$100,000 CHALLENGE GIFT
Hold on to your chairs! Gen Olson, former Minnesota State Senator, made a challenge gift of $100,000 for Home of Hope.
Receiving that message was a humbling moment to us. God sends His ambassadors to help us. We are very grateful that Gen Olson has given such a great gift by trusting God. We are happy for the great love we can experience from Gen and so many of our supporters.
Gen Olson asked to use the money as a challenge gift to encourage others to follow his example. She sent with her gift a message and asked to share it with our entire network.
My donation of $100,000 is a challenge gift. I challenge all of you who are aware of Tartu Academy of Theology and Home of Hope and their mission work in Estonia. This gift is my encouragement to all of you that Tartu Academy has loyal and faithful supporters who are convinced of the importance of their mission work. I have followed their work for almost 20 years and have been blessed by their courage of faith which came about as a result of being part of the first Adult Bible Camp Mission Team to Tartu Academy in 2006.
With this gift I also challenged myself. Following the example of the Haamer family I decided to trust God. With my gift I can hopefully make an eternal difference for one nation. How many such opportunities will we have in our lives?
Home of Hope is not just a building. It is a platform that brings mission-minded people together and empowers them to preach the Word of God using various channels, platforms, activities and locations.
Please accept this challenge and help complete the establishment of Home of Hope, which has already become one of the most important mission centers in Estonia. Unfortunately, this country is considered to be one of the most secular countries in the whole world.
Gen Olson
Minnesota State Senator – 1983-2012
WE DO NOT WANT TO LIMIT GOD
In June, the accountant of Tartu Academy, as well as the auditor who audits our accounts regularly, said that I needed to contact our lender immediately and ask for an extension on the mortgage. The mortgage loan for the Home of Hope is taken from the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (read more about this here). I asked if they agree that I will do it at the end of September? Accountant and auditor agreed, but said it is really the latest deadline.
Ever since I have had a bad feeling about it. The mortgage deadline of November 15, 2024 has been prayerfully set. We have prayed a lot over last years and God knows the deadline. I feel that we must not limit God and not start negotiating an extension of the deadline before it arrives.
In order not to interfere God’s plans, I contacted the chancellor of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church and one of the bishops. I asked if church leadership would be ready to trust God together with us and not consider extending the mortgage until the loan payment deadline has arrived and we have also received information about last-minute donations.
I am happy to report that they agreed with me and are ready to participate in this journey of trusting God. We share the hope that we will not need to negotiate the extension of the loan at all. Very large donations that we have received during last month have given much encouragement.
Blessings,
Pastor Siimon Haamer
President of Tartu Academy of Theology
HELP LIFE CHANGING STORIES TO CONTINUE
This year our big challenge is paying off the Home of Hope’s mortgage by November 15, 2024. $719,055 still needs to be paid. Every donation is meaningful in this journey.
Home of Hope, which was founded in 2019, has given Estonians a lot of hope in these few years. We have seen that there are people in our country who are looking for God. Through the activities of the Home of Hope, we also reach those people who have not dared to enter the church door. We need help to pay off the mortgage and continue our work for generations to come.
At the moment we have $42,105 in the matching fund. Every donation made to the Home of Hope will be doubled from this grant. We are grateful for additional donations to the matching fund in order to encourage others to give their support. If you want to contribute to this, please contact me by writing to siimon.haamer@teoloogia.ee.
