We have been so tremendously blessed by God and His people during this recent season of waiting and preparing. As we move forward with our plans to provide a home for refugee women and children, we are finally at the point where we are making more concrete plans for the actual start of ministry. As you can see from the pictures below, the house is rapidly nearing completion! The exterior is painted, the sheetrock is up, and next week we will see additions like trim, cabinets, and tile. Praise God! Barring any other unforeseen hiccups, the house should be finished by late May, and we’ll be set up and ready to receive our first guests in early summer.
In the delays, God’s hand has been so evident. Local businesses and individuals have stepped up with donations of materials, labor, and money…and we now have enough to completely finish out the house. So much has simply been given to us — flooring, cabinets, fixtures, appliances…it would take too long to list everything. We have cried humble tears of joy at how our God has provided through His people.
And, even though we’ve been extremely frustrated at the delays with county permitting, we’ve learned some valuable faith/life lessons that will serve us well as we welcome in refugees. Much more than us, refugees’ lives have been defined by seasons of pointless waiting, and the frustration of being completely at the mercy of “the powers that be” who don’t always care much about how their policies or decisions might impact others. Our angst in this process gives us just a glimpse of what many of them must have felt as they navigated the world of U.N. refugee camps and corrupt governments.
So, here we are, a couple short months away from the formal start of the ministry. We held our first volunteer training last weekend, with another one this Friday. We have an amazing team that is finishing the house, working on projects, preparing for “Abba’s House School”, lining up mentoring opportunities for the refugee women, and doing the heart work of getting people ready to receive our guests. We’ve begun to specifically pray for the first refugee family that will come and experience the hospitality and welcome that we will provide for them at Abba’s House.
Be looking for an announcement about a Grand Opening, once we have a clearer idea of when the house will be complete — likely sometime in late May. We’d love to have you come out to tour the house, pray blessings over it, and celebrate with us as we launch this ministry. Thank you for your support, your encouragement, your gifts, your involvement, and your prayers. We are grateful for each and every one of you.
— Michael Meissner,
Abba's House 