A Special Thank-You
Posted by: Debbie Koontz | Posted on: May 11, 2019A Special thank-you for making B-WARM’s 2019 Anniversary Dinner a Hugh Success. We would like to thank each and every Sponsor for heir support of he Mission. Especially a shout out o PTM Corp. (whom I forgot to include heir Logo in our Annual Report, it is include in the online version). God bless the person that announced the $1,000 match – as we received 2 addition matches for amount. Praise the Lord – For He is Good.
Just while I am thanking everyone. The Women’s Mission has been so blessed with donations. Thank you again for your kindness and generosity. We will soon be opening he doors of this much needed ministry.
Emergency Women’s Shelter
Posted by: Debbie Koontz | Posted on: January 23, 2019In response to the influx of homeless women and homeless women with children from down river counties, the Blue Water Area Rescue Mission has committed to opening a Women’s Emergency Shelter Facility located at 2315 Bancroft Street in Port Huron.
The Women’s facility will mirror all phases, programs, and structure of the Men’s shelter program.
BWARM will initiate a women’s shelter program to open by April 1, 2019. This emergency shelter facility will provide two meals a day for all residents of the emergency shelter as well as a sack lunch for the women of the shelter program who are working. BWARM is committed to providing a clean, safe, warm place to sleep and live, as well as showers, and laundry facilities for the residents between the hours of 4:00 PM until 9:00 AM daily. BWARM will also provide vocational, educational, life skills, and peer drug and alcohol recovery programs to the women of the emergency shelter program. BWARM is a State of Michigan, Licensed Drug and Alcohol Peer Recovery, and early intervention program providing drug and alcohol recovery programming at the 2315 Bancroft Street in Port Huron Michigan.
BWARM will provide to the residents of the women’s program religious study classes, Computer literacy classes, Employability and Resume writing classes, as well as life skills and financial accountability and financial savings program. Each of the programs offered by BWARM will structured as remedial reading programs as well as providing the targeted skills of the class.
The Blue Water Area Rescue Mission will offer a holistic faith based approach to addiction recovery that treats the body, mind, and spirit. Individuals will live in a congregate setting for up to 90 days and are required to attend life skills classes, participate in specified community service projects, and provide weekly proof of job search efforts. While the Blue Water Area Rescue Mission incorporates the core tenets of Christianity in all aspects of our recovery work, we are open to people of all faiths and people of no faith. The end goal of the mission recovery program is for individuals and families to have their lives and relationships restored, and to be reengaged with society in a meaningful way.
BWARM will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, or family status.
Christmas Gift for the Homeless
Posted by: Debbie Koontz | Posted on: December 3, 2018The Blue Water Area Rescue Mission has seen dramatic growth in the number of people coming to the mission for shelter services, and we expect to see record numbers again this winter season.
B-WARM is moving forward in our efforts to build the new bathroom and shower facility before the end of winter. God has opened doors for the mission that no one else could ever do. Our Architect is ready to go. The mission is having a fund raising event on Q-Country Radio, 107.1 FM, from December 3rd through December 18th. A generous donor has stated that they would match the first $4,000 donated for the expansion project. If you would like to be a blessing to the mission’s building project your support is most welcome.
Help us help others in their time of need. For your tax-deductible contribution, please select the DONATE button at the top. Please also select Expansion if you want your donation to go to the Expansion Project, if not your donation will be used to provided food and shelter services.
As stewards of God’s blessings we must count that cost and be diligent in our service to the Lord (Luke 14:28). We have seen the need, we have counted the cost, and we ARE MOVING FORWARD.
From Our Family to Your Family ,Thank you very much for your kindness and generosity. We are the Lives that have been changed because you cared. Have the Merriest of Christmases and a Very Blessed New Year.
On Any Given Day
Posted by: Debbie Koontz | Posted on: August 11, 2017On any given day 88 million people are held captive by drugs and/or alcohol in America. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) tells us that in America 52,000 people lost their life to a Drug Overdose in the 2016. If we were losing 1,000 people a week in automobile accidents, there would be an outcry from consumer groups so loud that the car companies would surely take action. If we were losing 1,000 people a week to some exotic disease, there would be such an outcry from families who lost love ones, that our medical community would take immediate action. Yet we are losing 1,000 mothers, fathers, son, daughters, and friends each week, yet no one cries out for this crisis to be addressed.
But, this is just the tip of the iceberg, we are seeing children being born, addicted because their mothers used drugs while they were pregnant. With the mothers not being unable to take care for the baby, the babies are being placed in our foster care system. This is not only a financial burden, but possibly the seeds of the second, and perhaps, third generation of drug addicts; the drug epidemic has gone generational.
We are also seeing communicable diseases like Hepatitis A, Aids, and HIV, spreading almost unchecked because of illicit drug use. Yet, there is no outcry from the community for a solution. How long can we stand by, how long can we be silent as this drug epidemic consumes our nation. I cannot be silent, I can’t stand by, I can’t watch another family bury yet another young person because of a drug overdose.
I have committed the resources of the Blue Water Area Rescue Mission to fight this epidemic in our community, but, it is not enough. I need your help. I need you to write, call, or e-mail your state and local officials, and demand that they do something to fight this drug epidemic. I also need your financial support.
BWARM needs to expand our current facility to meet the growing needs within our community. BWARM offers a holistic faith based treatment program that treats the body, mind, and spirit. Even though BWARM incorporates the tenants of Christianity in every aspect of our programs, we accept people of all faiths and people of no faith. We want to be a positive force for change within our community, and we need you help to do it. Please consider a gift to the rescue mission, there is no gift to big, or to small, God will bless and use each one to His Glory.
Sincerely,
Rev Arnie Koontz
Executive Director
Blue Water Area Rescue Mission
Favor
Posted by: Debbie Koontz | Posted on: May 28, 2017
God’s Favor
Favor
“For the wages of sin [is] death; but the act of favour of God, eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, Darby).
Several years ago, a church in Lake of the Ozarks mapped out a strategy to engage in random acts of kindness. It was awesome to participate. For several days, we walked the blistering hot asphalt pavement with window cleaner and paper towels; we waved drivers into several service stations where we filled up tanks, washed windows, vacuumed carpets, and shared Jesus.
Kids wanted to leap from the automobiles to join in and help us. Many moms and dads were so impressed to see college and high school graduates randomly engage in acts of kindness. One mother said, “I have never seen anything like this in my life. Are you guys real? Where are you from?”
This question opened the door for one of the college students to share the gospel. Jamie said, “I am from Kansas City, Kansas. However, if you would allow me, I would like to tell you where I’m going.”
The mother said, “Are you going to one of the universities in the area, or are you going to a university or college in Kansas? Is that what you mean?”
Jamie said, “No. I’m not talking about school. I’m talking about my eternal home.”
“What do you mean? What’s an eternal home?”
Jamie responded by presenting the gospel message. Of course, God prepared this mom’s heart to hear the words. But I think showing her kindness and favor opened her ears to listen, as well.
On that day standing on an acid hot asphalt pavement, this mother received Jesus Christ as her Savior. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death.” That’s the bad news, but the good news is this. “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
We didn’t realize that what we would produce was immediate favor. Only God knows the eternal implication of one solitary random act of kindness.
“Eternal life is not a peculiar feeling inside! It is not your ultimate destination, to which you will go when you are dead. If you are born again, eternal life is that quality of life that you possess right now.”
—Major Ian Thomas
Today’s prayer…
Heavenly Father, I have Your favor. I know that I do. I have witnessed Your hand at work in my life. I have seen You do great and mighty things in my life, and I know that it is You. I love You, dear Lord. And I want to be more and more like You each and every day. Help me pass your favor on to those around me—both friends and strangers—in word and in actions. This is Your servant’s prayer. Amen!
Hope does not put us to shame.
Posted by: Debbie Koontz | Posted on: January 5, 2017
[blockquote align=”left”]
“From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God” (Jonah 2:1)
[/blockquote]High school sweethearts Shelia and Butch got engaged during their senior year in high school. In order to afford college Butch joined the army out of high school and served four tours in Afghanistan. During this time Butch and Shelia carried on a long distance relationship and, soon after Butch arrived home from Afghanistan, he and Shelia were married. The following year Grace Nicole was born. Immediately Butch and Shelia began having serious marital problems. Butch was drinking heavily and Shelia was sliding into deep depression. Butch realized that their lives were literally falling apart and, in a moment of desperation, he cried out, “Lord, God where are You? I’m losing my way, Father. My wife is drowning in the deepest pit of emotional depression. Lord, God of Heaven and Earth, please save us now.”In the same way, Jonah cried out to the “Lord, God” from within the belly of the big fish. Out of anger and utter frustration, Jonah accused God of casting him into the hopeless deep. Jonah paints a vivid picture of his demise. Death had wrapped its tentacles around him like seaweed. Jonah’s hope appeared to have lost its usefulness; as he began to sink into the bottomless pit of the sea.
The apostle Paul wrote, “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5).
[blockquote align=”right”]“Other men see only a hopeless end, but the Christian rejoices in an endless hope.” —Gilbert M. Beeken
[/blockquote] Butch and Sheila reconnected with a local church and learned the value of hope through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. A relationship that refuses to let down even the most disappointed believer. Today they are walking in the fullness of victory serving the Lord and this community because someone was there to share the love of Christ with them in their hour of desperate need.The Blue Water Area Rescue Mission is proud to work with the local church as we keeping watch on the waterfront of despair, providing lifelines for those drowning in the waves of adversity and the undertow of addiction through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.