The crew of men and women is resolved to fight world poverty by donating to World Renew’s Free A Family® program. Their modest monthly donations began at just $12 back in 1994, but through their long-term commitment to the program the group’s gifts now total over $3,000.
The men and women are from one of many small groups at Covenant CRC in Cutlerville, Michigan. Starting as a Bible study, this group known as a “Care Circle” has evolved into much more than a service team. In fact, the dynamic in this group is so powerful that its core members have stayed together since 1994.
“We are just like glue. The small group is a family within my church family,” member Muriel Hooyer said. They bear each other’s burdens, have supported each other in trying times, and remain intimately involved in each other’s lives.
The Care Circle also makes it a priority to serve together in their community. Over the past 20 years, they have made Christmas and Thanksgiving baskets, volunteered at a local food pantry, supported criminal justice programs, and participated in food drives. They have also helped out other local churches, including Leaf Street CRC’s community outreach, by providing breakfast and lunch for volunteers. They focus on a different project each year, but their commitment to Free A Family® as a global ministry is something they’ve kept going for nearly 20 years.
One of the secrets to the Care Circle’s consistency in giving is their dedication to World Renew’s work. To support an organization for so long, Muriel has learned, you must believe in it. They wanted to give to a program where their money would go directly to people who are in need and provide them with long-term support.
“It has been a tremendous blessing to support Free A Family® and meet as a group.”
World Renew does this by working through local churches to strengthen and equip families in poverty around the world. By using one family to represent the work going on in each of five regions of the world, World Renew also keeps the administrative costs associated with Free A Family® to a minimum. The end result is more money for ministry and more benefits for those in need.
“Our money works for us at World Renew,” said Hooyer, who along with the other Care Circle members receives quarterly updates about a family in Kenya that is helped through their Free A Family® donations. “We see so much happening there, and are so excited about what [the people there] are doing. God has blessed us through [them].”
They know their money is not simply handed out to individuals, but goes to “teaching folks to fish.” In other words, the Free A Family® program equips men and women with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities they need to make lasting improvements in their lives. This emphasis complements the Care Circle’s vision.
Why does the Care Circle do what they do? “It’s all about ministry,” Muriel says. The group desires to see God and His kingdom glorified through their work. “It has been a tremendous blessing to support Free A Family® and meet as a group.”
Likewise, what a blessing their group is for all of us to see! The Care Circle displays a lasting example of what mature Christian community looks like and how a commitment to local and global service can contribute to God’s kingdom.
{Image above of Covenant CRC in Cutlerville, Michigan}