Micah 6:8 Fund

Mission:

To do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God while helping others do the same.

OVERVIEW:

In 2018, the decision was made to establish the Micah 6:8 Fund to provide a vehicle for donor's to give and to increase the investment in equipping the youth in our community about Christian community development and justice. Our goal is to fund the missional work, outreach and service to the poor in our community and around the world and to equip others to develop vision and skills for service to the poor. It is more than just serving, but also discipling our own children in how to make friends with the poor and bring the love of Jesus into a place of hardship.

Problem Being Solved?

In late 2008, an article on the number of homeless children in Norman left many in our community asking how we could respond.

How are you solving it?

Beginning in 2009, this group established a family night at transitional shelter for families, mostly single moms with young kids, who were homeless. Every other week, we would bring a meal for the half a dozen families or so who lived at the shelter. We would share a meal and do some kind of craft, game or activity with the families. We were there to make friendships, offer encouragement and provide hope for these families in the midst of crisis.

As families from the shelter got back on their feet, we would help them move to a new apartment or house that they were able to find. We would stock the house with basic supplies for cleaning, cooking and school supplies. We helped them clean the apartment at the shelter to prepare it for the next family that would be moving in. If a resident got a new job and needed special shoes or clothing for the workplace, we would purchase those items.

Why are you qualified?

We are not trained social workers or counselors. We are there to make friendships, offer encouragement and provide hope for these families in the midst of crisis.

Several of these friendships expanded beyond the every other week event. We have seen moms and kids baptized. We have celebrated new jobs, restored marriages, recovery from addictions. We have had families who were served go back to and serve with us, providing a real life example of hope for the families that were still living at the shelter.

What is the urgency?

Through it all, we have consistently showed up every other week. This year, the shelter moved into a new, larger facility. With that move, we were asked to increase the number of families that we serve and make friendships with. As the number of families that we serve has increased, so has the interest from other people in our community to find ways to financially support this service.