The Making Room Project

One of our weekly meals

Since our begining, Missio Dei has affirmed the centrality of hospitality for the Christian way of life. Over the past five years, we’ve welcomed dozens of people through our homes. Some of our guests have experienced years of homelessness. Others had recently lost their home. Some have stayed for one night. Others have stayed for over a year. We’ve extended hospitality to the elderly and hospitality to babies (in fact, we currently have guests who just gave birth to their first child). Each guest has been given a place to stay, food to eat, and our own frail, often fickle, love.

Our desire is to invite more guests into hospitality. And, for those guests who desire to be a part of our community, we have developed an integrated, empowering, approach (which we’re calling “the Making Room Project” that helps guests move beyond being something akin to mere “clients” into being fully contributing members of our community. For both of these goals–offering more hospitality and welcoming more guests into full community life–we are asking for help.

Jonas and Michael looking tough

Frankly, it costs us money to provide room and board for guests. In the past, financial realities have limited our ability to be hospitable; we have had to turn people away who we’ve felt would be a good addition to long term participation in Missio Dei. And, even when we’ve been able to cover costs, the joblessness and inability to contribute financially for the costs of room and board would only serve to dis-empower some of our guests.

So, how do we cover costs while, at the same time, help our guests become integrated and equal members of our community? Our solution to this is rather straight-forward: We would like any guest who resonates with our way of life to be able to be included regardless of income. Those who cannot afford to pay for their normal share of community costs can pay with something more than money–they can pay by volunteering in our city*. And so, by working to serve the neighborhoods where we live, they are paying with something better than currency. If they have no income, we hope to cover the entirety of their room and board. If they can afford half, we’ll cover half. But either way, they will pay the difference with the currency of service to our city.

Jeremy, Jared, and Bryn

Towards that end, we are asking our friends to help cover the costs of room and board for would-be-residents (either apprentices or members) who can’t pay with money. By contributing to our Making Room Project, you are doing more than providing shelter. You are helping open up space for liberation. You are empowering us to open up space to new brothers and sisters who will engage with us in Jesus’ way of hospitality, simplicity, prayer, peace and resistance.

We are trying to raise $1000/month–which is $12,000 for 2010/2011–to cover the costs of hospitality, as well as to essentially subsidize those guests who engage our apprenticeship process (a 9 month discipleship process) in hopes of becoming members.

Please give what you can. And spread the word! To make a secure (and tax deductible) donation please go here.

If you have any questions about any of this, we be happy to discuss this further with you. Please contact us for more information.

P.S. If you or your community or church is interested in growing deeper into the practice of hospitality, let us know. In 2010/2011 we are working with other groups to create learning opportunities for radical praxis.

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* This “more than money” concept was inspired by an amazing organization in Indiana called Maple City Health Care Center.