When a House Becomes a Home

Six months ago I pulled up in front of a house in a neighborhood I had always avoided. To be honest, two years ago I would have double checked the door locks while passing through. (Why do we do that?) As my husband and I walked through our potential location of The Dream Campaign, I was skeptical. The house was infested with fleas, the walls were grungy, there was dirt and dust EVERYWHERE. There was a lingering odor of pets. The fireplace was falling apart, the kitchen floor was cracked. I was overwhelmed by what I saw and my vision of what could be was foggy. Glenn was sold before we ever walked in the door. He had been praying and God had answered. Once again, I was feeling like a Debbie Downer. Questions immediately flooded my mind: Would this be a good use of funds? Could we make a difference? Would we be accepted? Did we have what it would take to make the house a home?

The short answer was: no. We did not. Fortunately, this has never been about US and more about what WE as a community could do together. I remember sitting on a dirty floor with flea bites, scrubbing baseboards stained with the color of neglect. Tears fell down my cheeks and my heart screamed, muffled by the walls of my chest at how hard this journey had become. Exhaustion laced with bitterness threatened to choke any amount of hope I had for what this could be someday. Like still framed photographs, images started to flood my mind of the little girls who were playing patty cake in our front yard the first day we walked through the house. A few days later, two neighborhood boys showed up and asked if they could help us move in. These kids. They were the reason we were there.

The past six months have been filled with hard work, sweat and a rainstorm of tears, but we have seen the rainbows following the storm. God has provided every penny needed to become operational as well as surrounded us with incredibly generous friends and supporters who have truly been the hands and feet of Christ not only to us but to those we serve. The walls have been painted, kitchen floor has been replaced and a table with chairs now sits in the dining room where kids can gather for family meals. A community fire pit is being installed next weekend as a landing spot to engage our neighbors. A slab for a basketball court is being poured to welcome the dunk of the wandering basketballs being bounced by teenagers on our street every single day. 

Praying on their own before a meal

Students helping out and learning new skills through mentoring

Some of our dreamers.

Decorating the House of Dreams Christmas Tree

Telling Riddles after Thanksgiving Dinner at The House of Dreams

We  hear lots of sirens and gunshots from time to time. We read the crime reports each day and mourn the issues that plague our neighborhood. We grieve the fallen world we live in, but it can no longer shake the peace that is deep rooted in knowing that this house is a home to many. This is a place of beauty. A place of peace. A place of acceptance. A place where dreaming is encouraged. We now have children who play and laugh in our yard. We held hands with students and friends and shared all that we were thankful for at Thanksgiving. In January, we will start having a weekly youth group/Bible Study on Sunday evenings for our neighborhood kids. Two of our students have been promoted a grade level just in this first semester. It is a JOY to work with them. Smiles and laughter have been abundant.

Recently, an out of town friend came to spend the night. She asked several times if her car was going to be safe parked in our yard. It was a warranted question, but it made me smile. It allowed me to see just how far my heart had come.  I no longer think of those things because...this is a ministry house but it is our home. We are neighbors. This is our neighborhood. We are a part of something bigger. So as we are often serenaded late at night by a neighbor who has a tight grip on liquid courage and often yells profanities at us, we continue to extend a hand of love.

In the words of Mr. Rogers, " I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you,
I’'ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.  So let’s make the most of this beautiful day,

Since we’'re together, we might as well say, Would you be mine? Could you be mine? 
Won’t you be my neighbor?  Won’t you please, won’t you please, Please won’t you be my neighbor?"

Dreams Come True.

This is just the beginning. We have tons of  exciting stuff on the horizon for 2014!!!!

From our Home Sweet Home to yours, 

Mi Casa, Su Casa,

Morgan

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