Two Handmade Quilts Donated to Help the Poor and Homeless

Mary & Gus Seely with Paul Kruse (founder of First Step Back Home Homeless Ministry) display the Bow-tie Quilt that will be auctioned at the 5th Anniversary Benefit Concert to help the poor and homeless.

On March 8th, 2010 Gus and Mary Seely generously donated two beautiful handmade quilts to Paul Kruse, founder of the First Step Back Home Homeless Ministry.  Both quilts were handmade by Mary’s sister of New Melle, Missouri who wishes to remain anonymous.  Gus and Mary are long time residents of O’Fallon, Missouri and members of Assumption Catholic Church.  Mary and Gus would like the proceeds from both quilts to further assist the poor and homeless in St. Charles County.   The Bow-tie quilt will be auctioned at the 5th Anniversary Benefit Concert and the flower quilt done in fall shades will be auctioned at the Homeless Not Hopeless Gala that will be held at the Columns on Friday, September 24th, 2010.  Please plan to attend the 5th Anniversary Benefit Concert to bid on the beautiful bow-tie quilt.  The event will start at 6:00pm at Wentzville Christian Church located at 1507 Highway Z Wentzville, MO 63385.  Admission is Free! Love offerings will be accepted to continue the Homeless Ministry.  Join Paul and Lana for refreshments following the concert.  Reservations are a must!  Please kindly send your RSVP to: First Step Back Home (Attn: Benefit Concert) P.O. Box 966 O’Fallon, MO 63366 or paulwkruse@centurytel.net.  Reservation Deadline is March 21st, 2010. 

Since 2005, First Step Back Home Homeless Ministry (FSBH) has helped single men because most existing charities refuse to help. FSBH is a safety net for those that other agencies cannot or will not help. (These agencies have more resources than FSBH and most of their programs are well established.) FSBH is not trying to add services or reinvent the process. It is serving individuals who fall outside those program's support parameters and fill gaps in existing agencies services. When circumstances involving women and children arise, FSBH provides temporary, interim help while directing them to those agencies better equipped to meet their needs.
Founder, administrator and key case manager Paul Kruse, and elder at West-Plex Community Church was involved in "Home Repair" for many years.   Now he focuses on "Homeless Repair". His wife Lana said she prayed for him to get off roofs and now he's in the trenches getting 30-40 phone calls per day from people needing assistance.  In a little more than 5 years the Lord has blessed this ministry with funds to service about 2000 people and get more than half of them to self-sufficiency.  The needs are great due to the down economy and job loss.  You can help FSBH continue the ministry to the homeless in many ways:  Prayer, hot meal preparation, food, toiletries, gas cards, phone cards, hotel credits, used or new bicycles, used cars, and of course monetary gifts.  All donations to FSBH are tax deductible as the ministry has been classified as a 501(c)3 public charity.  FSBH summarizes what it tries to do to show the love of God to the poor by these three ideas of instruction:
•    RENEW:   Renew their minds to be Christ-like (Romans 12:2 To renew their thinking and trust in Jesus alone so they may progress successfully toward self-sufficiency)
•    RESTORE:   Restore their souls through salvation which puts them right with their creator God. (Psalm 23)
•    REBUILD:   Rebuild their lives now that they have the power God gives us all when we turn to Him in obedience and faith.
(Matthew 4:4 Man does not live by bread alone but lives by every word from God)
If you would like more information please visit www.firststepbackhome.net or contact Paul Kruse at 636-466-1365. We hope to see you at the Benefit Concert!