Ministries
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2
Training
Empowering
Restoring
Training
One of the goals of Hope for Tela is to train and educate the people so that they are skilled to impact their own community. Our goal is to share the love and compassion of Jesus Christ and to watch him transform lives and cause a ripple effect in Tela. Not only are we assisting area churches in training people concerning the gospel, but we are training in a variety of other ways.
Educationally we train teachers in areas like classroom management, reading, math and science instruction. We have a partnership with the local pastors, orphanages and schools, to train their teachers, house parents and support staff.
We partner with local pastors to give them resources such as leadership skills, stress management, mentoring and marriage counseling. In turn, they are empowered to help the members of their congregations. Our Sunday School Teacher Training has focused on how to write and develop their own lessons as resources in Spanish are scarce. We are building cohort communities by which local pastors and missionaries support each other and kingdom work. We have set up an area on the property where workshops are hosted and we have a library of study resources to assist pastors as they present the Word of God.
Hope for Tela is working with local communities and organizations to offer trainings in areas of vocational interests such as cooking, electrical, and sewing.
Empowering
We work with the local public schools by coming alongside them to paint and outfit classrooms. We also build and restore playgrounds and work on utilities necessary for daily school functioning. We are able to make connections with students, teachers and people in the community as together we see tasks accomplished. We sometimes offer English classes upon the request of the community.
Vacation Bible school lessons are well received at the public school and in the church communities. We use teams of individuals to help support this ministry. Some of the Sunday School Teachers that we have trained are able to take weekly lessons into the schools in their community.
We empower local churches by providing training that they can replicate. We help encourage ideas about effective means for getting students involved in learning the word of God. We also worked alongside brothers and sisters from local churches on various building projects. Stephan offered leadership classes at several of the area churches at their request. This training allows pastors to share the burden of responsibility with people in their congregations.
We envision working more with local doctors and dentists to provide education and have brought supplies to assist area clinics. We partnered with a local dentist who cleaned children’s teeth in a mountain community and used the gifts of a team visiting from the United States to provide patient care for remote individuals.
If you want to help build up the community of believers by assisting us in any of these areas, we would love for you to share your ideas and help us empower the local people to improve their future, physically, socially and spiritually.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Restoring
God allowed the Baldus family to purchase a property on the coast of Honduras, that houses Hope for Tela. We have 8 condominiums for couples and families and a penthouse that can host teams of individuals wishing to serve with us in Tela.
“Create in me a pure heart O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.” Psalm 51:1-12
Hope for Tela recognizes that God has wired us for rest. Our missionaries and pastors who work in threatening and unsafe conditions need to have the time to relax. While staying with us for short retreats, we are able to provide refreshment for their bodies and souls. We provide wonderful meals, exercise, play and quiet. Spiritually we are able to offer classes and therapy to address marital needs as well as needs of the family. These retreats bring healing and restoration so that they are able to continue their work.
Dr. Baldus also does trainings on Filial therapy; a marriage of play and family therapy, that puts practical skills in the hands of caregivers and/or specialists working with children. Workshops on anxiety, forgiveness and anger management are also offered at regular intervals.
