newsletter-09-2011

Abba Times
The primary mission of Abba House is to minister to the deep wounds
of women and their children the love and healing grace of Jesus Christ.
Volume 8, Issue 2
September 23, 2011
Abba House, Inc
Abba House is a long term residential
ministry where WOMEN who are addicted, abused, or otherwise broken can find
God’s LOVE, PEACE, and a NEW LIFE.
Lexi Zanowki &
Valarie Linington
It’s a quiet misty morning in Cumming, Georgia.
Abba House trucks are humming in the yard as I
make my way to the Agape House for what promises to be a full day... and turns out to be the education of a lifetime. As I pull up to the house the
clock tells me it’s just after 6:00 a.m., I can see in
the window that some of the girls have started their
day. Bright eyed, Anna answers the door in hushed
tones and explains that the mothers are up doing
quiet time and the other girls will be up shortly. The
women with children have to get their little ones
ready for the day so they start thirty minutes earlier.
We have a seat in the living room and she shows
me the scriptures she’s reading. I always intend to
read my Bible first thing in the morning but honestly
it doesn’t happen as often as I aim to. These girls
start every morning with the Word. The women are
taught that, “We decide the direction our day will
take. If our focus is on God, that is usually the direction that our day will follow.”
tions for me to follow her out to the porch explaining
about chore and laundry rotations, also the work
and group schedules on the wall. Today her chore
is sweeping the front porch. Not wasting an opportunity to multi task, she digs into her testimony
while she sweeps. I lean against a post and listen.
Lexi grew up in Norcross, played soccer, basketball,
and ran cross country all while maintaining an A, B
average. Every parent’s dream. However, her parents had no idea that a drug habit was forming from
middle school, all through high school and came
to a head her senior year with her first use and instant addiction to cocaine. Two days after graduating high school came her first DUI, four times that
year she would be arrested and charged with drug
possession and underage alcohol consumption.
While attending college the addiction continued but
a more frightening problem became apparent; that
after several attempts to quit, the addiction persists
and her parents stopped bailing her out. She reluctantly turned to Abba House for help 12 months
and 16 days ago. The first five months were the
toughest but now Lexi admittedly loves being in the
program and she is the house mom in the Agape
House. It costs something to share any testimony.
Certainly, no one wakes up in the morning thinking,
“I can’t wait to share about the most difficult challenges of my life”, but I respect the way Lexi shared
her life fearlessly and free of guilt.
A few scriptures and sips of tea later more girls
emerge, all wide eyed taking a moment to wake
up fully. As the girls enter, one approaches me and
introduces herself as Lexi, the girl I am to shadow for the day. We get right to it, moving quickly
through the kitchen, weaving in an out of other girls.
All bustling around, almost instinctively, they grab
mugs and tea bags, and their Bibles and congregate in the living room for prayer and quiet time.
Lexi moves quickly putting her tea in the queue to
be heated in the microwave. Talking and moving, It’s barely 6:45 in the morning at this point and I’m
she grabs a broom from a nearby closet and mo- fascinated already. Continued on page 7.
Coming to Abba House requires a 15
month commitment, and can be the hardest decision a woman ever makes, but ultimately ends in tremendous gain in her life
and the lives of her family. A study conducted in 2009 showed that of the women
who had graduated from Abba House in
the past two years 93.8% were relapse
free and 0% of them had been incarcerated or admitted into a psychiatric hospital.
At Abba House the primary objective is to
facilitate restoration and healing in every
area of a woman’s life. We employ a holistic approach, healing mind, body, soul and
spirit through Christian discipleship.Women have the opportunity to complete their
GED as well as Microsoft Office Certification and other marketable job skills.
Abba House currently has the capacity for
39 women and children including those
who have gone on to pursue further ministry training and interns.
Inside This Issue:
A Day in the Life of an Abba Girl____1&7
Run for Recovery A Great Success____2
Note from the Founders___________3
Testimonies of Past Students______3&4
Volunteer Spotlight_______________4
Hope Database for Help____________4
Testimony of Chris Croft___________5
Latest Abba House News___________6
Thriftstore Roof & Classroom Project_6
Thank you to R.K.Redding__________6
Income Statement for 2010_________8
Thank You to Financial Donors_______9
For an Online Database of Recovery Ministries visit www.armofhelp.org
Page 2
Abba House Run for Recovery
Raised $6,566
311 runners (140 last year), 52 Volunteers
Overall Winners:
5K Male Winners:
1. Joshua Smith 19:26.5
2. Ryan Spada 19:41.9
3. Drew Phillip 20:14.9
5K Female Winners:
1. Juliette Bradley 23:11.0
2. Darbi Boddy 24:20.5
3. Makayla Wood 26:20.7
10K Male Winners:
1. Greg Hosier 39:46.1
2. Jason Naile 41:15.2
3. Cody Sparks 44:14.7
10K Female Winners:
1.Virginia Westerby 44:42.5
2. Susan Seibert 46:38.5
3. Wendy Goldberg 48:01.9
A Great Success!
“I went to the last Abba House 10K
and it was great. They really went out of “I ran the 5k this year, this was a very
their way to make it a fun time for the well coordinated event. Watch out for
that last mile in the 5k!”
whole family, and it’s
a great, great cause.”
“Enjoyable event- nice path along the Big
Creek Greenway, fresh fruit and plenty
of water, family-friendly with live music,
bounce house and face-painting for the
kids. Well done.”
Special Thank You to the following churches that recruited 20+ Runners and Volunteers:
Volume 8, Issue 2
Page 3
Note from
The Founders
Jim & Chris Sharp
Our culture has a mind set that focuses on the short term circumstances instead of looking long term
with vision. Our country is experiencing a political and philosophical war. Many are ignoring the fact that
our country is nearly bankrupt. Our economy is in pretty rough shape. Many non-profits have ceased to
exist in the financial turmoil.What we have today are secular and government agencies doing little good for
enormous amounts of money. You have Christian ministries changing lives (a concept that secular service
providers do not believe is possible) where the secular field only tries to teach people to cope with their
problem. Christian ministries provide help at about 10% of the cost of secular and government agencies.
Taken altogether we can see that Government is no longer able to afford to care for people. A portion of
the church, who has traditionally helped the poor and broken, has for years largely abdicated its responsibility. Jesus gave us these remarks to tell the church what its responsibility is in Matthew 25:31-46 (NLT).
Matthew 25:31-46 (NLT) “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will
sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a
shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared
for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I
was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared
for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you
hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked
and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,
you were doing it to me!’ “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into
the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons. For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and
you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t
give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see
you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ “And he will answer, ‘I tell you
the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ “And
they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
I believe our job is to create sheep instead of creating goats.The purpose of the church is to train the body
of Christ to meet the needs of the hungry and broken. It is not the job of government. They are out of
money anyway. One of the United States’ founding fathers and fourth President of the United States, James
Madison said, “Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government.”
Abba House, in these perilous times, has seen phenomenal growth. Since the beginning of the financial
meltdown in 2008 the revenues of Abba House have increased an average of 30% per year. We have doubled already the number of women and children we can help and we will double the number again this fall
to 75 women and children. The truth is that the services that Abba House provides are in more demand
each and every day. Please know that because of this tremendous growth at Abba House our expenses are
growing rapidly and we are experiencing a shortfall. We have had to use $46,000 from our reserve (which
is almost depleted) to meet these growing expenses. You may not know that we scholarship at least 25%
of the women and children’s tuition. Monthly we charge $540 tuition per woman, $200 for the first child,
and $100 for each additional child (that includes housing, food, clothing, curriculum, and staff expenses).
You can see a complete report on our finances in this addition of the Abba Times. We also have included
a Donor Wall of Gratitude. We are grateful that God is blessing Abba House through you. He is blessing
Abba House, with growth in the number of women we can help and by the tremendous transformation of
the hearts and lives of the women and children in the program. We have worked very hard to tighten our
belt and save as much as we can on the expenses at Abba House. We know how hard it is for you making
the hard financial decisions we all are having to make. We also know that some of you may not be able to
give like you would like to.
Chris and I want to thank the financial partners, the many volunteers, and all those who pray for the recovery of these women and the staff that serves them!
Page 4
Volunteer Spotlight
YMCA Mission Atlanta Team
We had a group of 10-12 teenagers and 1-2 adult leaders come out from Tuesday, May
31- Saturday, June 4. They worked hard on our property doing things like: cutting grass,
weeding and mulching our flower beds, weeding our volleyball court, demolition of an old
tool barn, and general clean up of the property. They worked hard and were dedicated
to taking care of whatever was asked of them. They showed a great attitude toward the
projects at hand, and reflected a strong sense of teamwork. A group comes out every year
to support us with their time and efforts.
Jerry Bock
Jerry Bock is a faithful regular volunteer here at Abba House. He has dedicated his time
every Wednesday to come and work on any projects we have come up with throughout
our week here. His specialties include just about any kind of trade work you could think
of. He takes care of things like plumbing, electrical, construction/trim carpentry, sheet
rock and much more. He is a valuable asset to Abba House. Many projects, big and small
would not be effectively taken care of without him. Jerry has been volunteering here for
about a year now, and his heart is in everything he does. He has recently been recognized
at Celebration of Hands, a dinner honoring volunteers in our community.
Avita Community Partners
Every Thursday, a group of 8 to 10 special needs young adults volunteer their time and
abilities to help beautify one of our thrift stores. They take care of important things like
cleaning windows, sweeping floors, dusting furniture, straightening shelves and cleaning
the lavatories. These details are huge to maintaining the stores appearance for our customers and guests from the community. As customers shop, and supporters and volunteers tour the property, they benefit from everything this group does. We are so thankful
for them.
A.M.P (Atlanta Missions Project)
From July 11th through the 13th, youth group teams of around 10 youth and leaders
from A.M.P. came and undertook the back room of our Hammond’s Crossing thrift store.
Donations come in regularly, and staying on top of sorting, cleaning and staging them in
the store is an ongoing task that definitely needed a group of this size to come and impact
it in the way they did. Everything from testing electronics to sorting clothes and putting
them on the racks for customers to buy is essential to keeping the store stocked and
maintained. This group cleared out a huge portion of our back room sorting area, and really gave us a jump start on the upcoming sale we had at Hammond’s Crossing.
Creekside United Methodist Church
From July 11th through the 14th, youth group teams of 10 to 18 youth and adult leaders
from Creekside UMC came out and volunteered their time here at Abba House. They
undertook some huge tasks that have been needing attention for some time now. Our
barns have been unorganized and it was tough to find any materials Abba House could
have utilized for any projects that needed attending to. They completely cleared out and
organized our lawn equipment barn, maintenance barn and paint barn. Any materials that
were expired or not in a usable condition were either put into our metal recycling trailer,
or discarded. Everything that was usable was gone through, condensed and neatly put
back into the barns in its proper place. Now, everything is accessible, and easy to find
when we need it, saving Abba House valuable time and money. This group also handled
lots of yard work, weeding and mulching on the property, as well as tackling our huge pile
of unsorted clothes, in the back of the Silver City thrift store, getting us ready for a big
sale we had coming up.
Browns Bridge Community Church
On July 16th, 4 ladies from Browns Bridge came and volunteered their time in our Silver
City thrift store.They worked hand in hand with our ladies testing and sorting electronics,
sorting clothing and tagging items for sale in the store. In addition to their hard work, the
ladies from Browns Bridge heard testimonies from a couple of ladies in our program. The
impact on both parties was intense and have spurred our helpers from Browns Bridge to
want to do more for Abba House in the future by becoming more regularly involved here.
Help that really changes us is very difficult to find.
Hope Database for Help
Help
Overcoming
Problems
Eternally
HOPE is an Online Database of Christian Ministries and Ministers.
Nothing can be more frustrating than you, a loved one or a member of your
church having a problem and not knowing how to find the right place to
get help. The HOPE database enables you to search for members of the Association of Recovery Ministries, including ministry facilities, counselors or
support groups using criterion that describes your need.
Life-controlling problems such as addiction, homelessness, emotional issues
and crisis in marriages affect almost all of us whether it is about ourselves, a
loved one or a friend.
The Association of Recovery Ministries (ARM) is a network of those Christians who have dedicated their lives to helping people find freedom. Our
mission is to work together to improve the quality and set standards for
Christian care.We will achieve this by meeting for collaboration and support,
providing education and training in recovery ministry and setting standards
for quality professional ministry.
Find help through HOPE at www.armofhelp.org.
Volume 8, Issue 2
Page 5
I was born and raised in Forsyth County, Georgia. Growing up in a Christian family I always
felt different and alone. How could God love me when I didn’t feel loved by my own mother?
By the age of sixteen I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and prescribed multiple medications for my nerves and pain. This was the beginning of learning how to numb my pain.
I later married my high school sweetheart. We were married for five years and had one child,
Courtney. After my husband and I divorced I was devastated, as I learned that I wasn’t his
dream girl after all. Blinded by my emotional pain I made some really bad choices. I soon began
using crystal meth and smoking pot. By the age of twenty-nine I was remarried and a fullblown drug addict. This lifestyle soon took a toll on my health. My colon burst in 1992, which
I thought was God punishing me, and I stopped using illegal drugs for a while. I was, however,
continuing to use my prescription medication and abused it to numb my emotional pain.
The years to follow were very painful. My mother passed away in 1996, and I had a miscarriage in 1997. My second husband died in 2004, leaving me behind with our two month old
daughter, Mikayla. The following year my seventeen year old daughter Courtney was killed
in a car accident. A few years later I began to see the effects of my lifestyle on my remaining
daughter, as her life was turned upside down as well. The enemy had me so twisted that I
believed this is how life was going to be forever, and that there was nothing good for me in
this world. I just wanted to die.
Since coming to Abba House I have completely been transformed into a new woman of
Christ! God has not only blessed me with this new life to experience, but has revealed Himself, through me, to my family and friends. My sister and I are the closest that we have ever
been, and I am my dad’s little girl again. My daughter, Mikayla is seeing me as a different person
now, and I am fighting daily to give us both the Godly life that the Lord has for us.
Chris & Mikayla Croft
Abba House helps you realize why your life is the way that it is and shows you that it can
change. I have learned more than a lifetime can give you. It is all about forgiveness and letting God in to rule your heart. It’s how you feel about your parents. Ephesians 6:2-3 tells us
“Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise: that all may
be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” I have learned that it is important to
always be relational and transparent with others. On August 11th this year I graduated from
the basic program and began the Ministry Training program. My plans are to complete the MT
program and to stay at Abba House.
It took me loosing custody of my daughter, Mikayla to bring me to my senses. I was so wrapped up in bondage that there was no light at the end of the tunnel. By the
grace of God, a family member had been through Abba House and recognized how much help I needed. So I was lead to attend the open groups there. Immediately,
I felt the presence of God and knew I was in the right place. Although I was coming to group a couple times a week, it wasn’t enough. The enemy did not want me
well and fought hard to keep me down. God had a bigger plan, a better plan, and knew what it would take to get me in line with his plan. The staff at Abba House
recognized the spiritual warfare going on in me and strongly suggested that I make the in-house, full time commitment. My flesh resisted the idea and did not want to
give up. But God touched my spirit and I knew what I had to do. So, with my hands in Gods, I agreed to stay the fifteen months at Abba House. This transformation
was not easy. This past year has been the most rewarding and the most trying year of my life.
Abba House taught me how to deal with the roots of my problems. They helped me to see why I had made the choices I had made. I had wounds deep inside of me
that could only be healed by God. I learned that by forgiving the people who have hurt me, my wounds began healing. By acknowledging my part in things, humbling
myself and admitting my wrongs, I am forgiven by God and have done my part. I have learned how vital receiving God’s love and giving it away is to my well being and
to my relationships. See, when we are children, we develop certain belief systems about life, about people, and about ourselves. Most of the time these beliefs are
distorted. Abba House teaches us to listen to God’s voice, let him show us our core beliefs and forgive the ones who taught us those beliefs.We confess our reaction
to those beliefs and behaviors and ask God to write something new and true on our hearts. I recognized that I was in much bondage and had made idols of men and
drugs. I had to confess these things as sin to be free. Abba House teaches us routine and structure. We exercise daily and are on a strict diet. We have learned to be
obedient to God and to truly love ourselves in ways we have never known before. I have learned so much about God and myself and I am a totally different person
than I was a little bit over a year ago. Page 6
Latest Abba House News
October or November will bring a new era for
Abba House in that we will open Abba House
Perry (AHP), which will more than double the
number of women and children we can help. The
Facility in Perry will be home to 38 women
and children. It will have a beautiful commercial kitchen, a large dining area, a laundry center and a very large classroom. The
total square footage on the building will be 7800
square feet. Sheet rock has been finished and the
building is primed and ready to paint. It will take
only a few more months for the building to be
complete.
Abba House Perry is a partnership between the
City of Perry, Perry Volunteer Outreach (PVO) and
Abba House. PVO has developed under the leader-
ship of Frank Shelton a center for those struggling
with being homeless or needing prison aftercare.
Grace Village meets these needs of women and
their children. Grace Village is a 90 day discipleship program preparing women for jobs and reentry into society. It has 24 apartments and a large
community meeting and childcare center. This was
made possible by PVO donating land to the City
of Perry. Because a government owns the property, state Department of Correction prison labor
could be used to do the construction. Combining
this with a $500,000 grant has made it possible
for Grace Village to be built debt free. This same
process has been used to build the Abba House
Perry (AHP) building. Our belief is that AHP will
be the largest residential ministry in the middle
Georgia area for women with addiction or mental
health issues and it surely is the largest ministering
Abba House Perry
therapeutically to women and their children.
Perry Volunteer Outreach is in the process of purchasing a church building that has a gymnasium
that Abba House will use for our third thrift store,
Abba House Perry Thrift Store. This new store
will be about 9,900 square feet and offer clothing,
furniture, appliances and many other household
items.
The Abba House in Cumming has grown
to 35 people including women and their
children, plus those in the Ministry Training and Internship Programs. We are in a
redesign phase on the Abba House Women and
Children’s Center because there was not enough
land suitable for a drain field. We will be including
a constructed wetland in the green features of the
design. This constructed wetland will be a demonstration project that will help the state determine
the potentiality for constructed wetlands in our
climate on a major commercial project. We hope
to have a finalized site plan complete by September. We hope to break ground soon thereafter.
You can see that we have been busy! Please consider partnering with us to change the lives of
these women and their families.
Thriftstore Roof and Classroom Space:
Two Problems, One Solution
Two of our biggest needs are a new roof on our Silver City Thriftstore and
larger classroom space.
If you have been to our Silver City Thriftstore while it’s raining, then you
know how badly we need a new roof. With buckets lined up throughout
the store to catch the water leaking through the roof, you may need an
umbrella to keep dry.
We currently have 35 people in the program, Ministry Training Program
and Interning. Our classroom holds 30 people. Each week we have people
come from the community to get teaching and help alongside the women
in our care. Our classrooms space is busting at the seams. Our heart is to
allow more people from the community to join in on classes. Our current
space really limits the number that can come. Also on the weekends, we
host Family Group, where family members of the women seeking help at
Abba House get help and restoration with their family.
The solution: Build an addition on the second level of the Thriftstore
across from our current offices and classroom.
The Thriftstore renovation consists of a new roof, new interior design
and décor, rooftop courtyard, and a 1200 square foot addition that would
act as a classroom and meeting area. The estimated construction cost of
the Thriftstore Renovation is around $100,000. We are hoping through
in-kind and monetary donations that we can achieve a completion budget
of less than $50,000. Tommy McKee and RKR Construction have already
donated the preliminary efforts of planning, design, on-site meetings, and
estimates.The management of construction has also been donated at cost.
In efforts to raise funds for this essential project, our 2011 Swing a Club,
Save Her Life Golf Tournament funds go directly to building the New Roof
and Classroom. Please consider participating in the tournament. Also we
need churches, businesses, civic organizations and families to donate time
and money to making this project happen.
Amazing Construction Company to build
AH Women and Children’s Center
One of the larger challenges facing Abba House in building our new
Women and Children’s Center was to find a contractor that would work
with us as we used donated materials and volunteer labor.
R.K. Redding Construction Company is a general contractor that has
agreed to help Abba House in the planning and construction process of
our new facilities. RKR is licensed in 6 states and specializes in new construction and renovations of schools, churches, banks, municipal buildings,
manufacturing facilities, shopping centers/retail, hospital/medical facilities,
and hotels. RKR’s company philosophy is based on honesty, quality and
integrity with the ultimate goal being customer trust and satisfaction.
All of the preconstruction work on the Abba House Women and Children’s Center by RKR’s staff such as planning, design, on-site meetings, and
estimates will be at no cost. The management of construction has been
donated at cost. We are grateful for all that Randal K. Redding and his
crew have been helping us with. They have assigned an amazing Superintendant, Tommy McKee, who has 24 years experience to help Abba House.
We have taken huge steps in the right direction due to the wisdom and
guidance of RKR and Tommy. We look forward to this relationship getting
stronger with every project that we complete together.
Thank you RKR!
Volume 8, Issue 2
A Day in the Life of an Abba Girl continued from page 1...
As we sit down to quiet time I can feel the excitement and expectation escalate. I sense
that God looks forward to this time with His girls. Their prayers are simple and sincere:
fill the coolers with fresh fruit and vegetables, good sales in the store, and wisdom for
their leaders.
After prayers have gone around the room the girls study and journal about the things
God is speaking to them. The life transformation in these girls is so remarkable I can’t
help wondering about the amazing revelations I’m sure are common daily in their journal entries. I’m thrilled as I’m inspired by scripture and my pen comes to life as I write
my own journal thoughts.
The time in the morning is used so meticulously, there is no time to sloth around. After
quiet time we grab a quick breakfast of cereal, toast or a bagel if it was available. I’m
amazed at the level of conversation around the breakfast table, certainly not the doltish
mumbles I’m used to at this hour. The girls are definitely awake now! Almost 8:00 a.m.
now and we scurry outside to meet more girls in the humid morning for a brisk walk. So
much of what Abba House does is about community, they always work as a unit. Lexi
explains that, “Relationship is the context of healing.” This is one of the fundamental
concepts of Abba House. Jesus agrees as He describes His church as being one body
made up of many parts*.
Thirty five minutes and two miles later we’re back inside and the girls are flying around
trying to get ready for the day. Precious minutes later we’re back outside meeting the
rest of the girls and on our way across the street to the class room. It’s time for morning class, but first the girls open the Silver City Thrift Store, one of the two thrift stores
that are a main source of income for the program. Nine o’clock we head upstairs and
grab our seats.
What happens next you’ll have to experience for yourself. The presence of God was
so tender during praise and worship and the lesson on forgiveness. Wisdom is so indulgently poured out over the unveiled lives these girls live. My pen came to life again
as I feverishly wrote six pages of notes. It was barely noon as we filed out of the class
room, and I couldn’t help but think of what an advantage to life it is to have this kind of
instruction built into their day. What more is to come?
I’m still ruminating on the highlights of forgiveness as we make our way to lunch. I see
healthy portions of chicken salad and cucumber are waiting for us all as we walk into
the enclosed porch where lunch is served. I wouldn’t want for a moment to misrepresent the real life that goes on between the girls. In fact, what impressed me the most
was how palpably honest their lives are no matter who is in the room. As we ate, the
mystery of missing cheese unfolds when the girls in charge of cooking dinner realize
that slices of cheese have mysteriously vanished from the refrigerator. No one knows
where the cheese has wandered off to and the frustrated cook returns to her salad.
Perhaps grateful that tomorrow the chores will rotate and there will be a new cook to
guard the grub.
Thirty minutes of lunch passes quickly and we’re off again, in a van this time, headed
to the Hammond’s Crossing store for work. We’re sorting, hanging, bagging and shelving clothes, shoes, toys, books, DVDs, belts, bags, kitchenware, and bric-a-brac. No
mollycoddling in this store, as Lexi puts it, they are the “men”. They carry in all of the
furniture, mattresses and bags of clothes that come in. Including a four foot solid wood
desk sitting in the showroom now waiting for a home. The first break felt well earned
even though it was only two hours into the five hour shift and I found myself sitting on
a couch in the furniture annex relaxed in the midst of shoppers and kids. The energy in
the back of the store pumps back up as we continue to work and the day ambled on.
Before I knew it we were switching gears, going through cleaning up the racks, getting
ready to close. I couldn’t help taking the opportunity to shop. I’m so glad I did, I found
some out-of-this-world bargains!
Now that work is done for the day, we’ll eat some dinner and head off to church. Tonight’s service is special since one of the girls will graduate. Wednesday service is at
one of four churches and, like the chores, it rotates week to week. The pastor gives
a stirring message and the stage is set; I’m full of anticipation to hear how once more
God traded ashes for beauty in this lovely woman’s life. The Abba House girls hold high
esteem in my perspective for the bravery they show, not shrinking from life’s mess, for
the marathon of daily tasks they perform, and the love of God they’ve shared with me.
Abba House has humbly and sincerely harnessed the father heart of God and created a
culture where everyone serves, everyone gives, everyone loves, and everyone honors.
*1Corinthians 12:12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one
whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.
Page 7
Page 8
Explanation of 2010 Income Statement
For the calendar year of 2010, Abba House had an average of 15 women in our care. The average cost per resident was about $115 per day or
$42,000 per year. The tuition fee is $540 per month which only covers 15.4% of the total cost. Abba House scholarshiped 27% of the women
and children’s fees.
Monetary contributions from Grants, Individuals, Civic Groups, Businesses and Churches provided for 42% of our income in 2010, which increased $165,000 from 2009 to 2010 ($176,000 to $342,000). Most of this increase in revenue is attributed to the $150,000 matching grant
that was given by the Bagwell Family Foundation. The generosity of our community allows us to continue to provide help for these women and
children at a minimal cost to them.
Our Expenses for 2010 were $101,633 higher than in 2009 ($631,127 vs. $529,493) with our income increasing $225,439 ($803,475 vs. $578,035).
Much of the increase of expenses is due to opening a second thrift store on Hammond’s Crossing and a Green House at the Silver City location.
This made up $81,000 of the increase in expenses. However, the Thrift Stores sales increased by $75,000.
As an effort to make every penny stretch as far as possible, we have decreased the amount spent on groceries 17% in the year 2010. Through the
help of in-kind donations from groceries stores and from food drives, we have been able to lower the cost of food.
Abba House Inc. Income Statement for 2010
Page 9
Volume 8, Issue 2
$250-$499
Financial Donors Who Have Contributed to Abba House
Over the Past Few Years
North Lanier Baptist Church
Cheryl Candido-Armstrong
Atlanta Rod &
Manufacturing Co.
Edsel & Sarah Boyd
Howard Brooks
Roger Chesser
Steven & Jennifer Dotson
Gap Foundation
Steve & Corinne Head
Elizabeth Peters
Ashley Smith
Ronald & Trish Stark
$500-$999
Agape Restoration Ministries
Dianne Alexander
Anytime Fitness
Bank of America Matching
Gifts
Marvin Bittinger
Jeffrey Bostic
William & Paula Bozarth
Marsha Carter
Jeff & Debbie Clemons
Coal Mountain Baptist Church
Cumming First United
Methodist Church
Discover Chiropractic
$1,000-$2,499
Donnie & Alexis Hill
Gary & Sue Achtemeier
Richard “Jet” Anderson
Charles Anderson
Ross & Associates
Joel Aycock
Tommy & Chantal Bagwell
Heather Barber
David Batson
Kenneth & Laura Beamon
Dwight & Rhonda Bearden
Bethelview United Methodist
Church
Jim & Donna Boldt
Ann Boyce
Coldwell Banker RMR
Frank & Willi Commander
Colonial Pipeline Company
$2,500-$4,999
Excalibur Home Management
First United Methodist Church
Angela Hernandez
Rick & Renee Hernandez
Kathy Hobbs
Steven & Sally Jones
Bob & Lynda Kelly
Woody & Jennifer Long
Jon & Debbie Newcomer
Gerry & Wendy Taber
Christ The Shepherd Lutheran
Church
Tiffany McConahay
Jeff & Margaret Hart
Shane & Jennifer Short
America’s Home Place
Kelli Arnold
Jeffrey & Linda Brethauer
Trish Coyne
Anna Fishburne
Goodson Pharmacy
David & Jane Hulbert
Mark & Karen Jasin
Nick Jefferson
Neil & Jayna Robertson
Donald & Mary Neal Thomas
John Williams
Judy & Charles Perrell
Todd & Angela Bowser
Robert & Doreen Stumpf
Kathy Williams
Thompson Brokers
Ronnie & Vicki Stephens
George & Susan Fleck
Hightower Baptist WMU
Marlene Hedges
Patrick & Gail Jarvis
Jose & Lynn Larrazabal
Mills Fuel Services
Dominic & Debbie Sputo
Sam & Sonya Kassouf
The Vine Community Church
J.A.K.’s Enterprises
David & Barbara Yeary
Rebecca Kissel
Chestatee State Bank
Crossroads Charitable
Foundation
Metalworks
Peter Maher
Dan & Rachel Quirke
Sawnee View Gardens
Telecom Service of Atlanta
United Community Bank
Debra Smith
Ahmed Ben & Betty Jo Chaoui
John & Trish Dunaway
Jamie Rohrbaugh
Richard Wade
Barbara DeFord
Robert Dunn
Sta-Brite Sign Erectors
Richard & Julie Enger
James & Alaine Farmer
First Love
Michael & Glenda Fought
Andrea & Jeffrey Handcock
John & Peggy Hoover
Paul & Lisa Hulbert
Judy Humphrey
Susan Hussey
Morningstar Restoration
Ministries
David Bryant Company
Farinda Jones
Michelle Jorand
Kohl’s
Chill Hill
Mathis Grading
Fran Miller
Suzy Miller
David & Susan Mills
New Song Community
Church
Robert & Jennie Niccol
North Point Ministries
Behrooz Parvarandeh
Nacy Perrell
RSUI Idemnity Company
Raffield Tire Masters
Sawnee Women’s Club
Paula Sloan
Robert Spidel
The Church at War Hill
Gary & Diane Tjaden
Uni-Sky Corporation
Marc & Donita Walker
William White
Robert & Pamela Willis
Priscilla Soleil
Kerry & Nina Alka
Gary & Michelle Anderson
David Auger
David Bode
Doug & Susan Burtch
CBI General Contractors
Vito & Kathy Ciavarelli
Mark & Cindy Fisher
Travis & Becky Howe
Nature’s Way Chiropractic
Center
Snow Plumbing
Kent Sudman & Carol Tunstall
Karen Turner
Douglas Turnure
John & Deborah Williams
Ken & Terri Cousino
Cindy Cousino
John & Alina Coyne
Deer Creek Shores
Presbyterian Church
Andrew Doetsch
First Baptist Church
of Cumming
Forsyth Ministerial Association
Bank of America Charitable
Foundation
Celia Fox
Fraternal Order of Police
Gainesville Welding Rendering
Mark & Melissa Gatlin
Grace Chapel Church
of Christ
William & Deborah Hall
David Hathaway
Thomas & Sue Hieber
David & Doris Hulbert
Hammett Steel
B V Belk, Jr
Kroger Company
Dawn & Chuck Kirkland
DNA General Contracting
Willie & Joyce Lamber
Jan Leonard
Load All
Peter Lott
Todd Allen & Allison Madding
Mar-Jac Poultry
Teri McClure
Michael & Brenda McKnight
Rick & Hazel Metcalf
Midway Community Church
Craig & Amy Miller
Jennifer Moye
Jimmy & Lois Newman
Tim & Pat Nichols
Angela Norwood
Publix Supper Markets
Charities
Herbert & Jerye Quinn
Regency Lighting
Margie Rabun
Dale & Becky Rankin
Kevin & Sharon Redd
Teri Reed
Rotary Club of Forsyth
Richard & Florence Ruehe
Jackon & Layne Sasser
Hal Schneider
Shaklee U.S.
South Forsyth Rotary Club
Jerry Syfert
African-American Church
Growth
Therese Cousino
Bryce Tidwell
Jane Trinkle
John & Robbie Jo Triplett
Perry Area Community Trust
Kyle Turner
Wal-Mart Foundation
Rob & Cathy Walczak
Wesley & Mary Walker
Joe & Emiko Walsky
Waypoint Center
Margaret & Ed Wilson
Women’s Council of Realtors
Maryanne Yeary
Sam & Judy Raffield
Floyd & Monica Rogers
Mattress Safe
Frank Shelton
Patrick & Vicki Slovick
Terry & Wanda Stephens
David Tinsley
Trinity Evangelical Church
$10,000+
American Proteins
Big Canoe Chapel
Cumming New Life Church
Emmanuel Church
Bagwell Family Foundation
The Community Foundation
Freedom Tabernacle Church
Michael & Debra Goldstone
John & Laurie Hall
Truist, E.J. Callahan
Linda Rule
Niel & Linda McClure
Northside Hospital
Fraser & Suzanne Payne
Marcus Rosin
United Way of Forsyth County