Give to the MAX for Jonathan House!

HOME. This is one of my favorite words. To me, the word “home” means comfort, a haven, a place of security and predictably, the place where the people I love the most gather to share special occasions, and  also the miracle of an ordinary day. 

   For many people around the world, home was that kind of place, until political, ethnic, or religious strife forcibly displaced them from the comfort and safety of home. For some, home is now a place of memories – very traumatic memories. They long to return, but for the safety of themselves or their families, home is a place they are now seeking to find in a new location. These people are known as asylum seekers, following a legal pathway to find asylum, a safe haven where their dignity as humans can be restored, and they can begin to rebuild their lives. For many asylum seekers, one of the most pressing needs is secure, affordable housing , a home where rebuilding lives can happen within a family context. One of the local organizations meeting this need is Jonathan House, a ministry of the International Association for Refugees. In a residential setting and partnered with a local church, Jonathan House provides interim housing and community support to asylum seekers in the Twin Cities area.  

   As many of you know, our daughter, Sarah Jane Holsteen, began volunteering with Jonathan House in 2017 and now serves as the Minneapolis-St Paul Ministry Leader, sharing a home and daily life with  the women who are being served by one of the Jonathan House sites. I’ve seen the life-changing work that this organization does to provide a pathway to a stable life and productive citizenship for those seeking a new home. I’ve also seen the restorative impact of Jonathan House, where people whose lives have been traumatized by forced displacement from their country of origin have been supported as they take steps to re-build their lives and have become generous, contributing members of their new community. More importantly, I've experienced the joy of relationships with brothers and sisters from around the world,  people who have shared their lives with me, prayed with me and for me, and enriched my life as they've shared their incredible resilience through their words and deeds. While the ministry reach of Jonathan House has grown each year, the individuals who have been blessed by the ministry of  Jonathan House are few in number compared to the great need for safe and stable housing in the Twin Cities. Please consider joining me in making a donation to Jonathan House. My personal goal of $500 will be doubled by generous matching grants. I'd love to reach my goal and blow right past it, helping Jonathan House to surpass their fundraising goal of $18,000! Every little bit helps! Won't you join me?