Partnerships and Partners

Back in 2011, shortly after we started the application process with ReachGlobal, Crisis Response, a tornado hit in North Minneapolis. Our thoughts went immediately to how we could get our home church, Maple Grove Evangelical Free Church (MGEFC), involved in the relief and recovery work.  First we looked for ministries in the affected area for us to come along side.  One of those ministries was Urban Homeworks, a non-profit, Christian organization that had been working in North Minneapolis for several years and knew the area well. A partnership was soon formed and MGEFC started to send people in to clean up yards, tear down garages and remove trees that had come down on people's homes, garages and yards. God was using this crisis as a new mission field.

But this partnership didn't end when the trees were cleaned up and people lives had returned to normal. MGEFC has continued to serve alongside of Urban Homeworks and this last Saturday we found ourselves once again in that neighborhood working on a home that will soon be sold to a family in need of affordable housing. What a blessing it was for us to work with some of the underprivileged guys that Urban Homeworks employs and hear them talk about what Jesus means to them.  How he has redeemed them and how they cannot believe that some of their friends deny the existence of God.

Another huge blessing to us was being able to work with people who have blessed us by partnering with us in our ministry.  We consider it such a privilege to be able to pray with, laugh with and do life with our ministry partners.  To us, this is what our ministry with ReachGlobal, Crisis Response is all about. Growing partnerships to be able to help those affected by crisis and bringing our personal ministry partners along with us to minister to those in need.  Does it get any better than that here on this earth? We think not.

Enjoy the pictures below of us working together to bring glory to God by helping His people.

Nate, Gayle and Keith working on footings for a deck.

Gayle digging holes for footings

Jackie shoveling cement for footings

Keith cleaning up the mess!

And Shari cleaning up everything including the kitchen sink!

Shari painting 

Nolan, Rob and Jason taping drywall.

Mark, Rob, Nolan and Jason hanging drywall.

 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:9-10