Monday, July 19, 2010

My Father's Eyes

What does it mean to be a father? As a little girl I remember waiting with anticipation for my dad to come home from the steel mill. He worked three different rotating shifts. The morning: seven to three. The afternoon shift: three to eleven. The evening shift: eleven to seven.

He seemed to work the morning shift more during the summer. My twin sister and I would be outside playing kickball or steel the caps or lost in a world of our imagination and we would hear his car drive up. No matter what we were doing, we would take off running calling to him, “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy”! I don’t know why seeing him drive up brought us such joy, but it did. Our joy did not wane even though my dad was somewhat emotionally disconnected from us. However, he always seemed happy to see us running to him. He’d smile, pick us up and give us a nickel for a Popsicle. Although he loved us and we loved him, I never felt a sense of security with him. Security and unconditional love was something my mother provided.

It’s good to know that for those of us whose fathers may not have been all we would have liked, or may not have been there at all; there is a Father who loves us regardless of our shortcomings and failures. A Father who never runs out of time to listen, is never impatient, or uncaring or “disconnected.” That’s the Father we share with the men and women who come to Haven of Rest. We want them to know the security of a Father’s love and the hope they have in Him for a fresh start and new life.

My father is in a nursing home now unable to walk or speak, but in his eyes I see the memories of all those hot, summer afternoons and I hear the shrieks of joy from my sister and I as he tossed us in the air and caught us in his arms. He once told us he did the best he could as a father, and I believe him. Whatever was lacking in my dad I know is available through my heavenly Father. In my dad’s eyes are memories of yesterday, but in the “eyes” of my heavenly Father is the calm assurance of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ, and I feel very secure.

Yvonne M. Brake, MNO
Director of Development

Monday, May 3, 2010

Why am I here?

Why am I here? I Googled that question and learned that it is one of the most asked questions today. As believers we feel we (should) know why we are here…to serve the Lord, to introduce others to Christ, and to somehow make this world better.

I believe those are accurate answers, but I also wonder if perhaps the answer to that question is a little different for each person. We as Christians are charged with the Great Commission, but we also have the task before us, the day we are currently living, the moment we are experiencing right now. What if the answer to that question could be found in this very moment?

What am I doing right now that no one else could do quite like me? Is it my job, the time I spend with my children, the love and instruction given to a grandbaby? Is it volunteering? Is it stopping everything and praying on behalf of someone else? Is it the new toy given to a homeless child or the cheerful greetings given to fellow-walkers on the Sand Run hiking path? We may never know what small, seemingly insignificant deed tremendously impacted someone’s life.

I remember once when I was facing an extremely serious physical trial in my life, I walked out of my place of employment and a woman I had never seen before or since came up to me, gave me a hug and said “You are so precious to God.” That one moment has given me renewed strength over and over again for more than twenty-five years. I want something I do or say to have that same impact on a life.

So as I look at the faces of the men, women and children who come through the doors of Haven of Rest Ministries, I want to see them…not lines of people blurred together…but individuals in need of food, shelter, care and love. As I think about raising resources for those in need, I want to see their faces and I want to touch their lives.

Yvonne M. Brake, MNO
Director of Development

Monday, March 8, 2010

Restoring Hope

When I was a little girl there were a couple of families who lived in our neighborhood who were very poor. Keep in mind, that we were by no means well off, but two things we did have – food and shoes. However, the children of these families often looked as though they were hungry and desperately in need of clean clothing. The children were close to the same age as my sister and I and we would often play together. Those were the days before video games, X-boxes, and Play Stations. We used our imaginations to play games that lasted for hours.

One day I remember our family was sitting down to dinner and I saw a little girl sitting on the curb in front of our house. She was a relative of one of the neighborhood families. I don’t know why I did this, but I asked her if she was hungry and she said yes. I asked my mother if I could give her some of our food and, of course, Mom said yes. My sister and I brought the little girl out a plate of food and sat with her while she ate. I’ll never forget the expression on her face.

I feel like I’m doing the same thing every day at Haven of Rest. As Director of Development and through my personal gifts, I help provide hungry, hurting people with a nourishing plate of food and so much more. I often think of that little girl and I’m grateful that Christ has allowed me to help children like her find the help they need.


Yvonne Brake
Director of Development