Mama Donna’s story

There is always room for one more at Donna’s Table

Welcoming people from many lands into her home is what Donna loves best. She has had 4 international students live with her and hundreds have passed through her doors. Game nights, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, her home is always open to those who are far away from theirs.


Her heart for missions and the startling reality that 80% of international students are never invited into an Americans home ignited a passion in her.

“not on my watch”!

Young people away from home find a safe place in hers.  She is affectionately called Mama Donna by students and scholars from around the globe.

there are  “classic game nights” in her home once a month that last into the wee hours of the night.  laughter is the universal language and it is always spoken here.

Her son has been raised to love people from everywhere. These are his “brothers”.  He also has a “brother” in a closed country.  After living with Donna and Caleb for a year Nemo came to love Jesus, and now is sharing HIS love with others in his home land. There are many stories like this, Students finding the love of Jesus while in America and going home to share it.

Because she never wants to turn anyone away she added a sunroom to the back of her home so that she could accommodate more people.

It is not uncommon to hear four or more languages being spoken in her home.   Everyone has fun teaching a few words in their language to the Americans who are joining in on the fun.

Many people from countries that are at war with one another will find friendship with one another in her living room.

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL…..

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She also heads up the missions team at Westgate Chapel.

In the past 5 years a tradition that started in the home of the Churches missions interns with under 20 students and 3 American families  has grown into a HUGE event serving over 150 internationals representing 27 different countries and 160+ American volunteers.

Donna will be the first to admit that there is no way any of this could happen without the help of many (and LOTS AND LOTS of prayer!).  American families hosted tables, 100s of pies and sweet potato casseroles were donated by church members, the college ministry helped set up, high schoolers served, the children made cards, people manned a prayer room,  the mens ministry  did all the cooking! ….and much, much more!

There were also lots of fun activities….

photo booths

crafts

anything to help foster relationships and build friendships with one another.

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BUT THAT’S NOT ALL

Donna makes it a point to go to as many events that her international “children” are involved in…. Indian festivals, Chinese culture days, ISA (international student association) events. She delights in entering into their worlds so that she can better understand and love them.

She also makes sure that anyone has a ride to events like Bethlehem Experience.

https://westgatechapel.org/pages/ministries/bex/

is not uncommon for her to borrow a van so that she can take an entire group on a  road trip.

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BUT THAT’S NOT ALL

The most amazing thing about Donna is that she is a single mom with a demanding job!

She is a well-respected counselor seeing individuals and families as well as servicing group homes that house some of the hardest to reach kids in our county.

Donna with her son Caleb 

We do not have to be full time missionaries to live out the great commission. We just need to be willing to love those who are different from us.  Donna will be the first to tell you that she is not “super woman”! She says that the only thing special about her is that she is a willing vessel in the hands of an amazing God.

Are you willing?

Who is God calling you to love?

There are MANY opportunities! If God is opening your heart to love international students please visit this web site to learn more.

http://www.utoledo.edu/cisp/international/IEP/GO_UT/Conversation_Partner/cp.html

 

Kelly’s Story (Baby University)

 

 

 

 

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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 .

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“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.

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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.

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they are always in need of childrens books

“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

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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.

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Sandy serving breakfast with a smile.
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GED classes

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encouraging words everywhere you look

 

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serving breakfast
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Bible Study

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

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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/

 

Miss Robin’s story

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every Wednesday starts with prayer

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.

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Robin has been serving this population for over 9 years,

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.

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

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Robins dream of neighborhood women working along side her is  coming true.

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.

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sometimes a listening ear is the best gift you can give.

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!

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She LOVES the people she serves with!

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!

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on Wednesdays her feet are flying!
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sometimes it can be overwhelming

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.

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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

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Prayer

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FRIENDSHIP

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

I am So glad you asked 🙂

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donate clothes, COATS, HATS, GLOVES AND SOCKS

clothing donations can be dropped off at proclaimfm.com

7112 Angola Rd
Holland, OH 43528

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BLANKETS
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TP  Kirkland brand at Costco is the best.

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/

 

 

Kelly’s story

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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.

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Kelly Believes that these kids are worth fighting for.

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.

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Pat and Kelly sharing a meal with the students.

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.

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putting together a puzzle
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learning about money
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playing memory

 

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.

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“let me show you my good smile!”

 

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

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picture of pastor Pat from the students perspective

 

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Gigi making lunch.

 

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playing play-do

 

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Lunch time.

 

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I love puzzles!
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smile miss Cyndi!

Jeff’s story (The Daughter Project)

 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.

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“I had trouble sleeping at night, knowing what was going on and that I was not doing anything to help”

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…

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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

 

Sarah’s Story

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I would like the privilege of introducing you to my friend Sarah.

Sarah and her husband recently immigrated to America from Sudan.

I wish I could share pictures of this beautiful family but for thier safety I can not

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but this is how I feel when I am with her

Her husband practiced Medicine in Sudan

now

He drives a cab to feed his family and studies 12 hours a day

 so that 

some day he may practice in America.

They used to live in a large home surrounded by family.

now

They live in a small apartment surrounded by people they do not know

so that

one day their children will be able to raise their families in a land of freedom, safety and opportunity

They used to live in a place that their education brought them honor

now

they live in a place that, because they are still learning English, people assume that they are uneducated

so that

they can be educated in America in order to become the best in their fields.

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Their children attend preschool

They are hard working, highly educated people who left everything to find everything.

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Sarah attends English class

 These are kind, good, brave, compassionate, hard working people…..

I want to introduce you to many more.

I want to share their stories

BECAUSE WHAT IF????

What if we all got to know PEOPLE instead of statistics.

WHAT IF?

we all befriended that new neighbor down the street who looks different then us, believes different than us.

WHAT IF?

 we simply smile at people instead of look down….

WHAT IF?

we let

LOVE

motivate us

instead of

FEAR

WHAT IF?

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please note, all pictures, names and places are there to help tell a story and do not represent this family in reality. I must keep them safe.

Lily’s Story

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.

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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.DSCF2291

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

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

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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.

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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

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