Christian leaders from various denominations in Austria called and asked us, »Please come to Vienna and help us!« They faced a huge drug problem and had heard about the wonderful work at House Wiedenhof. In 1988, we sent out our first long-term team to missions - to Vienna. In 1991, we sent a pioneer team to the Philippines, followed by another one to Thailand ... and so forth. When God called to Mongolia in 1992 and we were not only facing a national revival but also great need in this land, we felt compelled to not only send missionaries, however, we also saw the need for establishing a stable structure to oversee and support our international ministries. This was the hour of birth of HELP International ...
Walter Heidenreich
HELP International, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is a branch of the FCJG Dachverband, Inc. (Free Christian Youth Community - roof organization) in Lüdenscheid. HELP's commission is to expand existing ministries in the nations, to pioneer new ministries and to mentor and coach leaders and staff. Founder and visionary of HELP International, Inc. is Walter Heidenreich, today's president of both HELP International, Inc. and FCJG Lüdenscheid. The present ministries that have been established in Europe, Asia as well as in the USA can be traced back to his initiative and vision for peoples and nations. Through regularly visiting the teams in the nations, international conferences and seminars with him as speaker with the purpose to exhort the body of Christ in the nations as well as his teachings and inputs at internal HELP conferences - foremost by speaking to the leaders - have not only impacted HELP's development but catapulted the ministry into a visionary dimension. An international leadership is presently rising up that carries and furthers the mutual vision, aims and HELP's ministries - mentored and adviced by Walter Heidenreich.
Investment & Commission
The name HELP stands for Humanitarian aid, Evangelism, Leadership training and Pioneer ministries. According to these, HELP invests into the following: training of long-term as well as new leaders, pioneering and establishing new ministry branches in the nations - foremost in Asia, humanitarian aid in areas and situations of calamity, mercy ministries, evangelisam, organization of international conferences and seminars. The emphasis of mercy ministries is drug rehablitiation, ministries among street kids and youth as well as ministering to inmates and homeless people. Some of those who formerly sought and received help, have become staff and some have taken on the leadership of ministry branches.Furthermore, HELP is overseeing administration regarding its international branches. Through seminars, training units and conferences we are aiming to reach young people for missions and to prepare them for short-term outreaches (up to four weeks).
It is possible to go with HELP for some weeks and even months to the nations. In cooperatoin with the REVIVAL SCHOOL on the Move (a mobile DTS and training program), participants are going through a training (approx. three to four months) at the Lüdenscheid home base followed by going on outreach into one or two of HELP's international ministry branches.
Missionaries who want to go long-term to missions with HELP International, Inc. have to attend the training program of the REVIVAL SCHOOL and live for a considerable time in the FCJG community in Lüdenscheid.
Development
Since the start of HELP International, Inc. we have sent out approx. 100 long-term missionaries to Asia, Europ and the USA and could win many local co-workers. We are serving people of all walks of life - however, especially the poor, needy and street kids. All of these people groups experience healing - physically, mentally and emotionally - and we stand with them when re-enter into normal society sturctures.Facts
Part of HELP's ministries is first aid in calamity situations. Since the foundation of HELP International, Inc., approx. 564 tons of relief goods have been sent to and distributed in areas of calamity. Furthermore, we have given financial and practical help, e.g. to Mongolia, Turkey (after severe earthquakes), former Yugoslavia, to Afghanistan and other nations.Through conferences and seminars we have reached approx. 15,000 participants of whom more than 1,300 have taken part in short-term outreaches.
