DECEMBER, 2012 INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1 A Heavenly Comeback 2 Dream Designs Resale Shop 3 Going Green 3 Frigid Blessing 4 Whats Going On? 4 Coat Drive Merry Chistmas from Kalamazoo Dream Center Acts 20:35 “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” KALDREAM.ORG 1 A Heavenly Comeback Some Challenges in life are worth recounting, for they tell a deeper story, one which goes beyond our richest expectations. 2011 was a year of challenge that the Kalamazoo Dream Center had never faced before. Revenue had reached an all time low and the possibilities of staying open had run out. Resources were no longer available to fund outreach or even pay the next monthly expenses. With sadness, we had made our announcement to close and we set our sights on liquidating. The process was long and laborious and took three months with the doors closed to get everything sorted and ready for a permanent closure. We were one day from sending our letter of dissolve to close the organization. But heaven had another plan. I received a phone call the day before releasing our determination letter. The message was simply this, “the right ministry, the wrong time”. The caller believed that our efforts should not end, that more than ever this outreach must remain to keep those in the inner-city encour- aged and keep the message of Christ going out to the community. That call set us on a pathway of finding the resources to get us back on track, making it to the next station of recovery and then onto the next. Today, one year later, the vision of the Dream Center is marching forward. New life has sprung up in numerous places and people are echoing the same message we heard at the end of last year with a different twist,” the right ministry, the right time.” Not only is the ministry back up and running full steam, but we have now doubled the amount of families and hurting individuals we were reaching previously. The Center has also added new ministries such as fresh dairy, meats, and produce. The desire to help bring sustain- ability into the lives of those we minister to has also come to fruition with the addition of our Life Skills classes launched in August. People can now learn ways to come out of their poverty trap by learning healthy skills like financial responsibility, cooking on a budget, how to develop a career and other topics that will be offered. Volunteering has also made a launch forward as the Dream Center has refreshed its commitment to bring quality individuals on board with a heart to minister compassion to needy. This was a comeback with God’s name all over it. Kalamazoo Dream Center Volunteers
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