Outgrowing your space is a bittersweet experience. We praise God for the ever-growing need for English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for our minority, immigrant and refugee neighbors. We are also grateful for the volunteer teachers, dedicated staff, and financial supporters who come together to help people get much needed language and computer skills. Students like Almero* come from as far north as Cedar Springs, others like Luis* come from as far south as Alto. That’s a span of 40 miles that covers nearly the length of Kent County. Our students invest their time and energy, often coming to classes after working 10-12 hour days, because they know that mastering language and technology are essential to a safer, more secure life for themselves and their families.
So what about those walls?
To meet the growing demand for classes and increase our ministry impact we purchased the adjoining property and the ugly, dilapidated buildings on it. This Spring those buildings came down – demolished in a day. It’s just one phase of our proposed expansion that will result in a new, larger, better-equipped ministry and community center on the very same corner where we’ve ministered in word and deed now for 30 years. In the next couple of years we’ll tear down our existing building and break ground on a multi-story facility that, Lord willing, will include more than enough space for our literacy and family support work as well as around 50 units of beautiful apartments for low-income seniors.
We’ve got more details and more pictures in our most recent news update available here.
We are excited about transforming our corner of the city into a beautiful, functional space that expands our ability to transform lives using literacy and the love of Jesus.
If you’re looking for a place to have an international impact without leaving our city, let us connect you to the nations.
Most semesters we have students from 10-12 different countries attending our literacy classes and they would love to learn from you.
Write to me for more information – joel@rpmins.org or call our office Mon-Thurs between 9:30 am and 5 pm – 616.475-5881.
¡Que Dios te bendiga! (May God bless you!)
