The Mission Amarillo Experience

July 18, 2022
Jeff Parsons
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2
min.
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The Mission Amarillo Experience

Mission Amarillo started out as a ministry to low income apartment residents in our area and Hereford. At our peak, we were in 17 apartment communities with a variety of different ministries at each property. Most of these were ministries conducted through our area churches with Mission Amarillo serving as a facilitator and resource. It was while doing these ministries that we began to discover the needs of these apartment residents and the need for long term relationships to help them overcome much of the difficulties they faced. We started the shoe closet in 2010 and followed that with our first mentoring program in 2014. In 2015, we transferred most of our apartment ministry to Mission 2540 and focused on long term relationships through mentoring. Throughout this process, we never imagined all the lessons we would learn or the ministry opportunities that would come our way.

Our shoe closet which has given away 13,270 pairs of shoes since 2010, ParentChild+ has had over 100 kids go through 2 years of home visits, and we've had numerous moms go through Be-Loved with over 20 enrolled currently, and 365 Dad has trained 5 dads in the first months of its existence. The most important lesson we've learned during all this? Keep showing up. What we've found is that it's through consistent presence that change occurs. So many in our programs have lives filled with chaos, disruption, and heartache. The only way to have a long term impact is to consistently show up long term. Some disregard the mentoring and return to a life that although chaotic, is familiar. Others move on to grow and succeed in escaping the chains of poverty. Along the way, they discover God will give them what they need to raise their child, if they look to Him.

As we prepare for a busy August where we will give away over 250 pairs of shoes, enroll more families in ParentChild+, and hear from schools and agencies about new moms needing in Be-Loved, we not only covet your prayers, but your involvement. You can visit any of the pages on this website to learn how to help and can donate by clicking the donate button available on all our pages. We need mentors, home visitors, and to collect another 150 pairs of shoes before school starts. It's only through the involvement of our community that we can do what we do. Thank you to those who have helped us over the past 12 years and we look forward to meeting new mentors, supporters, home visitors, and shoe collectors in the coming months. We love what we do and appreciate your help as we do it.

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