God chose to gift His gift of Jesus in a world torn by Middle Eastern strife—Herod’s unjust political tyranny, corruption, slavery, poverty prevailing among the family Jesus was born into—and yet His Mother was bursting with Hope and Faith: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord! My spirit rejoices in God my Savior!”
That’s what I am feeling here as I live at Mama Nita’s Coffee House Ministry home—a place so many of you have been a part of this past year in so many ways. I’m so amazed at how God has been moving in and through us this past year! It’s really been an adventure of encountering His Presence and seeking to make this new mission a place where God’s “Christmas Presence” can flourish.
To re-cap for some of you, I returned from Africa in the Fall of 2011 and bought a run down 5200 sq ft mansion this past January. After uniting with my friends from different churches we recognized it is time to “do something” that will usher in God’s unity among us Christians in Steubenville and facilitates encounters with our Loving God in this downtown area. It’s now my home.
“Doing good in the hood” is our motto down here, and that’s what’s been happening. Here are some highlights we can join with Mary in “proclaim the greatness of the Lord”:
• Over 3000 volunteer hours from people around the nation to work on the house and over 20 churches represented
• A weekly praise and worship and intercession time on Mondays and prayer for the city twice monthly
• Several people recommitting their life to God through our ministry and many receiving prayer and relationships with neighbors deepening
• 29 of you sponsored windows so now ALL of our 38 windows are replaced! (There’s still 4 left!)
Others supplied rugs, furniture, curtains, bedding, kitchen supplies, etc so that I hardly had to buy anything!
• A real sense of “God’s about to move in our city” from many of our local intercessors and a move on the Franciscan Campus of student’s hunger to grow in the gifts of the Holy Spirit
• A few movie nights with Furious Love and Father of Lights and a mini concert by Chat Smith
• Last but not least, a growth in my heart to hunger to have a deeper capacity to love God and others—keep me in prayer to continue to grow in generosity in loving others.
I have been praying for local people to be moved to volunteer here. Not primarily because I need the help (which I do!) but because it’s a sign of something the Holy Spirit is doing among the poor downtown to “give back” and find dignity and pleasure in giving of their time and talents.
On one of the warm November days I decided to inaugurate our winter with one last mow of the little bit of weeded-lawn we have. A middle aged man walked by with a few empty jugs. “Hi—how you doing?” I chimed in as a I took a break from my mowing.
I soon found out “Lawrence” was moving from Fort Steuben apartments to a house around the corner. “I got to get out of that place. It’s bad. The drugs. There’s no peace or quiet there. It’s bad there.” Since he didn’t have enough money for his water company deposit, he was walking 10 blocks to get water for his grandkids he was taking care of and his girlfriend.
Since that time, I’ve gotten to know Lawrence and his girl, Lauraine who is a patient at the free clinic I serve at on Thursdays. He now knows how to use my front load washer which was donated by Franciscan University, and pushes our neighbor Ruby’s grocery cart with jugs of water he’s filled from our faucets. After a few weeks of this, he said, “Do you need help around here? I’m a jack of all trades. I want to give back to you. You’ve helped us out so much. I want to give back.”
So now, Lawrence (Ruby calls him ‘Whispers’ for some reason I’ve not discovered yet) is putting on mudding to the dry wall that Jonathan put up and will start on some basement work next week. Walter, another neighbor who was the first to volunteer back in February is the first local person to donate financially to our mission and helped pay for the Boiler company to evaluate our boiler. “Katie, don’t worry” he always tells me. God is moving in our people down here… Good in the hood.
It’s really coming together. God is doing a great work here. May the Lord especially bless those who have served here this last year either from afar through prayers and giving and those near who have joined me in doing so much to get this house and mission up and running.
We still have far to go but it’s amazing how far we’ve come. I thank you God for the grace and favor!
So, I say to you, my friends: “Don’t worry…God wants to give back to you, fill you, refresh you. Amidst so much turmoil in our world, in the quietness, in the stillness, HE is HERE. Jesus will never leave you no matter how much you may get sidetracked. God is GOOD and is so ready to heal your hearts, fill you up and strengthen you to be a blessing to those around us.
May your spirits rise up like Mary’s does and say with all the Saints and Angels amidst any trial that may be going on and say, “My soul proclaims the greatness of my God!”
Much love to each of you and your families!! You’re all welcome to visit anytime!!
Thank you for being in my life!
Katie
