The Miracle

August 3, 2023

Our Story

This post will probably be the longest one that will ever be put on this website. It tells a story that was years in the making that shares what happens when God is invited to participate and then shows up.  

I started serving at RCC in 2013. We were located in a rented double-wide trailer in Natural Steps. We had 1200 square feet of area that was cut up into several small rooms. The trailer was not in good condition. The one sink that we had was a very small one in a tiny bathroom. We were not always sure that the floor was going to hold up under the weight of the food that we stored there. Clients could not come into the building. They brought boxes or tubs and we filled them up with food. Our donation base was around $8,000 a year and if something major happened to the trailer, the repair had to go on a personal credit card until we could raise the money to pay for it.

This small trailer was staffed by volunteers that had been there many years who were devoted to the ministry and to the clients. They had a dream – to have a permanent home. When you are surviving on $8,000 a year in donations, the thought of having a mortgage or of being able to raise enough money to buy or build a facility was more than a dream – it was an impossibility. For the next six years we remained in our rented home and provided the best service to our clients that our donation base would allow.
Roland Crisis Center beginning

The Initial Gift


In the Spring of 2019, miracle #1 happened. A local church who had been supporting us on a monthly basis gave a gift of hope - $70,000 to secure a new home.  We were naïve and thought we may actually be able to get a new home for $70,000. After all that was 6 years of our current annual donation base of $12,000. We knew that we needed to be in downtown Roland. We felt that if we were located in a central place then more people who needed our services would come.  


We started looking at available properties. There were very few and they were far outside our $70K budget. Some were as high as $150,000 and they weren’t even very nice. It was a depressing time and it didn’t take us long to realize that we were going to have to build something that would suit our needs. So now all we had to do was find a lot. That should be easy – right? We had cash. We found that it was not so easy. And that is where miracle #2 comes in – the lot.


The Lot


The process of finding a lot in Roland, Arkansas is not an easy one. First, it is a pretty small place – especially if you want to be centrally located. There is a lot of land that is not developed but it is all family owned – with the title having been passed and not always registered. We found 3 lots that we thought were perfect but after months of negotiation we could not get a clear title to be able to buy them. A local church offered us two lots at a great price – but we didn’t feel that it was big enough for us to build on. We would research owners of other lots that lived out of state and could not get a response from them. This process was taking months and with every lot that didn’t work out the situation became more depressing. We had money, we wanted to build, but we could not find a place. It was about this time that we started praying.


Since God had been gracious enough to give us the seed money, you would think we would have been praying all along but I was not. I am a pretty confident person and I really felt that we could do this alone. I wasn’t keeping God out of the picture on purpose – I just wasn’t inviting him in. When we did ask for His help, He showed up in a big way. A Dollar General store was going to be built in downtown Roland. They had a deal to purchase 3 lots that were perfect to build on. They were flat, they were clear and they were ready to go. Dollar General decided that the space was not big enough for their needs and the lots were available. The owner called us and offered them to us at the same low price per lot that the church had offered theirs. We were being offered a place to build for a price we could easily afford. We asked and God answered. We had a place to build. Miracle #2.


roland crisis center the story

The Fundraising


Once the plans were set, it was determined that we needed to raise $110,000. Wow – that was a lot. Was it too much? Maybe for us, but not for God. The fundraising for the project started. We had a very small donor base so we began by asking everyone who had ever donated to RCC to help us build. And we asked them to ask their friends. One of the first donations that came in was from a young man who had volunteered with us. He donated $1,000. He did not have much and he gave generously. I remember when we saw that donation it brought both my husband and I to tears. That may have been the first time we thought it may truly be possible to raise the money. There were so many times when money would just show up. A check for $5,000 from a grant that we didn’t ask for. A $10,000 matching grant from a local church that was answered almost immediately. In the end the new building was paid for by donations from over 200 individuals and businesses. And within 6 months, it was all there. God had provided $180,000 so that we would be mortgage free. Miracle #3.


The Building Process


I wish that during the building process I would have kept a journal of all of God’s provisions. They were numerous. Some were big and some were small but they happened frequently. So frequently that at some point during this journey we stopped being amazed at what was happening and started being anticipatory. This process was building our faith. We were actually sitting in a front row seat watching God work before us.


Below are a few of the things that happened. I cannot tell you how many times someone would call us and say ‘You are not going to believe this, but…..’. Then they would tell a story of how something was provided to them that they could donate to us. Yes, we would say - we can believe it.


We needed plans and an architect donated his time to provide them.


We needed a builder and a trusted friend who was a builder helped us at a reduced fee.


A local cabinet builder provided beautiful kitchen cabinets at a reduced cost.


A local business owner donated new blinds.


The electrician and heating and air companies gave us a reduced price.


Sherwin Williams provided all of our paint and painting supplies at half price.


We had new Pella windows donated. This is one of the special stories. We needed four windows for the building. We had a friend who worked for Pella. We called and asked if they had any overstock or defective windows that we could purchase at a reduced cost. They had just cleared their warehouse and did not have any. A few days later he called and said that one of the large jobs they were working had four windows that were in some way defective and couldn’t be used. He said that we could have them. These windows were very expensive – far more than we could ever have afforded. And he happened to have four of them and they just happened to be exactly the size that we needed. A coincidence? No way. God gave us really good windows.

We were working on a shoestring budget so we had to leave the floors as concrete. We didn’t have the money to have them specially finished so we decided to clear coat them ourselves. We noticed that when the concrete was finished it had the most amazing pattern in it. It almost looked like a marble floor. God provided the most beautiful floors for the pantry. We call them God’s floors.

During the building process I started receiving phone calls from what showed up as ‘Unknown Number’. This may not seem that strange but I had never received them before. Every time that number showed up someone was calling to donate something or to do something for the pantry. Every single time. It became a standing joke between my husband and I. Whenever I saw Unknown Number I said – God is calling.  


The pantry was finished in record time. All the subs were available and we did not run into any obstacles. Construction was started on January 28 and we were open to clients on July 24.

At every turn and in every way, God provided for us. And all this happened when we invited him in. For months we struggled on our own and made no progress. And then God shows up and things started to happen. God continues to provide for us. We have been in our new home for two years. Our client base has doubled since that first July day when we opened. God has provided enough donations for us to continue to serve the clients that come and to continue to update the pantry both inside and out. He does not provide more than we need – he always provides just enough. And we know that He does that so we will continue to live by faith – which we do every single day.


I hope that you will come and join us by giving your time or your money so that you too can have a front row seat to watch God’s plan unfold for this ministry.

Learn more about Roland Crisis Center Support Roland Crisis Center

Flip Flops to Forklifts

By Connie New • July 16, 2024
We are always delighted but never surprised by God's Provision. All needs are met - from the small to the large. We have two great examples to share. Several months ago several hundred pairs of kids and adults flip flops were donated to RCC. We gave out as many as we could and still had boxes of them. When we had our annual garden planting event we decided to let everyone make flip flop wreaths - and we didn't have to search far for the flip flops. A few months ago our forklift became unreliable. This is a piece of equipment we cannot do without. God not only provided the donations for us to purchase a new one, but even found a home for the old one. God always provides. Sometimes the provision is small - sometimes it is large - but it is always just what is needed.

That's Why We Are Here

By Connie New • April 7, 2024
Last Saturday just as we were finishing up a man walked in who had not been there before. He told us that he had lost his job and his home and was currently living in a shack behind someone's house. He needed food. We signed him up and one of our volunteers started taking him down the line to help him pick out his food. At the end he told her that he truly wished he was there on the giving side instead of the receiving. He felt guilty for needing help. She told him that at one point in her life she was where he was - in a food pantry asking for assistance. She told him that's why we are here - to help. She asked if she could pray for him, and he said yes. As I walked through, I saw this man, crying, being prayed over by this volunteer and her husband. And I said Thank You Lord. Thank you for bringing this man into our doors, so that we could not only provide him assistance, but show him grace and kindness and the light of Christ. We are here to show the love of Christ - to be that light in the darkness - and this was the perfect example of that.

Thankfulness

By Connie New • March 24, 2024
Thankfulness comes in many forms. We can be thankful for the big things - like our health or the birth of a grandchild. We can be thankful for the everyday things - our car starting, our next vacation, our kids doing well in school. Are we always thankful for the small things? I received this picture and the following note from a client who is indeed thankful for the small things. She routinely shares pictures of the meals that she makes from what she receives from us and many times she shares these meals with others. She inspired me to be thankful as well. "This is a wonderful, healthy meal of chipped steak smothered down with onions, garlic and bell peppers, over mashed potatoes, served with broccoli and a spinach salad. I do appreciate all that your organization does to serve our community. It is greatly appreciated. Charles and I were reminiscing today about when the Covid virus first hit in our state. Prices were skyrocketing so high in the grocery store that we knew we had to cut corners every way that we could because social security only goes so far. We began to cut out things that we thought we could live without - one being paper towels. It is so refreshing to have a paper towel. And every time I get a paper towel, I can appreciate the fact that I did not have them for a long time. I thank you for the paper towels that you've given us...from the smallest things to the biggest I thank you."

Ripple Effect

By Connie New • September 14, 2023
One of our patrons contacted me this week to thank us for the food that we provide to her family. Because God provided to her through RCC, she was able to use the money she would have spent on food to provide much needed items to two children in her community. Her comment made me stop and think. I have always understood that God provides through the volunteers that serve at RCC and through the generosity of our donors in that we are able to purchase and distribute food. I never thought about what could happen next. Through God’s provision to this family, God continued to provide to these two children. Your generosity flowed into their ability to be generous, and the cycle continues. God’s provision can have a ripple effect if we let it. We just need to have our heart pointed towards Him.

No Room at the Inn

By Connie New • September 14, 2023
I would like to share with you about how our pantry continues to grow; so much so that our patron base has actually doubled in just the last two years. We now regularly handle 80+ families each time we are open and are continuing to add more. Our wish and our prayer is that our services would not be needed and that this pantry could close, but that is not the case. The need is greater than ever. Because of this we are at a point where we need to add more space. To do so, we are proposing to build a 600 square foot building on the South side of the pantry. This building will provide us more room in the existing pantry by moving most of our refrigeration and storage needs to the new building. This will enable us to serve and interact with our patrons and volunteers in new and more God centric ways. We have pulled together construction estimates and will need to raise a little over $40,000 for this project. We don’t ask very often, but right now we need your help. First, please start this process with us in prayer. We need God on this journey too, so we need everyone to help us welcome Him in. From there, I am asking that you prayerfully consider partnering with us in the building of this new space. Then if you feel led to participate with us financially, please look for the "Donate Tab" on our website. From there you just need to designate your donation to the building campaign. We would love to raise the money by the end of the year so construction can begin. We are also ready to create that entry in our "God's provision section" outlining how the money was provided!

The Tent

By Connie New • August 27, 2023
This is a story about homelessness and hopelessness and God's Provision. Exactly two weeks ago today my husband was driving home from serving at RCC. It was very hot, and he saw a family of five walking down the road. Mom was holding a baby; Dad was holding a gas can and a little boy and girl were walking beside them. He stopped and asked if they needed help. At first, they told him that they were fine but after some insistence from him, they all got in the truck and he took them to the nearest gas station (which was several miles away). Mom later told me that as she walked, she prayed that God would provide help for their family. On the way he found out that they were staying in a local campground and had run out of gas. When he took them back to their car, he saw that they were living out of their van. They had a small puptent but were sleeping in their van each night, leaving it running because of the extreme heat. The next day he felt led to go and check on them before church. He found the mother and the kids at the campsite. Dad had left for the day to work. He knew that they did not have food. He called me and said we had to help. He took them all to Walmart – and the journey began. He bought them a tent, air mattresses, a cooler, a fan, drinks, school shoes and supplies for the kids and then took them to RCC to get food. He dropped them back off with a promise to check on them the next day. I went and met the family and heard their story. It was not one of drugs or abuse. It was the story of a family that is living from day to day. The mother is disabled and the father works at day jobs. They had been living in a small camper in an RV park in Mayflower when a storm destroyed the camper. They had no place to go but their van. One storm and they were homeless. They spent the next month seeking help from various agencies around central Arkansas with no results. Dad would work for a day and then use that money for a hotel for that night. When we met them, they had just enough money for a gallon of gas for Dad to get to work the next day. We felt compelled to try to help this couple, so we started spreading the word about their situation. It had been a week of extreme heat, so we let them spend the nights inside the pantry. We knew that their situation had to change – how they were living was not sustainable. We took them to Church and introduced them to some friends. Friends started spreading the word to other friends and through one of those connections God Provided. We found someone who owned rental property. He had an apartment that was empty and was willing to work with them on the rent. He didn’t ask for a deposit. He didn’t ask for the first and last month’s rent in advance. When he found out the skillset of Dad, he gave him a job. When he found out they didn’t have furniture, he told them he would loan them whatever they needed. On the last day that they were able to stay at the campground, God provided them with a home. They moved into that apartment yesterday. And the help continued. My daughter put out the word and got donated clothes for all the kids and raised money for their first month’s rent. A local agency provided a baby bed and diapers. Another agency provided mattresses for the kids and kitchen supplies. D-Groups started providing all the items you would need to set up a household. Another couple offered to pay the utilities for the first month. The outpouring was overwhelming and it is still going on. When we purchased this family a tent, we were pretty proud of our solution. No more sleeping in the van. God looked at our plan and laughed. He said I will provide a home. I will provide a job. I will provide clothing. I will provide. How often we try to fix a problem ourselves when God’s solutions are always so much better. This family is no longer homeless. This family is no longer hopeless. And it was all God's Provision.

Arkansas Hunger Relief

By Connie New • August 18, 2023
In addition to donations from churches and individuals, one of the ways that RCC is able to operate is through grants from generous donors like the Arkansas Hunger Relief organization. This agency has been very supportive of our ministry and has provided funds for us to build our hunger gardens, to purchase new shelving and new freezers. Today we were blessed to receive a grant which is to be used exclusively on fruits, vegetables and meat for our patrons. This money will allow us to provide a better selection and higher quality of healthy foods. RCC could not exist without the generosity of organizations like Arkansas Hunger Relief and we are so thankful for their support.

The Gift

By Connie New • August 16, 2023
Not too long after we moved into the new pantry, we were unloading the truck and the forklift hit the garage door and dented it. We called the company who had installed it to come out and fix it. They sent a young man who looked it over and started working on the door. Once he finished, we asked what we owed him. He said nothing. He told us that years ago when he was a child, this ministry fed him and his family. They did not go hungry because of us. Not charging us for the door was his way of returning the favor. He didn’t realize that he gave us a gift that day that was much bigger than not charging for the repair. A lot of work goes into being able to feed the families that come to us. It is much larger than just being open two hours on a Saturday to hand out food. Sometimes we wonder if we are really making a difference – are we having an impact. This young man showed us that we are. Our ministry had an impact on him as a child and he remembered. Come join us in making a difference in people’s lives.

An Invitation

By Connie New • August 16, 2023
During the past few years there have been so many people who have stopped by to tour our facility and seemed to have been very impressed with what we are able to provide. For a moment they are excited – they say that they would love to support us and plan to volunteer, but we never hear from them again. I am sure that many do not feel their support is necessary. They think that we are doing just fine – in fact very well – without them. This is not correct. We do need them. This ministry is supported each month by five churches and a handful of individuals. Our recurring monthly donations are only half of what we need to pay our bills. We live by faith that larger donations during the year will carry us through. At some point we may have to make some difficult choices. We will either have to decrease our service area and turn people away or we will have to give less food to the ones that come. We do not want to do either of those things. Please consider partnering with us in this ministry by joining our giving team. We can feed people with your monthly gift. I am inviting you to be a part of something that will make you feel good about yourself. I am inviting you to be a part of something that will make see how richly God has blessed you. Come and serve with us on a Saturday and you will see the hands and feet of Jesus at work. You can be the hands and feet of Jesus, either by serving with us or by supporting us monetarily. I am so grateful for the supporters that God has provided and I have faith that He will continue to do so. Come join us. .
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