Our final day has come too soon here at Harvest Home! The week went fast—maybe too fast! I think we’re all glad to head back and see our families, but these folks at Harvest Home are hard to leave!

Our final day was a great one, truly. We started with our normal morning pep talk, but Rhonda—the founder of Harvest Home—came in and spent a little time telling our team just how much our being here has meant to them. The way in which our team has given all they’ve got to get stuff done has been great, but Rhonda shared that the heart behind their service has been somewhat profound. It was a great motivator for the day.

The Refuge team worked hard all day long and the results were amazing. Teams of 2 or 3 completed the trim in all the rooms of the 10,000 square foot building, custom made kitchen cabinets were laid out in the kitchen, more tiling was done, the final doors were hung (50 doors and frames were hung over the past four days!), and the whole place was cleaned up from top to bottom. There is not a ton more to do before more girls can move in—there is a waiting list of girls waiting—and it won’t take too much for it to happen. 

The outside team spent hours and hours weeding, cleaning, mulching the gardens. Even picked some garlic, cabbage, and of course, more peaches! Some of the team have helped to process the peaches throughout the last few days—canning, making jam, freezing peaches for days to come here at Harvest Home. Rose, our resident gardening expert, mentioned the total transformation of the garden from our first day to our last. It was a sight to behold. xx Then, we have “team sod” who were able to complete the front yard of Mim’s house—the team moved and smoothed load after a load of topsoil, and then came the sod! We ran out of sod way too soon but were able to get more in the afternoon. There was a determination to finish that was not letting go! We were able to get the front yard done and it looks amazing. Last night, one of the residents drove past, stopped the car, just to walk in the new grass barefoot.

We ended the night with a cookout by the pond, baptisms, and testimonies. Five of our Vineyard team got baptized, along with four from Harvest Home. God has moved this week in great ways in the hearts of the folks here and in the hearts of our own. And hearing some of those stories was a blessing. The evening was a perfect way to end the week.

We are headed home now, leaving Harvest Home in Missouri before the sun comes up on Saturday morning. Our time here was short, but it sure feels like we’re leaving dear, dear friends. Our hearts were knit together with these folks—both the girls who come here to find hope and healing, along with the amazing staff families who help them heal. And this team! Wow, they not only made a difference with their hands and feet but with their hearts. Just being who they are—hard-working, kind, fun, joy-filled people who love and serve the God they love—they made a profound impact. They brought encouragement and hope that is so significant. And I think we’re all headed home with some of that same encouragement and hope as well.

Thanks for all your prayers on our behalf. It has made a difference.

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