By Jody Armbruster

Recently, I had the chance to speak with Theo, Hope Africa Collective’s Trade Skills Coordinator in our Economic Development area. The 6-month Trades Skills Training Program equips students with life direction, faith discovery, computer literacy, work readiness, and practical trade skills like welding, carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and small business management. I first met Theo during my mission trip to South Africa this past October, where I witnessed his gospel-centered leadership as I shadowed the Trade Skills students. It was great to reconnect with him over the phone for a quick interview and hear more about his role and his desire to see students grow in both skill and faith.

Teaching was not always a part of Theo’s original career plan, but Theo shared “I think opportunities often find you, but more specifically, that God has a way of directing our paths and ultimately brings greater gifts to fruition—gifts we did not see before”. After much job shifting and receiving God’s grace, Theo found Hope Africa.

Theo will be celebrating seven years at Hope Africa this year.

I had the opportunity to ask Theo about the deeper purpose and driving force behind his daily commitment to teaching these students. He shared, “You can’t teach anyone if you don’t love them. All love comes from God—because He loves us, we can love others. The foundation of my work is built on genuinely loving my students and caring for their future, well-being, and growth. I strive to reflect God’s love by being patient, recognizing their potential, and nurturing them as He nurtures us.”

This deeper purpose drives Theo to be a gospel-centered leader and teacher for his students. He explains that as teachers at Hope Africa Collective, they must make the gospel “tangible” by being the hands and feet of Jesus. For Theo, this starts with being personally rooted in the gospel every day. He emphasizes, “If you’re not well-rooted in the gospel yourself, you won’t be able to teach it effectively.” Theo continues, “You can’t bring fresh water to someone else if you’re not sitting by the fountain. The gospel is powerful—it’s like a wellspring of life. If you’re not tapped into that, you can’t be a fresh fountain to others.” 

Theo strives daily to become more like Jesus, and his students can see that. Each student has their own unique journey, but transformation happens within each of them.

I asked Theo if there was a specific student story that stood out to him, and he immediately lit up. He shared stories of students whose lives had been transformed in different ways—one went on to buy a car and get married, another launched a small business, and many others left with a new or renewed faith in Jesus. But what stood out most to Theo wasn’t just the success stories—it was the undeniable impact of the gospel in each student’s life. “It’s the seeds,” Theo reflected. “When we work with students, they begin to identify the gifts that God gave them. It’s like a seed getting watered. That seed sprouts in different ways for each student, but one thing is true—no student walks away from this unchanged.” 

The last question I asked Theo was if he could share one message with his students, what would it be? His response was simple:

“Stick to God. Life is full of ups and downs. Some moments will be great, and others may be incredibly challenging. But if we rely only on our own strength, we will always be weak. God is our strength. God is our purpose. The foundation of life cannot be built on the shifting sands of circumstance—it has to be built on something steady. That’s why students must stick to God—because life is shaky, but He is a firm foundation.”

Aside from faith, Theo shares that another key to success is surrounding yourself with the right people. “Mastermind” has been a recent word on his heart—because if any student wants to achieve things or move forward in life or business, they have to be near like-minded people. Who we surround ourselves with deeply influences our growth and direction. “Whatever group you are close with, you often end up like.”

Theo is a true blessing to Hope Africa Collective, shining Christ’s light in many ways. He pursues Christ daily, and his students experience the fruit of that commitment in a deeply organic way. Through his leadership, they are not only learning skills for life, but also gaining a lasting foundation rooted in faith.

Please join me in praying for Theo, that God continues to strengthen and guide him in his role, giving him wisdom, patience, and energy to lead with love and purpose. Your prayers are a vital support for his work at Hope Africa Collective.