Another prayer, dear to the hearts of all the staff and our SOH family has been heard. We have been trying to get a workable bid to renovate the Northeast wing of our building for a long time. This will be the future home for Sister Mary Eugenia Floersch, SCL and Bernadine Asher. Tom Nadler of Triad Construction sent us a bid of $63,144. I asked Mr. Nadler whether we could do the project for $50,000 if volunteers would take care of the final painting and refinishing of the floors and woodwork along with donations from J and R Electrical and some plumbing from Mike Walberg (Mr. Rooter). Tom agreed. Wow and Praise the Lord!

This is where we need your help! This $50,000 amount exceeds our current budget. We have approximately $30,000 available for work such as this in savings. Our remaining cash is needed for on-going expenses, like utilities, insurance, food, administration costs, etc. We need money to pay for this project and not deplete our cash reserve. So I’m asking that our wider community of supporters (there are 1935 entries on our mailing list) send in donations marked "building fund". Whatever you can afford to help us would be deeply appreciated. We have never had to borrow any funds! We have $313,144.65 in total assets (this is what we have already spent for household improvements, furnishings and property over a 6-year period). You have helped us accomplish this at Sanctuary of Hope. Let us now go forward and do even greater things for God and for God’s People. When you send in your donation, please mark the enclosed envelope that is in your newsletter as "building fund." Please send all donations to Sanctuary of Hope, Building Fund, PO Box 172018, Kansas City, KS 66117-1018.

Jeff, Kelly, Steven, Bernadine, Sister Mary Eugenia and I invite you to come and see for yourselves what your past donations have done at Sanctuary of Hope. Thanks to hundreds of volunteers, thousands of volunteered hours and your prayers and labors of love we have some of the most inviting retreat rooms in the city; a dining room that serves some of the best food in town; a chapel where many have found peace and a touch of Jesus; walking trails and shrines that invite wonder and joy in hearts of all ages; new front doors to welcome all our guests and friends; meeting and office areas; a growing library of books and tapes; an art room where people can build their own soul activities and creativity; new wood trim and baseboards that keep the building's 1900’s look and feel. More people and groups keep calling and asking us about this place, called, "Sanctuary of Hope."

Our response is: "Come, sit awhile on the porch swing...and see for yourself."

So please keep your pledges and your financial donations coming. This is the backbone of our financial support. When you have to renovate inside, tuck point outside and keep up with today's codes for electrical and plumbing, it takes a lot of money and many thousand hours of donated labor. I invite you to look at the wish list and see if you might be able to help in that way as well.

I want to personally thank all of you for your prayers, support and labors of love. I close with the words of the Apostle James: "Humbly welcome the Word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the Word and not hearers only." (James 1: 21-22)

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Contentment in the Holy Spirit
and other retreats scheduled
By Marilyn Connolly

Members of the SOH community will be cooking and serving meals. Anyone desiring to help may volunteer by calling SOH at 913-321-4673 or Marilyn Connolly at 913-236-9528.