admin

At the end of April, Mattias Haamer (Assistant to The President of Tartu Academy of Theology) became the youngest board member ever to serve with the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELC). He is responsible for overseeing the children and youth works in the EELC. The work is mostly volunteer and it means TAT is in stronger co-operation with the Church as Mattias fulfills this responsibility, expanding his work with youth in Estonia.  TAT’s and Home of Hope’s role in the church becomes even more meaningful. He will tell you why he was chosen and the challenges he faces now.

Tartu Academy of Theology’s ministry partner Spiritual Orphans Network (SON), along with the Slovakian mission organisation SEM, organised a teen Bible camp in the middle of July, 2024 in the beautiful mountain village of Velky Slavkov in Slovakia. We are grateful to SON for offering us the opportunity to send a small group of young people (4 teens plus 2 adults accompanying them) to participate in this camp.

I’m truly delighted to announce that small rural Leaf Mountain Lutheran Church of Clitherall, MN voted to send awe-inspiring $58,000 (fifty eight thousand dollars) as a matching gift to the Home of Hope appeal. This news shocked me in a very positive way. Small Leaf Mountain Lutheran gives such a powerful testimony and much encouragement to us. They are stepping out like David stepped out against Goliath.

On June 27-28 Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church organized Church Days in Viljandi. The main event was the Christian Song Festival on Saturday, when about 2,000 choir singers glorified God with their singing.

On June 26 we celebrated graduation of Tartu Academy of Theology and Lutheran Church Seminary! Since 2013 we have been conducting bachelor’s and master’s studies together. All together 12 students graduated our joint college: seven bachelor and three master students. Two also graduated from the Church Musician program.

Raili is the Coordinator of the Pastoral Care Center that is located at Home of Hope. She graduated Tartu Acacemy already 2013 and ever since she has worked as pastoral care giver in hospital and youth center and has done a lot of volunteer work helping people in their troubles. Since 2020 she has been part of Home of Hope life. Under her leadership the Pastoral Care Center has become a center that unites the network of pastoral care givers operating all over Estonia.

The foundation of the Haamer family, the Tartu Academy of Theology and especially Home of Hope is solidly based on faith in Jesus Christ. On this faith, a building to house this ministry was obtained. I personally believe in this evangelistic ministry and the need for solid and committed Christian teaching to help revive lost faith in Estonia.

I have traveled with Siimon and listened to his presentation of the great need for the Estonia people to be reintroduced to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I see the paying off of this debt as a motivation for Lutheran Christians to raise up new disciples for Jesus. That is the primary motivation that empowers me to help raise ministry-funds for this dynamic ministry.

In four years we have had 250 students in the Bible School. On June 3, the last class graduated. We had a blessed and joyful graduation evening. 39 graduates received their certificates.

For four years we have studied the Bible cover to cover every year. Now, for the new academic year, we have prepared a new Bible School curriculum in order to offer those who have acquired basic knowledge the opportunity to continue learning. At the same time, the curriculum is such that even those who have not participated in a Bible study before can participate. Many of the students have promised to return to school.

THE PERSECUTION PILGRIMAGE
The Persecution Pilgrimage in Estonia provides an opportunity to become a part of the story of spiritual resistance, complete trust in God and the suffering of one nation. To better understand all this history and trials, we will take you on a journey through the story of one Christian family. You will learn how to keep your faith alive and what it means that hopelessness has no place in our program.

ADULT BIBLE CAMP SHORT TERM MISSION TRIP
Tartu Academy of Theology is arranging an Adult Bible Camp in Tartu, Estonia. Coordinators and local organizers are Estonians. American Christians are called to join with the team as teachers. Also as leaders of discussion groups. There will be couple of pastors from U.S. in the team and they will take care of the main teaching work.

Have you ever stepped into a fast-flowing and abundant river with the plan of walking along the riverbed to the other bank? The reasonable answer to this question would be of course not, because a wise person who cares about his life would not do that. Indeed, it is a right and wise decision. The possibility of realizing such plans belongs only to the realm of miracles.

I have to confess that trusting in God we have stepped into a fast-flowing and abundant river and we give testimony that God makes miracles even today.

I believe you know the story of Joshua (Joshua ch. 3-4) when he was with all the Israelites in front of the flooding Jordan. The Lord said to Joshua that if the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the covenant step into the Jordan the flood will stop and you can walk through the riverbed to the other bank. Joshua trusted the Lord and followed his word. Therefore a miracle happened.

Elise Nora is a volunteer at Home of Hope and is helping to organize Worship Nights. She is also arranging youth work at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church across the street from our center.

Since on November 15 of this year we have to pay off the mortgage of Home of Hope, we need to invite many people to help us to move towards fulfilling this goal together. That is why we have planned several trips to the U.S. this year.

On April 24 Siimon started his second trip, during which he will visit North Carolina, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Pennsilvania.

Mattias starts his trip on May 1. This time he is traveling separately from Siimon and with his wife Hetek. Mattias goes primarily to the churches where we have already good partnership and Siimon goes primarily to the new places where partnerships needs to be established.

In March we started organizing monthly morning fellowship for men. On the morning of the second Tuesday of every month, the Home of Hope is filled with men. Men gather to encourage each other, read the Bible, pray, sing and eat breakfast together. We have already met twice and about 20 men are participating. This is an extremely good start and we pray for God’s blessing on this endeavor.

On April 8th we had an open Bible School night. All those who wished had the opportunity to come and listen to the lecture of the Archbishop of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church on the Gospel of John and the 23 chapter of the Gospel of Luke.

We got a big surprise. More than 100 people attended this lecture. More then half of them on site at Home of Hope and the rest online. It is a joyful experience in a country which is considered to be the most secular country in the whole world.

But God raised Jesus from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
Acts 2:24

I’m sharing with you my Easter greetings. Please watch this short video.

We made an interview with Pastor Bob Nordvall from Bismarck, North Dakota. He shares why Estonia is in his heart and how God called him and his wife to dedicate their lives to supporting the work of Tartu Academy of Theology. We have had the privilege of being in fellowship with Bob and his family since 2006. This friendship saved TAT from closure. At first, Bob’s own congregation, Charity Lutheran Church from Bismarck, ND, became our strong supporter. Bob also spread the word about our mission work to other churches and because of this we made many friends and their support gave us the opportunity to continue our work. Today, we no longer think about ending our activities, but our goal is to continue our mission work for generations to come.

Since the fall of 2023, the Study Guide for the book “We Shall Live in Heaven” has been available. Book study groups are currently held in six churches in the U.S.

This is not a dark book, on the contrary, it is even funny and very encouraging and uplifting for Christians today. Reading this book you learn how to keep your faith alive and what it means that hopelessness has no place in our program.

We are pleased to announce that there is $16,700 in the matching fund waiting to be used. Every donation made to the Home of Hope will be doubled from this grant.

We are truly grateful that with your help we were able to meet the 2023 budget needs and we even have already a seed money in 2024 budget.

We are pleased to announce that a  $10,000 matching fund has been set up, and starting today, every donation made to the Home of Hope will be doubled from this grant.

Siimon Haamer explains a little more why the idea of organizing a pilgrimage came about and what its deeper meaning is.

Pastor Marek Roots gives his testimony how he found Jesus Christ and became a pastor.

We are very grateful that so many people gave their support at the end of the year and helped reduce the 2023 budget deficit. We almost met the need. At the end of the year, the deficit was $23,973. It is still possible to make a donation in January to help us cover final part of the deficit. God has been gracious and we are happy to experience the willingness of Christians to help each other in need.

As you know, our big challenge in 2024 is to pay off the mortgage of the Home of Hope. To accomplish this goal, we first need God’s blessing and prayer fellowship, and then also encouragement from each other. We have experienced in the past that matching fund has been inspiring for our supporters. Therefore, we invite you to participate in the establishment of a matching fund.

In order to give you the opportunity to obtain additional information and ask questions, we are arranging two Zoom meetings.

Link to the latest news:

This fall we have put in our communications the main emphasis on the financing of the Home of Hope mortgage. Therefore, not enough attention has been paid to how we manage to finance our daily activities. As a result, we are now in a situation where we are $88,946 short of 2023 operating budget and we need help. Please help us reduce this shortfall. You can find all giving options at the end of the letter.

In addition to learning about our mission work through pictures, stories and videos, we offer two great hands-on experience opportunities for you.

THE PERSECUTION PILGRIMAGE
&
ADULT BIBLE CAMP SHORT TERM MISSION TRIP

The mission of the Tartu Academy of Theology is to proclaim the Word of God in Estonia, the country which suffered for 50 years under atheistic Soviet occupation and is considered to be one of the most secular countries in the world. There are no easy solutions to caring out our mission. We must take bold steps trusting God. Humanly, these steps may seem crazy and incomprehensible.

We are following signs from God and have made a great leap of faith in order to continue this mission work that my father began based on his father’s legacy. God gave us a miraculous opportunity to establish a unique Christian outreach center Home of Hope in Estonia. And we didn’t just continue this work but boldly expanded our activities and also the ability to reach Estonian people.

You may ask whether Home of Hope is God’s project or just a human effort?

We witness that prayer has a great power and through prayer we are receiving encouragement to do our mission work in Estonia.

We are also witnessing that prayer fellowhsip among Christians is important and essential part of faithlife of all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Because of that we are calling you to join with a 48 hour prayer bridge between Estonia and America on November 3rd and 4th, 2023.

September 18th we launched a fourth Bible School year with over 50 students. We started in autumn of 2020 with 110 students, second year we had around 50 and last year around 40 students. We were expecting to have this year only 30 participants. We were mistaken.

I’m currently in the U.S. on a trip. You’ll find our trip schedule below and you are welcome to join any of the meetings.

During August 14-18 we organized together with nine short term missionaries from USA an adult Bible Camp at Home of Hope. We had 30 participants and missionaries from Charity Lutheran Church (Bismarck, ND), Spirit of Hope Lutheran Church (Parker, CO), St. Luke’s Lutheran Church (Garfield, MN) and Pastor Bob Nordvall as leader of the group. We are very thankful to all team members as they answered to God’s call and were His ambassadors for us.

Theme of the camp was ‘God’s Call’ and every day we dealt with a different Bible character: Joshua, Saul, Isaiah, Peter and Paul. We learned how they answered to God’s call and how they fulfilled their mission.

Last fall St. Maria’s Lutheran Church in Tartu launched a daycare for Ukraine refugees. Most refugees are escaping women with small children. It’s a great challenge for them to find a job if they don’t have a safe place for their children. Daycare gives parents some free time and provides an opportunity for children to meet with other Ukraine children.

Laryssa (in the picture), a refugee from Ukraine who is living in Home of Hope’s guest apartment, used to be a kindergarten principal and now she is the principal of the daycare.