Bless Us with Your Car!

Recently, my husband I have had some issues with our vehicle. This has affected every part of our lives as we now have to figure out logistics for work, school, after school activities, church and church activities with ONE car! It’s been a difficult adjustment for our family…can you relate?

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with one of our graduates and we began the paperwork process for her to receive a donated vehicle from the Open Door Mission! Did you know that the Open Door Mission takes donated vehicles? We do!

When you donate a vehicle, you are doing something HUGE for a program graduate (and their family). In this case, it’s a single mom who is employed full time and has a son that is in school. Right now, she has to get him ready in the mornings, they wait together until the school bus comes and she walks the ½ mile to work each day. Her work hours revolve around his school schedule so that she has enough time to walk back from work and be here each day to get him off of the school bus. Trips to the grocery store are made when friends or family have time to take her.

Having a vehicle is really going to open up the possibilities for this family! She will now be able to get to work, get her son to and from school and get shopping done as needed. Her son will be able to play sports and she will be able to take him to practices and games without worrying that someone that promised to take them might not follow through. What a blessing!

If you have a running vehicle that you are not using, or know someone who does, would you prayerfully consider donating it to the Open Door Mission? We offer a Gift In Kind Receipt for your donation that can be used on your taxes and at the same time you would be blessing another family. To donate a vehicle, contact Amy Harvey at 402-829-1511. Thank you!

Amy Harvey

The Kitchen is coming

The kitchen is coming… the kitchen is coming – Praise the Lord, the kitchen is coming!!!

Ever feel the pressure of having food on the table? I know I have. I wake up, get the kids ready and somewhere, in the midst of the morning madness, give the kids a nutritious breakfast. Not to mention, I pack their lunches and send them on their way. From there we all rush out the door. Then after we’re all back together like a happy family, I need to find a way to get a wholesome dinner served. All to clean it up, get the kids in bed, and do it all over again in the morning.

Day after day, hour by hour, and minute by minute it seems all the more difficult to get a seem-ably easy task accomplished. We’ll that’s just me with a family of three. Imagine having to have over 1,700 hot, nutritious meals prepared and served daily. Oh yeah, then somehow imagine getting that many meals served with NO KITCHEN. That’s right, with no on-site space to get it accomplished…

That’s the challenge Chef Claude and his crew faced this past year with the demolition of the Garland Thompson Men’s Center. Day after day, his staff has had to load up ingredients and supplies off-site so that meals can be prepared and transported back to Open Door Mission’s campus where it is served. Because hunger doesn’t discriminate these meals are served to hundreds of men, women, and children alike. They prepared enough meals to feed those we serve, and more, as well as cleaned up after themselves to do it all over again the next day.

Well by God’s grace, they tackled the challenge! Incredibly enough, not a single meal was missed and not a single person went hungry during the transition. In fact, last year alone our kitchen staff served over HALF A MILLION MEALS to hungry and homeless men, women and children. Now I’m pleased to say that the newly constructed Community Kitchen will open in spring 2012.

There’s no doubt in my mind that God will continue to anoint Chef Claude and his crew to feed the multitudes. I’m grateful to see God’s hand at work on Open Door Mission’s campus as He multiplies the fishes and loaves to feed his beloved children. Children that as in Matthew 20, the world would turn away but Christ Himself would say, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat…bring them here to Me” (Matthew 14:15-21).

With each meal, Claude’s staff will add a good sized helping of hope and new life to every dish. And the best part is our clients can come back for seconds and thirds! No, having the kitchen open isn’t the end. It is just the beginning to all God that has in store for these precious men, women, and children. If you want a front row seat to the action, I urge you to visit www.opendoormission.org to sign-up for a Fishes and Loaves team to help serve these meals yourselves…because they need us, and we need you. In just two hours, you can make a difference right here, right now- in our community.

Hope to see you soon!
Victoria Gaskin, Executive Assistant

^“15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” ¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” ¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. ¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.” Matthew 14:15-21

Big Payoffs

Some jobs one works for years to get that big contract job. Other jobs are worked long and hard to snag a big business account. Even others you work for years to get that big office. Some you work to get that big group of people working for you. Still more jobs are worked to get to the point where there is a big pension/retirement so no more work is needed. All people working jobs are looking for the big payoff. Some will end the search for money, fame, or power. Some may never get the "big payoff" they search for, but they search nonetheless.

Having a relationship with Jesus opens ones' eyes to the "really big payoff." It has enabled me to see the payoff for my sins made. I have been given the payoff of a new life, a new life in Christ. Money, fame, and power will all fade and be forgotten. All three will fail in death, but the payoff Christ Jesus offers is the payoff that Defeats death. Since I have this sweet "payoff" it has become my being to help others to get it. It is my honor to tell others of the "boss" who offers the "biggest" payoff available. At the Open Door Mission this is part of my job. It is wonderful to have your job encourage you so share the gospel. In working here, you get to see other "big payoffs" as well. When a family moves forward in their life and leaves behind an old life, and you had a part (however small) in it, that is a "big payoff." When a kid headed down the wrong path recieves Christ and is baptized, that is a "big payoff." When you sit across from a student as they search the scriptures, searching for the answers to deep questions, that is a "big payoff." In short, the "big payoff's" come from Christ!

Look for, invest in, work at, bank on, and count on, your relationship with Christ to Deepen.

Taylor Clinch

Volunteer and Partner Associate

An Opportunity for Servant Leadership

Three 8th grade students – John Anderson, Tyler Timm and Justin Bewley – have begun a servant leadership project at Wahoo Middle School. They realize that homelessness is a problem that affects all communities. In fact, the average age of a homeless person in the United States is nine years old! The boys have challenged their middle school classmates to bring 150 new or slightly used winter coats, jackets or sweatshirts to school. They will sort them and then pass them on to the Open Door Mission in Omaha.

Maggie Cope, a representative from the Mission, came out to Wahoo Middle School and spoke with the students. She mentioned that a homeless family often has mere minutes or hours to pack their belongings and move out of their existing home. Knowing that, those people generally pack only what they need at that time. Since many people find themselves pushed out of their homes in the summertime, they often lack winter or cold weather clothes needed at this time of the year.

John, Tyler and Justin have challenged the middle school to raise the 150 coats, jackets and sweatshirts by March 16th. If you have extra cold weather clothes and wish to donate them to their cause, you can drop them off at the middle school office.

8th graders Tyler Timm, Justin Bewley and John Anderson are leading a cold weather clothes drive at Wahoo Middle School.

If you would like to make a difference right here in our community and would like to organize a drive for needed items for Open Door Mission please give Maggie a call today at 402-829-1554 or e-mail her at mcope@opendoormission.org

Stories of Hope

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview one of Open Door Mission’s graduates to write a story for the latest issue of The Open Door newsletter. It’s amazing to see how far someone can come with God’s help. Just a few good choices and determination can make a difference in someone’s life.

Since we last visited with Sandra after graduating from the New Life Recovery Program in 2004, she has progressed significantly.

Sandra had a rough life. Neglected as a child, she had to work at age 12 to earn money for food. She dropped out of school in ninth grade, fought with alcohol & drug abuse and suffered failed relationships, prison and homelessness. That all changed—when she joined the New Life Recovery Program at Open Door Mission.

Since graduation, Sandra now has a good job, a home of her own and a life she never dreamed possible. Still today, she reviews her old class notes because she can always use a reminder that “I can still do this.” She had never felt good about herself before, but today she proudly says “I can do it and I am somebody!”

While Sandra admits she has regrets about how her children were raised, she is making up for it now in a big way. She has been given the responsibility of raising her grand-niece and in December, was able to host all of her children and grandchildren in her own home for Christmas. “It took a while,” she says, “for her children to trust that she had really changed.” But now her kids say, “You did it!” She has cookouts in her yard and is looking forward to sleepovers with her 10 grandchildren.

Sandra says, “The Mission is still helping my family today. I can still come to the Timberlake Outreach Center for food, clothing and household items when I’m in need.” The impact your donations had on one life are still impacting dozens more today.

If you would like to write a story of hope for Open Door Mission’s newsletter, please call me at 402-829-1507.

JoAnn Dodd

Faith Like A Child

Working at Open Door Mission, I deal with a number of folks through the course of any given day. My job like so many others around here is about laughing one minute and dealing with full blown crisis the next. My days are filled with hope and faith, as well as business and strategy as I use the gifts God has given me along with my education and 25 years of business experience to help pave a path toward success for anyone daring to search for it.

I think I’m good at what I do, but I like so many others can be humbled, and taught in an instant by the children around me. A few weeks ago I was in my office in the Permanent Supportive Housing building (the PSH) and I was greeted by several children. Now these kids know me, and we do our best to communicate. I have told them on several occasions that I don’t speak toddler but they speak it well enough for all of us and they will not be deterred in their effort to get their points across. So I made an offhand comment to Nate that his shoes were the wrong color. His facial expression turned to one of serious dismay. Not sadness mind you, he just has the look of someone who is about to set the record straight!

I continued though and I told Nate that his sister had the right colored shoes as she was in pink from head to toe and her shoes were a perfect match. I looked at Nate and told him that he was dressed all in blue right down to a blue blanket he was carrying, but his shoes were brown, and clearly wrong. I told him that they were wrong and should have been blue. Picture a toddler with a furrowed brow looking more serious than most little guys ever considered being. Nate told me in no uncertain terms that his shoes were not wrong! I took another shot at it and asked him if his shoes are right, why they were brown instead of blue. OK now maybe it’s a bit childish of me to try to one up a 4 year old, but we all have our moments. Well, it turns out this was Nate’s moment, and he looked at me and answered my question putting his hands in the air and shrugging his shoulders. He said “Scot, this is the way God made shoes”!

I was having some fun with him, but Nate didn’t have to think about his answer. With all the faith and innocence one might expect, the little guy ran home to God. It’s a cute story but I think about that little interaction all the time now, and I pray for that kind of faith. I don’t have to have all the answers, I just have to be like my little friend Nate, and be able to trust that God does. It’s a lesson worth learning, and my teacher in this case was not some snooty professor, but a little guy who simply trusts that things are what they are because God made it so.

It’s an honor and a pleasure every day to be even a small part of the ministry here at Open Door Mission. My hope and my prayer is that with teachers like Nate I too can learn to run home to God without a second thought.

Scot Morris

The Fruit of the Spirit

A few weeks ago the Children and Youth Director, Rachel Fisher, came to me and asked if she could borrow my office tree for an object lesson. When she returned it a few days later it had fruit shaped pieces of construction paper, with the fruits of the spirit written on them, tied to the tree. The children had colored on the construction paper fruit, and it was quite festive!

I recently found myself reflecting on the message of my tree. Love, do I demonstrate love to the people I encounter every day, do I show them the love of Christ and love them enough to lead them to Him. Joy, am I joyful each day, even in the little tasks that don’t seem fun or seem almost tedious. Peace, do I have peace in my heart, even when I am surrounded by the chaos that surrounds so many that I encounter everyday. Longsuffering, am I patient with my clients. Kindness, am I kind, not just with the clients it is easy to love, but to them all. Goodness, am I doing what is good and right. Faithfulness, am I showing those around me that I am a faithful friend, that I will be there for them. Gentleness, am I speaking and acting in gentility or am I being harsh. Self-Control, even when I am having a bad day, or not feeling well, am I showing self-control or am I allowing my emotions to take over.

This festive fruit filled tree has made such an impact on my life in the past few weeks. It reminds me daily what my life as a Christian should be like.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law

Noelle Pee

Work Net Director

What is impossible for men, becomes possible with God

Psalm 116:1-2

New International Version (NIV)

"I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live."

One day a man residing at the Garland Thompson Men’s Center approached me and said, “I would not have the patience to deal with the men you see every day”. It took me a while to assimilate the comment and I responded, you are right, I never imagined myself being this patient before. I still remember those years when I was not patient at all, but I thank God for His mercy that regenerated my heart and brought me into a different life. When we cry out to God for mercy the supernatural appears and what is impossible for men becomes possible with God. Believe me, when God regenerates the heart of a person miracles happen and the evidence of that conversion glorifies God on hearth.

Jonathan Lopez

Garland Thompson Men's Center

God is moving!

85 days ago everything changed for me. 85 days ago I accepted my current position at Open Door Mission's Lydia House. Little did I know that I would be a part of and able to witness incredible life transformation literally daily while doing my “job”. Little did I know that on any given day at “work” I now expect to weep or shout with joy at the work of our Lord in the lives of those living at Open Door Mission. God is moving! And God is changing lives through his redeeming work here at the Open Door Mission. Easily evident by how recently I was asked by a resident if I would hold hands and pray with her before she went to bed that night…Yes please!

Tami Gumm

Family Support Worker

Lydia House, Open Door Mission

Doing "great things" through the power of the Holy Spirit

There are many people who are doing amazing things in many places of the world—things which Jesus described as being greater than his miracles. The place I know best is here at Open Door Mission. Many of the amazing things that I have experienced here brings the conversation beginning at the end of John 13 between Peter, Thomas, Philip, and Jesus to my mind.

John tells us that Jesus explained to the disciples that he was going away to prepare a place for them. This really troubled Peter, Thomas, and Philip. They obviously did not want Jesus to leave. Who would? After Jesus predicted his death and told the disciples they could not come with him. Peter wanted to know why and made a braggadocios statement that implied whatever Jesus was going to through he could do. He could even “lay down is life.”

Thomas followed with a very practical question “how do we get there?” Jesus answered him indirectly and to his original point. As I read the story, I see that Jesus’ answer did not help the disciples understand. So Philip tries to makes sense out of the statement by offering a compromise in spiritual terms, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Peter wanted Jesus to know that they were capable of following him; Thomas wanted to know how to physically get where Jesus was going; and Philip attempted to resolve the situation by asking for one more miracle. Jesus told them that everyone who believes in Jesus (12), “…will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these…”

This truth relates to many of the people who call Open Door Mission home. Two gentlemen in particular come to mind. They are ready to graduate from our New Life Recovery program. They joined the program because it was offered to them. They were at the place in their lives that they realized they had no answer for their addiction that was hastening their death. They both had placed their lives in jeopardy many times. They were running on fumes and borrowed time.

They heard the good news of Jesus and immediately responded to the calling. They immediately began to care for the men around them. They reinforced what was being taught in classes and in case management. They progressed through classes and interacted with folks who were on the fringe. They encouraged them to work the program and shared their stories without shame. They sacrificed so that others, “who were in more need” could get what they needed. For example, when the need arose they would not take a place on a van to a popular church at times so others could attend. They simply walked to a church close to Open Door Mission—knowing everyone would be fed the word of God.

They keep encouraging friends who decided not to enter/continue in the program. They know they do not have everything right. They now understand the need to live the generous life of Jesus. They show Jesus to others who can’t see Jesus in people who don’t share their desperate circumstances. They serve as they are being served. They care for guys who distance themselves from Open Door Mission. They represent as they are still being forged. They live for Jesus so others can be saved by Jesus. They are living the life. They are doing “things greater” through the power of the Holy Spirit and so can you!

Steve Frazee
Open Door Mission