I can’t believe it, but it’s been two years since I started my job working at One Collective. Over these last two years, some of the incredible things that have happened are:
11 people are currently housed and off the streets
At the end 2022/beginning of 2023 the city set aside $940,000 to be put towards a solution to more effectively address homelessness because of our draft proposal they saw
Relationships and collaboration between organizations and caseworkers have grown
17 organizations participate in collaborative casework meetings
The friendships and relationships with my friends who experience homelessness have grown deeper and more Touch Barriers have been broken (see my newsletter The Touch Barrier)
The City of Elgin and other partners have been open to our ideas
Our proposal for an overnight winter shelter to be open every night from December through the end of March was approved
This August marked a significant milestone for us. We have officially been American Baptist missionaries for 10 years! This gave us an opportunity to pause and look back, remembering the winding trail that brought us to this point. And since we work in 5-year cycles at International Ministries, it lets us set a goal for the future, welcoming the next five, maybe ten years in Hungary.
We love it here, and we hope to be able to continue our work for a long time.
Our first Hungarian prayer card, picture looking over foggy November day in Budapest. The girls were so little!
To commemorate the occasion, we hosted our first ever Stanton Virtual Mission Moment, a Zoom gathering inviting our entire Missionary Partnership Network! Over the 10 years our network has grown, encompassing not just the Great Rivers Region of American Baptist Churches (Missouri and Illinois), but reaching beyond, into the Central Region (Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas), Rocky Mountain (Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico) and Indiana and Kentucky. We also have individual donors all across the USA—and a few in Europe.
Pretty perky for 2am! We had a great time seeing our dear friends and partners.
The Zoom Mission Moment was wonderful. We had over 50 participants who watched a video we created and asked thoughtful questions. If you would like to view the video we created, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/SmXAqpXGwq8?si=F-x-9LppWb1lQfIK
As we told the participants, if you or your church group would like to have a more intimate conversation with us, we would love to meet with you on Zoom. We are 7 hours ahead of Central Time, so morning meetings like Sunday school classes work best for us. But we’re flexible! The Mission Moment Zoom was at 2am our time to accommodate Wednesday evening services in the States.
Our dear friend Andi carries in our 10-year cake, complete with the traditional Hungarian “firework” candle!
After the Zoom, we felt we weren’t quite done celebrating. We had a party for our Hungarian friends, the locals we serve who have helped us survive these years living and working cross-culturally!
We received so many lovely bouquets, kind messages and gifts.
We look into the future with optimism and hope. We would love to stay here for 10 more years—by that time all three of our girls will be finished with high school and well into adulthood.
Serving 10 more years isn’t possible without YOU! Thank you again for sending us, and we extend the invitation to you to join us for 10 more years in Hungary.
On Wednesday night, the Elgin City Council voted unanimously in favor of One Collective Elgin helping facilitate a winter shelter that will be open every night of the winter from December through March. Having the shelter open every night will help us better care for the people who are experiencing homelessness in our community. It also means that the opportunity to volunteer is more consistent. Together, we can help reduce homelessness in Elgin.
My role will be as the primary coordinator and facilitator for the shelter; overseeing supplies, volunteers, volunteer scheduling, budget tracking…and anything and everything else.
That said, I’m working on recruiting volunteers!
Right now, I’m working on a more detailed volunteer form for that people can use to sign up. Each night will have two shifts—6:30 pm through 7:30 am the following morning. The structure right now is that there will be two shifts: 1st shift will be from 6:30 pm through 12:30 am and 2nd shift will be from 12:30 am to 7:30 am. I’m hoping to get 4 people/shift. The positions I’ll be looking for are: 1 Shift Leader per shift, 3 volunteers to help man the shifts, 1 day point-person to be the point of contact for day-of volunteers, 1 weekly coach to help oversee the week and volunteers.
The Shift Leaders, Day Point-People, and Weekly Coaches will make up a Core Team who will receive more extensive training. I’ll be looking for, at most, 50 people who would make up this team. The Core Team will be broken up into Weekly Squads and be placed on a rotation. Squad 1 would work a week, Squad 2 the following, and so on on a rotation so there is always at least one person on shift who receives extensive training.
Shift point-people
act as the main supervisor and point-person for their respective shift
first point of contact for volunteers of their shift
coordinate with the day point-person as needed
Always inform Weekly Coach and Shelter Director of any and all incidents
Day point-people
contact person in charge of filling in for any positions if a shift point-person can’t make it for their shift or if there isn’t enough volunteers for a shift
“on-call reinforcements”
help send reminders to the volunteers serving under their day
Coaches
responsible for the entire week of volunteers (56 spots–4 people/shift 2 shifts/night)
Help coordinate for the week and send reminders to day point-people
Coaches shouldn’t be at the shelter during their respective week
Coaches respond to critical situations
Coaches will follow-up with Shelter Director for any and all incidents that transpire
*Responsibilities are still being hammered out*
If you’re interested and able to help in this critical role, shoot me an email!
Greetings. This past Friday August 11, 2023, we left our house early to go to Villa Altagracia about 2.5 hours away. We had our retreat, and it was the most blessed one. Friday upon our arrival we all went to visit the land that our sister denomination here had just purchased. We planted many fruit trees.
The nights and days were all devoted to praying and following some teachings from a Canadian Pastor, Dr. Bill Dyck.
Villa Altagracia is a small village type of place, a refuge for many Haitian immigrants with no legal papers. Here they tell me that they have many Haitians who need Shepherds. People at the retreat think that God is answering their concerns.
The retreat place has a small one-bedroom apartment they would like to finish for us to move in. We are excited about moving to the countryside. Another part of our job will be to help develop the newly acquired land for a youth camp.
“Transiciones” De la herida a la Vida; del dolor al olor; de la prisa a la risa; del llanto al canto…. de los duelos… a los vuelos…”
“Transitions” a loose translation From wounding to Living; from pain to scent; from “I’m late”to laughter; from tears to singing…. from mourning… to flight…”
“You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!”
–Psalm 30: 11-12 ESV
Our first intensive training for the EXIT(Expressive Arts in Transition) Cuba pilot project finished two weeks ago in Matanza, Cuba, but the yearlong practice and supervision process is just beginning. 10 creative and committed leaders will be artfully accompanying various communities throughout Cuba as they implement early intervention practices to help deal with the impacts of trauma.
Due to ongoing trauma, we armor up to protect ourselves, get trapped in the past, and hold stress in our bodies. The arts help us to engage our senses to make sense of our stories, practice presence by staying in the here and now, and move forward in healthy ways as researchers of our own bodies. With a focus on salutogenesis, an approach to human health that examines the factors contributing to the promotion and maintenance of physical and mental well-being rather than disease and pathology, we are learning to ask ourselves, “Where is health
here? What do I need to do that will nurture well-being here?
While in Matanza, we held stories of struggle and strength, we processed grief and frustrations, we sat in silence and song, painted and played, used our imaginations to travel in time and danced out animal strengths that would help us face our daily challenges. Immersed in the beautiful surroundings of the seminary overlooking the sea and shaded by flamboyan trees, we rediscovered the resources around and within us that we already possess. With the accompaniment of the community, one participant was able to name and take steps towards healing a debilitating fear that had plagued them for years. Another embraced a new perspective on a negative bias held and saw the benefits of a “both and” approach. By stepping into the future with a resource from the past and surrounded by friends now, another saw themselves accomplishing a long held dream within the year. These are just a few of the glimpses of transformation that we witnessed together.
I am so grateful for the support of many folks who are making this pilot project a reality. Yim Locke’s name was drawn from the box of gift givers to receive the stained glass art that I made and Barb Shustek’s name was drawn to receive a collage made from the signatures and collaborative painting made by the participants. God works in communities to transform our mourning into dancing and our struggles into strengths.
There’s a woman, who I will refer to as “Jane,” who has been at the breakfast since I first started. When I first began serving, Jane was very standoffish and reserved. She would come to the breakfast, sit at a table, eat her breakfast and leave. She didn’t really say hello or look at anyone. Needless to say, connecting took a long time. A few months ago, Jane was asked to help us serve food. Over these last few months, Jane’s whole demeanor has changed. She comes in smiling, enthusiastic and engaging. It’s been incredible to see such a huge change compared to a year ago.
One of the most incredible things happened recently. Jane came up to me and told me she has been sober for a year now. And then…
Jane gave me a hug.
I couldn’t believe it. She broke the “touch barrier.” I can’t quite describe what the feeling was like, but I can tell you this much. For her to do so, was HUGE.
Here’s why:
The touch barrier is all about how people set boundaries and personal space when it comes to physical contact. It’s influenced by individual preferences, cultural norms, and social expectations. Some people are more comfortable with touch, while others prefer more personal space.
When we think about how homelessness and the touch barrier intersect, a few things come to mind. First, it’s important to recognize that homelessness can greatly affect how someone feels about their personal space and boundaries. Unstable living conditions and being constantly surrounded by crowded shelters or public spaces can make it difficult to maintain the physical distance people want.
People experiencing homelessness are often more vulnerable to physical contact. The power dynamics and increased risk of exploitation or harm on the streets or in shelters can make them more cautious about being touched. This heightened sensitivity to personal space is a way for people to protect themselves.
Society’s perceptions and stereotypes about homelessness can also contribute to the touch barrier. People experiencing homelessness often face stigma and dehumanization, which can lead to social isolation and fewer positive social interactions. Some people hold negative attitudes and misconceptions, viewing those experiencing homelessness as undesirable or untouchable.
To address the touch barrier and support people experiencing homelessness, it’s crucial to promote empathy, understanding, and respectful interactions. Those working with individuals experiencing homelessness, such as service providers, volunteers, and community members, should be mindful of personal boundaries and respect individual preferences regarding touch. Creating safe spaces that foster dignity, trust, and a sense of autonomy can gradually break down the touch barrier and build positive connections.
Thank you, First Baptist Church of Elgin, for partnering with Koinonia House Ministries (KHM) in blessing the families of the men incarcerated at Mississippi State Penitentiary (aka Parchman)! A little over a year ago, Superintendent Marc McClure faced a daunting task when he assumed responsibility for this 22,000-acre property, its 2,500 residents and approximately 800 staff. His wife Lee Ann has joined him in implementing changes to make his vision of bringing hope to Parchman a reality.
One such change is Visitation. In order to encourage more family visits, which have proven positive impact for everyone involved, Superintendent McClure re-opened the Visitation building (pictured above) near the main entrance and refreshed its two large rooms (see next page). Due to security issues, visitors are not allowed to bring anything into the prison, and those with infants are only allowed to bring four diapers, two bottles, one change of baby clothes, one pacifier and diaper wipes in a zip lock bag.
Last April, when KHM visited Parchman and inquired about specific ways in which we might enhance their work, Mrs. McClure shared their desire to refresh the items available to families for use during visits.
On very short notice, First Baptist Church of Elgin responded to this need! Pictured above are the many bags of books, puzzles, crayons, chalk, toy trucks – and more – they provided. KHM’s Manny and Barbara Mill were privileged to personally deliver these items to Parchman in early August.
Thank you, FBC, for helping to build bridges and restore hope for inmate families!
It feels like we have been away as much as we have been home in the last few months. In mid-April, Sam got the opportunity to travel to Chicagoland and share at the 50-year celebration for an organization that had a huge impact throughout her life. Outreach was the community center in Carol Stream where she spent much of her time in grade school, helped her go to camp where she met Jesus, walked with her through traumatic events in high school, and helped her be able to go to college. It was great to be able to be present for the event and for Sam to be able to talk about how this organization saved her life to people who are supporting this wonderful ministry.
Sam recording her story for future promo videos for Outreach
MFI booth – Moody Aviation’s Missions Week
At Missionary Flights, Haiti continues to be an on-going prayer request. Gang activity is on the rise and people are beginning to be fed up. This is leading to people acting out against the gangs and then the gang members retaliating. Please continue to pray for the people of Haiti, that this situation can be resolved, preferably without additional bloodshed. Please also pray for the missionaries to have safety and wisdom as they continue to serve the people of Haiti and point them to Jesus.
James sharing in a breakout session for Moody Aviation’s Missions Week
Sam sharing in a breakout session for Moody Aviation’s Missions Week
At the end of May, Sam and James got the opportunity to spend almost two weeks in Spokane to be able to visit with supporters. It was a wonderful time connecting and updating as we were able. God also orchestrated the trip dates to align with Moody Aviation’s Missions Week. We were able to connect with the Moody students and provide encouragement as they pursue mission aviation as well as share about Missionary Flights. We were blessed by all the opportunities to share while in Spokane and our only regret is that some people were overlooked in our notification that we were coming.
In the interest of improving on that front, we are in the process of finalizing our travel dates for fall. We are planning on being in the Midwest during September and hope to be able to visit with all of those desiring to catch up. Those who receive our newsletter via email, watch your inbox in Mid-August for dates when we will be in your area. We will include the finalized schedule in the September newsletter, but if you want to reach out early and get on the calendar, please let us know.
Thank you for your love, prayers, and support as we serve at MFI.
James and Sam Gabhart
Family News
May was a busy month for our family! Two weekends in a row, we had mud runs. The first was with the youth group kids at Teen Missions on Merritt Island. Their Tough Gator 5k was a huge success for our kids. Chris and Abby ran it this year while Sam and Jonny took pictures. In Sam’s words, she wasn’t going to “punish” her body two weekends in a row doing mud runs. The following weekend, Sam and Abby ran in an all-women’s mud run in Tampa with the Mud Girl. They had such a great time doing that this year that they have tickets to do it again next year. These events are such fun and truly show the progress everyone has been making with becoming stronger!
Chris and Abby at Tough Gator
Sam and Abby post run at Mud Girl
Summer is arriving at Growing Minds Academy, the name of our school. This summer brings us the joy of sharing that Jonny is officially moving on to high school work come fall! This feels huge to us, and truly is an achievement for him. For those unfamiliar with Jonny’s challenges, he battles reading disabilities, as well as learning delays, as a byproduct of his primary disorder, Neurofibromatosis type 1. Also, this next year we will officially have two middle school kids – Chris and Abby met their milestones of moving onto 7th and 6th grade work. As their parents, we are so excited about the next steps as we continue to meet them academically, persevere with them, and to challenge them too. We are so proud of them!
Jonny with his 8th grade completion certificate
Chris and Abby at Tough Gator
This summer also has a lot in store for our kids. First up is youth camp for our boys. The first full week in June, they are off to Student Life Camp with our youth group. Shortly after that will be our church’s High Power Sports Camp and then Vacation Bible School. Summer though won’t be all spent at church. We do want to check out some new beaches we haven’t been to yet, as well as focus on, as a family, finding what truly refreshes our souls so we can start the next school year off well.
Prayer Requests
Prayer for people to fill the open positions at Missionary Flights (Director of Development, Marketing, and Warehouse Assistant)
Prayer for opening of doors for us to share the ministry opportunity with new people
Prayer for the full summer schedule – the ability to participate in the activities as well as the margin to rest around them (in short, a balanced summer)
Prayer for Haiti and the continued turmoil, kidnappings, and hurting hearts and for wisdom and safety for the missionaries continuing to serve there
Prayer for God to bless our ministry partners in their consistency to support the work He is doing
Ministry Update
We are so thankful to all who are following God’s leading in supporting us. We are currently receiving $5,500 (93%) in monthly commitments. We need an additional $400 monthly to be fully supported.
More than one billion people have been affected by violence and disasters around the world. Every day, people affected by a crisis have to make decisions about how to use the skills and resources available to them to best meet their emotional, psychological and spiritual needs. Often there are not enough pastors, psychologists, doctors or counselors to meet the challenges of accompaniment. In addition, in many parts of the world, especially in Cuba, it is difficult to access services in a meaningful way due to distance, financial means and time available. More needs to be done to support and equip leaders who are already providing vital help in their own communities and cultures but lack the formation and practice in trauma-informed support. This July we are planning to launch a pilot project in Cuba, called Expressive Arts in Transition (EXIT) that will provide capacity, confidence and community support for over-extended care providers who come alongside others in situations of crisis.
Survivors of trauma are constantly looking for a sense of home and security outside of themselves. The EXIT program places attention on finding this sense of home internally in the physical body. Based on resilience and growth, the EXIT program started in Norway and is based on longitudinal studies with unaccompanied minors and war refugees from the Balkans. It is an early intervention model, using the expressive arts in trauma-informed ways to provide psychosocial and spiritual support in response to individual and community crisis and transition. My co-facilitator, Shabrae Jackson and I both received our EXIT training and certification from its founder, Dr. Melinda Ashley Meyer DeMott. We hope to train and certify Spanish speaking faith leaders, social service providers and peace builders in the EXIT model so that they can train others in their communities to provide accessible and needed psycho-social-spiritual support for trauma recovery. It will be the first time this internationally recognized program will be offered in Latin America.
Through play, movement and the arts, we will create a space where people can imagine new possibilities and community practices of connection and healing. We will focus on building hope for the future through practices of spontaneity, movement, imagination, commitment, connection, the here and now and both personal and collective responsibility. This project will offer access to practical, arts-based accompaniment skills for faith leaders, community organizers, peace builders, social service providers, health professionals, and university professors from every province of Cuba. The 6-day
intensive training will include community meals, daily group-building, sessions of experiential learning, artmaking, body-based grounding and flexibility exercises, and spiritual reflection as individuals and groups.It is our hope and vision to create a Latin American EXIT (Expressive Arts in Transition) team in the next two years of Latin American leaders who will become trainers of trainers, providing contextual formation for a cadre of expressive arts accompaniers. With learnings from this pilot project, we hope to expand this training to many other Spanish speaking countries.
Access to innovative educational opportunities like this program is beyond the financial capacity of most Cuban citizens where average monthly income does not exceed $150. I am praying and planning to secure funding to provide the week’s room and board ($240 per person) for all participants, making accessible a training opportunity that would not normally be financially feasible for the participants. I’ve already received gifts to cover 4 participants’ food and housing costs. We need 11 more now. Would you consider giving something to make this training possible? I created an original glass art piece measuring 8”X10” to be a reminder of the community effort to support this unique gathering. All gifts of $50+ given to the Cuba pilot project between June 1 – August 1, 2023, will be entered into a raffle to win the art. Until the project is posted on IM’s website, all donations can be made by checks to International Ministries, noting Mylinda Baits Specifics Cuba project or by calling Julie to process your card at donor services 610-768-2314.
A million thanks for caring for this creative as I strive to care for other carers. You make all of the difference.
