Happy April to you all,
We pray you and yours are well.
We write this note to share some news with you all.
After having the great privilege of working with Heart to Honduras since September of 2011, we want to share with you that this year, 2022, will be our final year working for HtH. We will be transitioning out of the country of Honduras in July and finalizing our HtH Stateside/virtual work by the end of the calendar year 2022.
This difficult decision has been made for many reasons but, we want to be clear that this decision was not made quickly nor due to some grave problem. This has been a slow purposeful decision, taken at this time because, in our personal opinion, things are going better than they ever have at Heart to Honduras. Heart to Honduras has been aware of our decision for several months and they are actively searching for our replacements.
2022 will slowly bring to an end a long, challenging, full season of life for our family and will inevitably bring a sense of grief and loss in various ways. Leaving our home, neighbors, animals, church, coworkers, community members, work…our life… the list seems never ending…to follow God into what seems the great unknown. We trust Him, and we believe in His seasonal work in our lives, but we know the transition will not be easy.
For those that are interested, you can read more at the end of this letter where we share a few of our reasons as well as "next steps" for us. You can also expect two more "Eldridge Updates" - one in summer and then a final one before the end of the year. Please know that you are always welcome to reach out to us via phone call, text or email.
We want to thank each and every one that has supported us for this season of life in prayer, finances and in friendship. One request we have for those of you that give financially is to not stop your financial support when we finish our employment with HtH. Your faithful giving through all these years to God’s work has facilitated life-changing, transformational work in Honduras and we ask that you please continue to give in the same way so that His work can continue!
If you have not begun to give financially, then please consider joining our family as we give financially to Heart to Honduras.
We will keep you up to date on this transition process and hope to hear from many of you throughout this time as well.
With love and appreciation,
Kaleb and Stacey
A few of the reasons we arrived at this decision to step away from HtH:
1. It has been the plan all along.
We have annually evaluated our work and positions since arriving to Honduras in 2011 and have prayerfully considered each year when God would have us phase out. Personally, we have seen the past two years as an indication of our transition timing and integrated into part of our departure plan. The CPHTH consolidation process that happened throughout 2020 with theories of change, proposals, and evaluation systems created for each HtH program in 2021 have been key parts of our plan to leave solid frameworks in place across the organization for when we step away. 2022 is our final year to work out these plans and walk alongside our fellow staff as much as possible in order to leave in the best condition possible. We returned to Honduras in July of 2021 with the intent to give at least one more year in person in Honduras.
2. To facilitate growth.
God is the One working. He was in Honduras forever before we arrived, has been the One at work, and will continue to work. He doesn’t need us specifically. We have just had the privilege to participate for this time period. Our continued presence for years to come may not be bad or negative, but it could possibly prevent some amazing growth in other ways. We pray our absence will allow for new and great things for God’s glory. For many reasons, we feel it is the opportune moment to step away and allow others to fill the various roles we play based on our job descriptions and also our personal character qualities and passions at work in the organizational system.
3. Sustainability for our holistic health as individuals and global church/community members.
Living and/or working internationally has required extreme flexibility, constant personal holistic growth with willingness to live impractical, dual lives. As much as we have grown and integrated, something we can never do is change the color of our skin, our nation of origin, or gender as well as the many misconceptions that go along with them. As we have lived as foreigners/minorities as what many label “missionaries,” God has deepened our empathy for minorities and the misunderstood.
The implications of this have weighed on us slowly through the years and we recognize our limits as real whole humans in this journey. We personally feel it is time to take a break from a complicated, highly relational, cross cultural and moral/ethical job on a daily basis. This does not mean our passion for international holistic development work has gone away - not at all. We just believe for us to continue in the future we may need to do something a bit different for a period of time to be able to come back with potentially even more strength and passion.
Next Steps for the Eldridges
July – Leave Honduras physically (return to Pittsburgh, PA) but continue to work with HtH virtually
December – Complete our responsibilities with HTH. We won’t lose our love for the work of this organization and will remain connected to our friends and family God has blessed us with through this season of life and work.
2023 – New jobs that God will provide. We honestly do not know at this time but we do know we are purposefully going to take jobs with different types of intelligence and strengths, at least for a year or so. Then perhaps, if God leads, back to holistic, international development work in a new or different way. We trust God to provide and lead. We remain at His complete service and call no matter where we live or work.