The Birdhouse

February 14, 2008


It is perfect that my appointment at Grace Centers of Hope to tour the Birdhouse was on Valentine's Day. This is a mission of the heart, of twelve hearts actually. I will be leading eleven women from area churches who have huge hearts for encouraging others and no fear of hard work.


This summer will be our second mission trip to Seneca Street. Our team is smaller. We will be working only in the Birdhouse. We will be redoing the living room, dining room, stairway, bathroom and at least one bedroom. We will paint and bring in furniture. We are going to work on getting carpet laid downstairs, and we will add storage and lighting and as many homey touches as we can. How about some birds? I will be praying for things to come together to do some landscaping outside as well. It is a pretty house with a really great wrap around porch, isn't it?


Of course, the Birdhouse has a story. When Grace Centers of Hope bought the house, an eccentric old man was living there. He had strung chicken wire all over the walls and 50 birds were living and flying free inside the house. Imagine the bird doo doo!! Now, it is clean inside and four men live there. Last year, on our mission trip to Seneca Street, we did the kitchen in the birdhouse. This summer, we will do the rest of the house.

Grace Centers of Hope is a rescue mission in Pontiac Michigan. They have a year long program for people recovering from addiction or living on the streets. After a year of classes, bible study, and lots of hard work, the residents may move to the aftercare housing on Seneca Street. That is where the Birdhouse is.

Our current prayer needs:

• while we are just getting started, we ask your prayers for the residents of the Birdhouse: Rodney, Jerry, Don and Tim