Through the eyes of the MJM Program Director….
The poem by Corrie ten Boom, “My life is but a weaving between my God and me” continues to echo in my mind as I reflect on all of the happenings with MJM this Summer and Fall. You could easily say, “Mount Jubilee Ministries is but a weaving between our God and us”. The continuous threads have been genuine friendship, uninhibited joy and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Whether I find myself in New Orleans at the National Down Syndrome Conference, Camp Jubilee, our most anticipated week of the year, any of our His Path programs, in Reidsville, Winston-Salem and Greensboro or at Brookwood in Georgetown, Texas catching the vision at the Brookwood and BiG Communities, it always feels as if you’re coming back home. It doesn’t matter where in the United States you go, if you find a Christ-centered community where our friends are given the opportunities to flourish, use their God-given gifts and experience true purpose you’ve stumbled upon “Heaven on Earth.”
Angelica, Lizzy (our fabulous Program Coordinators) and I had the amazing opportunity to venture down to the National Down Syndrome Conference in New Orleans with our friend Savanah Wimberley. Thanks to the generosity of her mother Rose Wimberley (our fabulous Camp Jubilee nurse and original Handbell Teacher). We soaked up as much information as we could in the various sessions and breakout seminars. Meetings ranged from cutting-edge “Health Care Research and Resources” to “Living Independently as an Adult with Down Syndrome.” We chose to divide and conquer the offered training opportunities and came home eager to share everything we had learned. At the conference, there were around a hundred booths of nonprofits and various initiatives from all over the United States represented. There is a couple we met who owned a small business which involved a hot dog food truck! He was there to try and secure franchisees! We met lots of new friends with Down Syndrome who had their driver’s licenses, went to college, were married and had opportunities to live their lives to the FULLEST!
All three of us came back to MJM feeling inspired, more aware of resources available and confident in serving our His Path families! We’re thankful that MJM recognizes the importance and value of continuing education for staff and for Mrs. Rose paving the way! We got home just in time for the MJM equivalent of Christmas, CAMP JUBILEE! Once again, this community is like no other. Old friends being reunited, new friends being welcomed into the family as if they were old friends. There’s nothing like it! If you haven’t experienced Camp, you’re truly missing out! Lisa, Paula and Allie, these three sweet gals have created a friendship like no other. All meeting through our His Path program, they are now best friends outside of the Day Program and all got to experience Camp Jubilee together this year! Paula and Lisa would call each other nightly before Camp to help each other with packing and to ensure they had everything they needed for a great week. These gals chat on the phone, have pizza and movie nights and plan sleepovers better than anyone I know!
Over the summer, we also launched our third His Path Developmental Day Program in Guilford County! Westover Church has shown us hospitality like no other. It’s been a tremendous blessing to partner with the Body of Christ in offering opportunities to His children! We currently operate three days a week from 8:30 – 4:30 and serve ten heroes! Our His Path Hero, Josh O’Hare and his mother are on a field trip to A Special Blend, a local coffee shop that purposefully hires Adults with I/DD.
It has been a joy to see The Lord weave the exact people He wants involved in this arm of the ministry at Westover. He has brought us staff who love the Lord, volunteers, Heroes and their families, Bible time teachers and so much MORE! He has remained faithful and continued to provide in amazing ways!
Alex, has attended Camp Jubilee for five years now. He has watched our His Path Instagram Stories religiously and has memorized which of his friends go to which programs. After watching our stories for weeks and coming for a visit, he is now a HP Greensboro hero!
Our HP Greensboro Heroes working on painting a shelf unit for the Family Fun Walk Auction, at Julie Church’s house! Julie is the mother of His Path Hero, Adam Church. Julie is our fabulous Art Director and helped our heroes create a dozen or more items to raise money for the ministry. We are dipping our toes into the social enterprise model which Brookwood & BiG have inspired us to do!
Speaking of Brookwood and BiG, Cecil and I will be headed back to the BiG community, the second week in November. We will be a part of a cohort of other non-profits going through a week-long intensive training on transitioning our current Day Programs to more of a Social Enterprise focus. We still have plans to continue to facilitate Bible Time, Worship, fitness classes and FUN! We will simply be adding a couple of “work sessions” throughout our day. A citizen of Brookwood and I were able to spend some time in conversation. He was thrilled to tell me about his job and very proud to show us his home. I immediately recognized the purpose he felt and his sense of belonging in this community.
We are thrilled to take this next step in what we’ve dreamt about for years! Offering meaningful and purposeful employment for all of our friends with I/DD who CAN work but don’t have the opportunity. We believe we are being obedient to the heart of our Father by taking these steps in faith.
“He knows, He loves, He cares; Nothing this truth can dim. He gives the very best to those who leave the choice to Him.”
MJM is leaving the choice to Him.
In Christ,
Jenna Moore
MJM Program Director