faces of grace

In a part of town that is known for drugs and prostitution you will find an old school building full of hope and healing for a community that most have given up on.

Kelly’s journey to Baby U started Nine years ago when her husband David became the head pastor of Western Ave. Church .

“When we began to serve here I thought I could come down 2 times a week and make a difference”

That all changed when a 13 year old girl that she had grown to love ended up pregnant because her parents let a sex offender live in their home.

Kelly has seen that generational poverty will take generations to fix and that is where Baby University comes in.

Baby University is a 10 week program held every Saturday morning where parents are given the tools they need to be able to raise children that can escape the cycle. In addition to parenting training the attendees receive a stack of books to read to their children as well as a pack of diapers.

“We are not going to change the world in 10 weeks but we are  going to start a relationship where we can speak Jesus into people’s lives”

Cradle to Career

They model the program after Harlem Children’s Zone

http://hcz.org/about-us/

“this is tough work and you need to have long-term commitment to see kids all the way to adulthood. There is no quick fix or magic solution—but there is hope.”

I went to Mosaic Ministries to learn more about Baby U, but I have to share with you all I saw going on at 8:30 am on a Wed.

Breakfast is served every day, dinner is served 4 time a week, there is a food pantry, clothing, GED classes, Bible studies…..

Kelly and the people she serves along side at Mosaic Ministries know that change will take time, and they are willing to give it.

Want to help?

They always need

baby items

children’s clothes

children’s books

volunteers

visit them on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/groups/32480517218/

In a neighborhood where most people do not have transportation or a washer and dryer and the average household income is under $15,000 “The Clothing Closet” provides more than just clothes.

Nine years ago Robin had a vision of providing clothing to the people of the 04, the poorest zip code in the state. Since then she has volunteered 100s of hours to see CC become a reality.

What she did not know then is that she would quickly fall in love with the people that she was serving.

You see Robin knows what its like to be hurting and lost. Clothing is not all she wanted to provide, she wanted to provide HOPE.

Her vision is that CC  be a gateway to relationships That will lead to people finding hope in Jesus. And if you spend any time here you will see that her vision is becoming a reality!

Robin says that the hardest part of her job is Being the manager of CC while maintaining an atmosphere of friendship, growth and learning with the people she is working with. It is hard to balance logistics with relationship!

She misses the days when she was the one that got to pray with people, now she has a team of women who do this while she makes sure everything is running smoothly. Just organizing the clothes is an overwhelming task some days.

For Robin it’s not about the clothes, it’s about the bridges being built. Her prayer is that the people she meets on Wed. will walk through the doors of That Neighborhood Church on Saturday night and hear the hope that only Jesus can give.

This is the biggest work being done at CC

So….. by now I’m sure you’re wondering “what can I do”

I am So glad you asked 🙂

clothing donations can be dropped off at proclaimfm.com

7112 Angola Rd
Holland, OH 43528

Blankets,  TP  and tall kitchen bags can be dropped off at https://westgatechapel.org/

2500 Wilford Dr. Toledo, OH,  care of Randy Fall

Money donations can be given at

http://www.lovegodlovepeopleproveit.com/

Hidden in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods of Toledo is a little puddle of Gods grace and love. Because of the faith and sacrifice of one woman.

Kelly and her husband Pat moved into a neighborhood that many are afraid to drive through. They believe that in order to make a lifelong difference they need to do life along side of people.

You see, things that most of us take for granted just do not happen down here.

sitting down together and having a meal.

sitting on a lap and being read to.

playing board games.

doing flash cards.

puzzles.

even just having a calm place to do work…

These are things that many of the kids that grow up here do not ever see.

Kelly runs a one room schoolhouse/homeschool in the basement of That Neighborhood Church.

She gave up her job, the one reliable income of the family,  because she “wanted to make a difference”.  she is convinced that 2 hours a week is just not enough to make a real difference in the lives of the kids she serves.

I let the kids have my camera for a little bit….here is their work.

 In 2008 Jeff was given a book that changed his life. He learned that the trafficking of young girls (or as he calls it “rape for profit) was happening here in the United States, in Ohio, in Toledo and he knew He HAD to do something about it.

He set about finding a place where the rescued girls were being educated so that he could teach them math…

What he discovered is that there was not ONE home for them in Ohio, Michigan, or Indiana, and he decided he was going to change that. But he knew he  could not do it alone…

“Without guidance, a people will fall, but there is victory with many counselors.” prov. 11:14

A board of 4 people began to pray and plan and within a year 4 committees where formed, they had their 501C and their website was up. 2 years later ground was broken for the first girls home in Ohio,  helping trafficked girls ages 13-17 to heal and move on.

“God inspired many people to become a part of the planning and building of the ministry, everyone was a volunteer, we were all doing our part” In a year this home was built with no mortgage!

God led HUNDREDS of people to donate time, money and supplies to make this a reality, including a church that gave property and a talented contractor that directed the entire project for free.

When asked what he would like to say to people who feel powerless to make a difference, he began to list the ways people can help…

-awareness. …wear a t-shirt, share on FB, one dress one month

-go to the comedy show

-spiritual mentorship

-committees

-teachers

-pray

-give

I’M JUST A MATH TEACHER…

do you ever feel like you are

JUST?

just a mom, just an accountant, just a student….

There is no JUST in the economy of God.

We all have something to

GIVE

What will you do?

want to know more about the daughter project?

please visit

www.thedaughterproject.org

I have met hundreds of people with extraordinary stories,

would you let me introduce you to them?

Knowing them has brought the best out of me.

I think it will do the same for you.

because courage is contagious.

Let me begin with the one I call daughter.

I can not put into words what it is like to see a child that you have loved for over a year for the first time, and have her be terrified of you.

“mama, I wanted to be happy but I was so scared and confused.”

My brave little girl, smiling through her tears.

Unconditional love can do that, it can bring out your brave.

To open a heart that has been broken is no small thing.

Entering into a journey that is bigger then yourself is scary, it is stretching and it is the best thing you will ever do for yourself and for those you travel with.

Let me share how our journey Began.

in 2009 I had a dream of a little girl with arm differences, I knew she was supposed to be a Ferrell…. my husband did not.

One day about 5 months after my first dream (there were many) I asked Paul to pray that God would take away the overwhelming calling to adopt again,

he prayed,

God changed HIS heart.

As I looked at waiting child lists I saw a little girl whose arms looked like the ones in my dreams, she was nine!

could a nine year old become part of our family?

What about attachment disorder,

what about the language barrier,

what about the fact that her arms could not be “fixed”

What about…….

But my heart stayed with the sweet little girl in the yellow dress..

And then one day Paul looked at me and said

“if not us, then who?”

This was NOT my plan, this was not something I could do.

This is what GOD would do.

This is how God would stretch us to see beyond ourselves.

watching her fight gives us the courage to fight.

Everyday Lily gets dressed, brushes her teeth, carries a backpack,

 she writes, swims, plays volleyball, rides a bike

with arms that do not bend and hands that barely move….

She loves with her whole heart.

She faces her fear and pain,

she stares them down

she survives.

she thrives

she is my

hero