Vol. 17, Issue 1
New Life and New Staff at Haven of Hope
Spring is my favorite season. It holds the promise of new life after the long, dormant winter. In Spring, we plant and witness the miracle of growth and harvest. This beautiful process is not limited just to the fields. We see new life spring forth daily in the lives of our clients.
This particular season has been especially rewarding. We have witnessed several individuals coming to know Jesus for the first time. Their names are now written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. What a reason to rejoice!
In April, Brian Smith joined our staff. He and his wife Theresa will focus on our aftercare program for couples who have come through the office. Please pray for Brian and Theresa as they step into this new role.
As always, thank you for your faithful prayers and support for this ministry. Your faithfulness strengthens and encourages us.
-Steve Swartz
HOH Founder / Executive Director
After reaching a place of desperation, Brian and Theresa encountered the Father’s healing. Out of that restoration came a deep passion to walk alongside others in their healing journey. Brian and Theresa have been married for 31 years, and they have four children, and five grandchildren.
Connection Groups for Couples
Have you completed a week-long intensive or a Two Hearts One Flame Marriage Retreat and long for more? Join an in-person or virtual BBFR Connection Group. Opportunities are available weekly.
Contact Brian Smith at brian@havenofhopes.com for more information.
Prayer Team Launched
Kathy McGlone- Prayer Team Coordinator
We are excited not only to announce the launch of our Haven of Hope (HOH) Prayer Team, but also to invite you to consider being a part of it.
At Haven of Hope, our ministry is twofold: to care for those who are hurting and to help them find compassionate restoration. This is the heartbeat of Jesus as well. It was Jesus Who said, "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy-hearted and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Since Jesus is the source of healing, we first want to ask for His mighty power over all aspects of this ministry. Second, we would ask you to think about partnering with us in this vital ministry of prayer.
If you are led to be a part of the HOH prayer team, Click the button below. Enter your contact information, and then we will do the rest. Each month, you will receive prayer requests and a Zoom link to join the optional monthly prayer meeting. Prayer time will last about twenty minutes. We will focus on praying God's will over the specific needs of the ministry.
We look forward to partnering with you. We count it a privilege to come together with folks like you who are willing to pray fervently for the continued work of healing and compassionate restoration in families. God bless you. Thank you.
The new ministry center continues to change and unfold before our eyes. We are overjoyed to be so close to completion of the main floor. Enjoy a few pictures of all the changes.
Thank you to the many who donated time, talents, and financial resources to make this new facility a reality.
Can’t attend, but still want your donation to be part of the Matching Fund?
Click the button below to ensure your donation counts!
Board Member Spotlight
LoWayne & Phyllis Yoder
As a non-profit ministry, we are so thankful for the couples who serve sacrificially on the Haven of Hope Board of Directors. It is with great joy that we introduce you to Lowayne and Phyllis Yoder who have been serving on the HOH board for the past five years.
Lowayne and Phyllis met at Bible camp and were married in August of 1978. Through the years, their family grew to include four children and eleven grandchildren. They invested their lives in their family and the family farm.
The Yoders first crossed paths with HOH Executive Director Steve Swartz when they were still in youth group. Years later, their paths crossed again when board members, Virgil and Dawn Stutzman, introduced them to the ministry. The Yoders attended a Cottage Dinner where their hearts were touched by the mission of the ministry when hearing a client’s testimony. LoWayne and Phyllis joined the HOH board in 2021 and have been a faithful part of the ministry ever since.
Compassion is a hallmark of Lowayne’s and Phyllis’ lives. They have cared for others through their local church and abroad with worldwide missions. Beginning in 1982, Lowayne became a Gideon and helped to distribute Bibles across the United States and Africa. Together, they have traveled to over twenty countries helping with many outreach ministries, most notably an Ecuador street children’s ministry started by Phyllis’ sister.
Currently, the Yoders enjoy spending their winters in Florida and their summers back here in Michigan on their family farm. Lowayne and Phyllis say it best in their closing comments, “God is good, and we love serving Him together.”
