and feeding programs. In addition to these programs, we have been leading teams of volunteers on two-week international mission trips bringing life-saving provisions and the spirit of Jesus.
Our Statement of Faith
- We believe that the Holy Scriptures were divinely inspired, infallible, and are our highest authority in all matters of life and faith.
- We believe in One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- We believe that Jesus Christ, came to earth as God in the flesh through a virgin birth. We believe that he led a sinless human life, performed miracles, and died an atoning death for us. We believe in His bodily resurrection, ascension, and mediation for us.
- We believe that salvation comes only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, only by faith, not from works.
- We believe that the Holy Spirit’s indwelling enables us as believers to live a holy life, to witness, and work for God’s Will.
- We believe in the Unity of the Spirit of all true believers, the Church, the Body of Christ, regardless of denomination.
- We believe in the Resurrection and Jesus Christ’s eventual return in power and glory.