Open House Ministries held a community celebration to recognize its anniversary. Photo courtesy of Open House
ATLANTA – Born from a storm 16 years ago, Open House Ministries in Homestead, Fla., is now known in its community as “God’s spot” and offers help from the daily storms of life that local residents face.
To celebrate its anniversary on Nov. 1, Open House opened its doors not just to its community but also to the many people who founded it and brought it to where it is today.
“Many of our founders didn’t know what their work had led to, and we wanted them to see that,” said Wanda Ashworth, executive director and one of CBF’s field personnel. “As many of the original builders entered Open House Ministries, their eyes welled up with tears. It was evident their vision had been realized.”
“The celebration allowed the people who came down to Homestead as the early volunteers rebuilding homes and building the ministry center to see the fruits of their labors,” said Carolyn Anderson, former coordinator for CBF of Florida. “It was incredible to see these folks walk through the center, meet the folks from the community, and see for themselves how their labors were not in vain.”
The residents who directly benefit from Open House were also an integral part of the celebration. Even though the meal was catered, Ashworth said nearly every family whose child participates in an Open House program prepared and brought food to add to the table.
As a joint ministry of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and CBF of Florida, Open House began as a disaster relief effort in 1992 following Hurricane Andrew. After several years of rebuilding homes and lives, many began to dream of a ministry center in this neighborhood that would serve as a beacon of hope. In 2000, the yellow 9,000-square-foot house that is home to Open House Ministries opened, was built with volunteer labor.
“Because of the hundreds of volunteers who came from all over the U.S., Open House Ministries now provides space for God in this diverse migrant community,” said Anderson. “These folks have not been welcomed by local congregations but they can come to Open House and find people who care about whatever the need in their lives happens to be, join with another who will pray for this need and invite God to provide answers to their problems. By providing a place for God, Open House is in fact being the presence of God.”
Ray Johnson, coordinator of CBF of Florida, first became acquainted with Open House when he moved to the state in 1998.
“At that time, the ministry center was a slab of concrete with pipe and re-bar poking up everywhere,” he said. “CBF Florida was already dreaming. We had no idea at that time, but a lot of hope, that eventually those walls would rise, a roof would be nailed down, and hundreds and thousands of feet would walk across the hallways and rooms throughout the next several years.”
Today, more than 100 children and youth participate weekly in WISE-UP, an after-school program for elementary students, and JAM (Jesus and Me), a Bible study for teenagers. Ten adult students learn English as a second language while their pre-school children are reading with another teacher.
Each week 30 families visit La Tienda, Open House’s Thrift Store, to purchase clothing and household items for only a quarter per item. Families receive assistance as needed through the emergency food pantry. A new initiative is called Tropical Treasures, an enterprise that promotes self-sufficiency and affirms the skills of local youth by marketing jewelry and other artistic products they have designed and created.
Beyond the direct ministries of Open House, it also provides space to a free health clinic, a social service agency and a grassroots community development organization.
“Open House Ministries is a tremendous source of pride to CBF of Florida,” Johnson said. “More than that, though, we see in Open House the visible sign of an extravagantly faithful God. It is hard to believe what the ministry has become. It started as a compassionate response to the victims of Hurricane Andrew. It became a flicker of a vision. People stepped out on faith, and God has blessed those faithful steps. So, honestly, if anyone wants to see what God can do with faithful servants and a few resources. Take a trip to Homestead and peek in at any time during the day (and many nights). You won’t believe it.”
To learn about partnership opportunities with Open House Ministries, contact Chris Boltin at
engage@thefellowship.info or (800) 32-8741.
CBF is a fellowship of Baptist Christians and churches who share a passion for the Great Commission and a commitment to Baptist principles of faith and practice. The Fellowship’s mission is to serve Christians and churches as they discover and fulfill their God-given mission.