Arloa Sutter

"And He said, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them."
Luke 21:3

Almost every month I get a letter from a Breakthrough supporter named Scottie Dawn. She faithfully sends whatever money she can, accompanied by a detailed description of how the Lord has provided for her so she can give. Here is a summary of her most recent letter:

Scottie didn't have enough money to do her laundry, so she tried to sell some of her things on consignment. At the resale store she was disappointed to find that her items had only earned her fifty cents. Later, while shopping at Aldi's, she found a cart that still had a quarter in it. As she walked around the parking lot she found that other carts had quarters left in them as well. Scottie recovered 75 cents. Evidently people would rather leave their quarters in each cart's anti-theft device than push them back to the store.

As she stood in the Aldi's checkout line, Scottie let a man go in front of her and gave him a bookmark that said, "God bless you". A few minutes later, as she was walking to her car, the man approached her and handed her the bookmark back, wrapped in two twenty-dollar bills. "God bless you," he said.

Scottie sent Breakthrough a check for five dollars praising God that he had once again enabled her to give. I am inspired by her beautiful story of God's provision, and I am committed to being very careful with how Breakthrough spends every donation, no matter what size.

In order to close on the St. Louis Ave. building in the next few weeks, Breakthrough needs to raise $175,000 plus closing costs. Help us take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to own a building in East Garfield Park! Click here to donate securely online.

Volunteers Needed

The Youth Outreach program needs tutors on Tuesday evenings from 4-6 pm at the Joshua Center (3330 W. Carroll Ave., Chicago). For more information, contact Marcie Curry or Kristi Lach at 773.722.0179, x19 or mcurry@breakthroughministries.com.

Bridge of Hope needs volunteers for Tuesday night street outreach to women in prostitution. For more information, contact Yolanda Fields at 773.722.0179 x13 or yfields@breakthroughministries.com.

The building on St. Louis Ave. is roughly the size of the Joshua Center and includes five vacant lots.

In November, Breakthrough’s Board of Directors voted to buy a building and property on St. Louis Avenue, just one block northwest of the Joshua Center in East Garfield Park. The purchase includes a 25,000 square foot building and five adjoining vacant lots.

Breakthrough’s goal is to close on the St. Louis Ave. building by mid February. To date, we have raised $140,000 of the $175,000 purchase price. A donor has extended a matching gift challenge, and in order to earn the full gift, we need to raise an additional $35,000. With your help, we can take advantage of this wonderful provision for the ministry! Click here to give a secure, online donation.

This opportunity comes at an important crossroads for Breakthrough. With healthy growth occurring in both the Youth Outreach program and the Homeless Services for Women, there is an increasing struggle to share space in the Joshua Center, a leased facility. Both programs need more room to best serve those in their care.

Breakthrough is in the early stages of developing a plan for how this new building will be used. At first glance, the space seems to be ideal for housing the programs and services for homeless women. There is also enough space for the Bridge of Hope program to provide immediate shelter to women who are ready to leave the streets.

The building on St. Louis Ave. has been actively used by Grace Mission Church, thus it does not require major renovation like the Joshua Center. Breakthrough anticipates being able to utilize the building fully within one year.

Bill is a member of Lyons Evangelical Free Church and a lay representative of the Chicago Metropolitan leadership team of the Evangelical Free Church. Bill and his wife, Rhoda, have supported Breakthrough's mission of outreach since visiting the Joshua Center for a leadership team meeting in May 2002.

We are so thankful for God's provision of this gift through Bill and Pastor Stewart!

Tania and Jeremy Runyan with their daughter.

This month's donor spotlight features Jeremy and Tania Runyan, a couple who came up with a unique way to celebrate their ten-year wedding anniversary. Here is an excerpt from a letter they sent to Breakthrough and nine other organizations:

"...What a decade of joys and adventures! We already feel so blessed, so rather than giving presents to one another, we are commemorating ten milestones by giving ten gifts to a variety of people and organizations who have impacted us or who represent our passions."

The Runyans selected Breakthrough as one of their ten gift recipients. In the letter, Tania wrote, "In 1999, I received my teaching certificate, with Jeremy not too far behind. While it took us a few years after college to figure it out, we both discovered that we had a passion for teaching and influencing teenagers. We have always been fortunate enough to teach in affluent districts with plenty of programs and resources; however, many students do not have these kinds of opportunities. We would like to give a gift of encouragement to Breakthrough Urban Ministries, which offers support to urban youth."

BT: What led to your decision to give?

Jeremy: Tania was reading Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol, a book that reveals the inequities of school funding in urban areas. We had also read Ron Sider's challenging book, Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. We felt the need to do something in Chicago, but we didn't know how to help. At that same time, Jeremy heard a radio interview with someone from Breakthrough Urban Ministries describing the types of services they provide. We felt compelled to give.

BT: In what ways has giving to Breakthrough affected you?

Jeremy: We feel that we are being faithful to God's call to help those in need by sponsoring ministries like Breakthrough. We are excited about the work being done in Chicago.

BT: Why do you feel it is important to support Breakthrough financially?

Jeremy: One of the things we are called to do is to help our neighbors in need. The need in Chicago is great, and financial resources are needed to make an impact.

BT: In what other ways are you involved with the ministry?

Jeremy: We pray for the work Breakthrough continues to do!