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"I have been attending most Holy Spirit nites over the past 10 months and I have met many of the MW Challenge men and have had the honor of participating in worship and bible study discussions. I shared my God story with the men as I was inspired by their stories as well. I am blessed to be able to worship, pray and serve with such men who are wonderful examples of God's grace today as I have also abundently received of God's love and grace.
I know I did nothing to deserve that love and grace and it is his gift to us. I witness the praise for our Lord from the men at Midwest Challenge and I am humbled by their heartfelt acknowledgement of Jesus Christ and it further inspires me. We all may not have had a great father on earth, but we have a great father in our Lord Jesus Christ and his word, his truth is what we need in our lives every day to face the enemy that seems to be in front of us every day.
Praise God! Thank you and May God Bless MWC!"
Terry W. Branham
Colonel, US Army Retired
"Working with the residents of Midwest Challenge has radically changed my life! This is not a casual statement on my part, but a profound recognition that God has transformed me because of this ministry.
Honestly, I was very apprehensive when I was first introduced to the ministry. I am a 40-something mom, Caucasian, living in a 4th ring suburb, with a life that is pretty easy. I grew up in a typical small Midwestern town, and knew almost nothing about urban outreach or life in the city. I couldn’t imagine a larger relational gap! When it came to doing ministry in such a setting, I didn’t believe that God would (or could) use me to connect with any of these men.
Since that first day, I’ve realized that I couldn’t have been more wrong! Although I’m not your typical MWC volunteer, God has used my life and experiences in ways I could not have dreamed. After a year, God has gently revealed that I actually do have something to offer AND that I have equally as much to learn. My interaction with the residents was never meant to be about “dutifully” reaching out. I understand that effective ministry involves developing humble, Godly relationships. People who are struggling have no desire to have “religious” mirrors held up to their face. Instead, they need living, non-judgmental models of Christ-like living. Hopefully I’ve been a representation of that, as best that I can.
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Getting to know the guys has far and above been the biggest blessing in my life, although it has also been some of my hardest. When you fully invest your heart, you can’t help but laugh as well as cry. I could choose to only share in memorable meals or activities, but I recognize that real life happens at moments such as a funeral or a gripping discussion. I have consciously decided that I prefer such real-life interactions, and know that it means a different level of commitment. Not everyone is called to do that. That’s OK. But because of my choice, my days are significantly brighter each time I have a chance to interact with one or more of these new friends of mine. Whether it has been through a casual conversation, a smile and hug, a challenging question, or a moment to grow personally… my heart has been impacted over and over again. The best thing is… I know God’s not done with me yet. This ministry has given my life meaning and purpose, and I couldn’t be more blessed because of it!"
Sheri Richards
Hosanna! Kingdom Expansion Deployment Coordinator
"A wonderful group of men from Midwest Challenge Redemption House of Minneapolis have been volunteering at the Hallie Q. Brown Food Shelf since September 2008. They volunteer on a bi-monthly basis helping me with my food deliveries and spent almost five hours helping me convert our food shelf to our new “client choice” system. Without their hard work and dedication the transition to our new system would not have gone as smooth. We greatly appreciate their dedication and the service they provide."
Hannah Ellis
Hallie Q. Brown
Food Shelf Coordinator
The men of Midwest Challenge Redemption House and Life Rebuilders give of their time at numerous churches and non-profits around the Twin Cities metro area.
If your church or organization would like the men of Midwest Challenge to help out please contact Keely Perry at
(612) 825-6871 ext. 102 or keely.perry@mwcmn.org. |
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