Hope Center Indy's (HCI) mission is to impart hope and healing to every heart. This commitment includes embracing expansion opportunities beyond domestic borders, creating partnerships, and nurturing spiritual enrichment worldwide. The ministry initiative in Brazil began thirty-one years ago when HCI co-founding executive director Pastor Hubert Nolen embarked on what would be the first of many life-changing experiences. (Click to read about Pastor Nolen's Mission Trip to Brazil.)
When HCI staff members Paul and Joyce Helfers were presented with the idea of international outreach, they were immediately drawn to participate. Equipped with their own experiences as missionaries in both local and global fields, their hearts and skills perfectly aligned with the purpose of this trip.
Embarking on a mission requires preparation that is as crucial as the mission itself—especially when the journey is not just geographical but spiritual. Over the nine months leading up to their trip to Brazil, Paul and Joyce Helfers committed themselves to thorough preparation, each in their own distinct way. Joyce worked closely with leaders like Pastor Tele Moraes and Pastor Hubert Nolen to translate the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) into Portuguese. Paul worked with Rachel Ferguson and World Renewal, concentrating on understanding the mission's logistical demands and creating connections. "I personally looked forward to serving at Abba Camp, encouraging others, assisting Joyce and Pastor Nolen with EOS, and immersing in the culture," Paul reflected. Despite their preparations, Paul and Joyce remained prayerful, open, and eager for all the experiences and lessons the Lord had in store.
However, the lead-up to their trip was not without challenges. Close to their departure day, Paul suffered a near-fatal car accident with a semi-truck, sustaining a concussion and various injuries. Amidst all the hospital visits, medical treatments, surgery, and while grappling with the aftermath of the accident, he underwent a concussion evaluation just 48 hours before the scheduled flight. "God spared my life in this accident! My focus after the auto accident was recovering and making sure I was healthy enough to still travel to Brazil. God was faithful, and He kept me safe from the accident and my recovery from surgery so I could still make the Brazil trip. I am still in awe of God!" said Paul.
Paul and Joyce anticipated their contributions to the trip with a mindset of service and learning. "I saw my role for the trip as an encourager, a trainer, and a servant. While I was there, I was also an observer," Joyce reflected. Paul, being a willing vessel, was prepared for opportunities and challenges. "I knew I needed to remain flexible and allow God to use me in whatever capacity He wanted," Paul shared. For both of them, flexibility and openness to God guiding their actions in service of others was most important.
Upon arriving in Brazil, the eleven-member team split into specialized groups to tackle various projects. Some led Vacation Bible School sessions, Paul and another team member made construction improvements at Abba Camp for youth sports ministry, and others, including Pastor Nolen, his wife Tonia, and Joyce, visited church plants and explored new ministry starts with Pastor Tele Moraes. The afternoons were spent preparing for the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) conference, and evenings focused on training about 35 local leaders in organizational and leadership skills. "I was impacted to see what was a small beginning, a small seed of street ministry that has transformed into a large multifaceted ministry. The kids that were in the original startup ministries are now grown and have become great leaders," Joyce reflected. "I saw a theme of transformation. From the very first street ministry 31 years ago to the current transformation, it’s setting new standards of cooperation between the church and business world, building God's kingdom in a way that honors Him."
During the trip, Joyce and Paul's dynamic as a married couple and as team members took an unexpected turn. Paul explained, "Honestly, we did not get to work closely on this trip. Joyce was involved mostly with EOS training in the evenings and traveled separately during the day. We needed to embrace a lot of flexibility for this trip. Our team was split into multiple groups doing multiple activities. We understood that we had separate roles and embraced that. For this trip, that worked out well." Joyce shared her perspective, adding, "It's an honor to serve side by side with a man that shares the same passions and love yet with vastly different gifts. Going on mission trips together allows us to support each other's unique giftings."
It was essential for Joyce and Paul to adapt to cultural differences with openness and humility, where they sought to connect and understand local challenges, especially human trafficking. "As I travel around the world, I want to understand on a deeper level the differences in human sex trafficking. I recognized anti-trafficking signs at the São Paulo airport, but not around the smaller cities like Caprina. Prostitution is legal, so there is a high demand for brothels in the form of motels," Joyce remarked. She engaged with locals for insights into anti-trafficking efforts and learned from Pastor Moraes about his vision for supporting survivors with a residential home. These interactions revealed the severe realities of trafficking there and the urgent need for action. "He shared a few stories of community children having a safe place to go versus the alternative that leads to elevated levels of vulnerability," Joyce shared.
Joyce and Paul returned from their mission trip invigorated with a better vision for the future of ministry. "Pastor Nolen and I are currently working with several ministries around the world that have a heart and passion to take the church beyond a building that meets on Sunday into a center-focused ministry that provides resources and needs to the community throughout the week and the year," explained Joyce. Hope Center continues to explore innovative ways to combine business strategies with ministry work to build God's Kingdom more effectively. It uses its influence to share tools and insights with other ministries, helping them learn from its blueprint and expanding the Kingdom's reach by setting high standards in residential care and community support across the globe.
"God cares about the one as much as he cares about the nations. The vision of Hope Center started years ago with small steps of faith and has grown substantially over the last seven years, not to remain as one but to grow throughout the nations. God's vision of the Hope Center is not contained in one city, center, or visionary; it is bigger. God has no limits to what He can do with those who say, 'Yes, Lord, here I am, send me,' said Joyce.
As this mission trip concludes, one thing is clear: Hope and healing transcend merely assisting—it's partaking in God's very movement across the world, sowing seeds of hope and faith in every heart. Hope Center Indy is already looking forward to future mission trips like this, combining professional development with meaningful outreach for its staff, volunteers, and even residents. It is committed not just to partaking in change, but to leading by example, as God provides.
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