Vandalia church blessing to Nicaraguans
They have raised funds to build several homes.
Per the Wall Street Journal’s website, www.wsjprimerate.us, the average price of a new home built in America was $262,900 as of last December. By comparison, impoverished families in rural Nicaragua are so thankful when they get to move into a $1,300 house built by Matthew 25: Ministries, based in Cincinnati. A typical home has an elevated concrete foundation, a corrugated roof, painted wood walls and an outdoor latrine.
Dawn Underwood, who leads a small group from First Baptist Church in Vandalia, knows firsthand about this ministry. A busload of volunteers take the hour’s drive south to Matthew 25 about once a month to do whatever jobs are available, such as sorting clothes or getting toiletries ready to ship.
“A year ago I challenged our class to raise money to build one of the houses, and I gave them six months to do it,” said Underwood, a Clayton resident who leads about 25 people in the group. “Within two months, they had the money. Since then, we’ve provided the funds to build two more houses. So now I’m thinking, let’s build a village.”
To raise funds, the group accepts donations, holds garage sales, and collects items such as cardboard to recycle. The small group has been busy collecting old pill bottles for the past 18 months. Small Group administrator David Rector of Tipp City has been the catalyst for that program.
“Third World clinic supplies are at a premium. Patients who get pills wad them up in paper or put them in leaves. The bottles we give to Matthew 25 are sterilized to be reused, or crushed by a recycler to be made into new bottles, or sold for program funds,” Rector said. “We collected 2,469 bottles in May; some came from as far away as Texas.”
The Small Group goal at First Baptist is to “lead people into a deeper faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and to develop them into Christ-likeness by: sharing their faith in God; discovering the truth in God’s word; navigating life together in authentic community; being compassionate and caring for others; and loving, worshiping, and magnifying God as Lord of life.” Underwood’s small group meets every Sunday morning at the FBC campus, and has prayer meetings and other get-togethers once a month.
Matthew 25 typically needs most of its volunteers from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the warehouse on Saturdays. The warehouse hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Individuals may come to volunteer without an appointment during those hours. They ask that groups of four or more call ahead of time.
“It’s just such an exciting ministry. Matthew 25 is the top-rated charity to utilize what is given to them,” said Underwood, a 10-year member of FBC. “Ninety-nine cents of every dollar goes directly to the people who need help. They don’t waste any resources, believe me. That’s the reason we’re so supportive of them.”
To date, Matthew 25: Ministries has funded the construction of, or significantly upgraded and improved, more than 100 houses in four communities throughout Nicaragua.
Matthew 25 is funding construction projects in both Nicaragua and in Haiti in 2012.
Matthew 25 is known for using more than 99 percent of cash and inkind donations directly for their programs. It was named one of the 20 Most Efficient Large Charities in the U.S. by Forbes Magazine in November 2011. The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber named Matthew 25 as the 2012 Nonprofit of the Year.
“The Underwood Small Group is a wonderful example of how just a few individuals can make a live-changing difference in the lives of people in need,” said Wendell E. Mettey, president and founder.
“Their passion, commitment and enthusiasm for our community development projects have changed the lives of many people in Nicaragua and given them a start on a brighter future for themselves, their families and their communities.”
So far this year, M25M has aided approximately 6.9 million people, and shipped 275 semitruckloads of aid around the world. It has transported almost 6 million pounds of goods, and prepared 3.3 million meals. An event coming up this year is the Fighting Hunger 5K Run/ Walk scheduled for Nov. 3. This race also kicks off the Fighting Hunger Food Drive, that raises food products for local pantries and shelters.
M25M is located in Blue Ash, just north of Cincinnati. The address is 11060 Kenwood Road. For more information, call (513) 793-6256 or go online to www.m25m.org.